Just received the special invitation to join the DFMC 2009 team, made available only to current team members, and filled it out immediately.
One of the application questions asked you to tell something about yourself. My answer made me smile: we're back in Boston, I'm traveling less and not in school, and I'm stepping down from one or two more volunteer activities. Could it be...do I really...have more time to TRAIN with the gang???
Heartbreak Hill, here I come!
PS: If you didn't get a chance to support my 2008 Boston Marathon run yet, this is my not-so-subtle hint that it's not too late! I just learned I can accept donations through the end of September, so if you can make room for a wonderful cause in your budget this month, please consider supporting me!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
A historic moment
Hilliary Clinton made the right move today by moving to suspend voting and declare by acclamation Barack Obama the party's presidential candidate. I admit: I am not a huge fan of the Clintons. However, it was wonderful to see a female presidential candidate go so far and only fitting to see this finally end on the anniversary of women's right to vote. The next woman will go further and, perhaps, into the White House itself.
Equally historic is seeing the first African American candidate named as the party's candidate. It's about time.
Equally historic is seeing the first African American candidate named as the party's candidate. It's about time.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Running of the Brides
This Friday was the bi-annual "Running of the Brides" at Filene's Basement. It's turned into quite a production, and I'm proud to say that I did it before it went totally commercial!
Just a week or two after Tom and I got engaged, my now sister-in-law, Mary, urged me to go with her to the upcoming sale, telling me to have no expectations, be prepared to be shocked and amused, and to just go with it and have a good time. I have to say: I had no interest whatsoever in going. When I was young, my mother used to drag me into Boston to catch a good sale at the Basement, and I have very strong and rather unpleasant memories of being practically bowled over by over-eager women of all ages trying to get a bargain. Running of the Brides is not my idea of fun.
I gave in. Mary met me around 6am and we headed into town. We were there by 6:30, an
d I think the doors (of the original Filene's Basement) opened at 7am. Some girls had camped out for an hour or two, but we were fairly close to the front. At her suggestion, I wore running tights and a tank top that I could easily scoot a dress over. The doors opened, we rushed in, grabbed whatever we could, then the trading began. All very cordial -- I'll give you this for that. I saw a petite girl wearing the dress I would ultimately buy and told Mary "we have to get that dress!" No expectations, but I somehow ended up with a designer dress that cost thousands for only $250. Apparently there was local TV footage later that night of me trying the dress on and twirling around in front of a mirror.
Today, the footage is a little more frightening. Girls camping out the night before. Grooms with them, ready to defend their future wife's dress stash physically if necessary. Cutesy matching t-shirts with catchy slogans. Way too many whistles. Way too much flesh being bared -- apparently my modesty is a thing of the past. I think these girls have seen Sex and the City one time too many!
Just a week or two after Tom and I got engaged, my now sister-in-law, Mary, urged me to go with her to the upcoming sale, telling me to have no expectations, be prepared to be shocked and amused, and to just go with it and have a good time. I have to say: I had no interest whatsoever in going. When I was young, my mother used to drag me into Boston to catch a good sale at the Basement, and I have very strong and rather unpleasant memories of being practically bowled over by over-eager women of all ages trying to get a bargain. Running of the Brides is not my idea of fun.
I gave in. Mary met me around 6am and we headed into town. We were there by 6:30, an
d I think the doors (of the original Filene's Basement) opened at 7am. Some girls had camped out for an hour or two, but we were fairly close to the front. At her suggestion, I wore running tights and a tank top that I could easily scoot a dress over. The doors opened, we rushed in, grabbed whatever we could, then the trading began. All very cordial -- I'll give you this for that. I saw a petite girl wearing the dress I would ultimately buy and told Mary "we have to get that dress!" No expectations, but I somehow ended up with a designer dress that cost thousands for only $250. Apparently there was local TV footage later that night of me trying the dress on and twirling around in front of a mirror.Today, the footage is a little more frightening. Girls camping out the night before. Grooms with them, ready to defend their future wife's dress stash physically if necessary. Cutesy matching t-shirts with catchy slogans. Way too many whistles. Way too much flesh being bared -- apparently my modesty is a thing of the past. I think these girls have seen Sex and the City one time too many!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Wounded Chef
No, I didn't hurt myself cooking, just making a play on the show "Iron Chef." I did, however, injure myself walking my dog out the front door this morning....ever fulfilling my role as a klutz.
Long story short, Maddie zagged while I zigged. I tripped over her and in an impressive attempt not to step on her paws and wake up the neighbors at a really early hour of the morning, I slipped on the concrete stairs and put a big gash in my baby toe. I'll spare you the details, but.... Big gash as in "well, do you need to go to the hospital" asks Tom. Big as in "hmmm...maybe you should see someone about getting a stitch in that" states my father. Yup, this is a multiple band-aid job for the near future. No more pedicures this summer.
So, what did we get in today's CSA? Leeks and potatoes! At Tom's request to make something, anything that he actually will eat (let's just say that between our polar opposite likes/dislikes in veggies and his mild allergy to lemon, he's come out on the losing end), I found an old recipe tucked away from years ago when we were dating: Una McKeever's Famous Leek and Potato Soup. Una was a fellow runner and a lovely lass from Ireland. At several potluck affairs, she brought her family favorite soup, and somewhere along the way, I got and kept the recipe. Very easy stuff, although my version needs a little something-something. Kind of bland. I'm sure Tom will weigh in with an idea or two!
I would like to boast that I made this soup entirely on my own -- Tom was up extraordinarily early to finish a lab report for school and went to bed early, completely exhausted.
Since we got only one ear of corn last week, I picked up a few more at Shaws last night, on sale. And of course, what did we get: multiple ears of corn. It was getting late, and I had already maimed myself once on the concrete today, so instead of heading outside and grilling them, I threw them in a pot of boiling water and will share them with Tom's parents tomorrow.
Other odds and ends: several different kinds of tomatoes, a handful of green beans, a few red potatoes, some sage, and long veggie that looks like it could be a squash. There's always one in the bunch we're not sure about. Bummer about the sage -- the cut herbs never seem to last more than a day or so, and it always seems to be an herb I just bought within the week at the store. Someday I'll figure out the right balance between the CSA and Shaws!
Long story short, Maddie zagged while I zigged. I tripped over her and in an impressive attempt not to step on her paws and wake up the neighbors at a really early hour of the morning, I slipped on the concrete stairs and put a big gash in my baby toe. I'll spare you the details, but.... Big gash as in "well, do you need to go to the hospital" asks Tom. Big as in "hmmm...maybe you should see someone about getting a stitch in that" states my father. Yup, this is a multiple band-aid job for the near future. No more pedicures this summer.
So, what did we get in today's CSA? Leeks and potatoes! At Tom's request to make something, anything that he actually will eat (let's just say that between our polar opposite likes/dislikes in veggies and his mild allergy to lemon, he's come out on the losing end), I found an old recipe tucked away from years ago when we were dating: Una McKeever's Famous Leek and Potato Soup. Una was a fellow runner and a lovely lass from Ireland. At several potluck affairs, she brought her family favorite soup, and somewhere along the way, I got and kept the recipe. Very easy stuff, although my version needs a little something-something. Kind of bland. I'm sure Tom will weigh in with an idea or two!
I would like to boast that I made this soup entirely on my own -- Tom was up extraordinarily early to finish a lab report for school and went to bed early, completely exhausted.
Since we got only one ear of corn last week, I picked up a few more at Shaws last night, on sale. And of course, what did we get: multiple ears of corn. It was getting late, and I had already maimed myself once on the concrete today, so instead of heading outside and grilling them, I threw them in a pot of boiling water and will share them with Tom's parents tomorrow.
Other odds and ends: several different kinds of tomatoes, a handful of green beans, a few red potatoes, some sage, and long veggie that looks like it could be a squash. There's always one in the bunch we're not sure about. Bummer about the sage -- the cut herbs never seem to last more than a day or so, and it always seems to be an herb I just bought within the week at the store. Someday I'll figure out the right balance between the CSA and Shaws!
Monday, August 18, 2008
A weekend up in Portland
For our anniversary this weekend, we headed up to Portland, Maine with Dave and Kelli. With gas prices what they are, Tom quickly discovered in the planning process that taking the Downeaster train was the way to go: $45 round trip per person, only a few minutes longer than driving. Sure beats $70/tank for our 4Runner!
We arrived in Portland on Friday and had lunch at a great seafood restaurant on the waterfront -- the kind that is tucked in next to the big touristy seafood restaurant and is the one where the locals seem to go. We checked into the Portland Harbor Hotel mid-afternoon, then headed out in the evening to see the Portland Sea Dogs take on the Harrisburg Senators. Minor league games are the best -- up-and-coming stars (Beckett, Buckholtz, and Ellsbury all played here, and even Ortiz spent some time here a few weeks ago on rehab), cheap prices for great seats, and quality entertainment by the various mascots (Slugger the SeaDog and the TrashMonsters...sounds like a Sesame Street Band).
Saturday we had brunch at the hotel, then headed down to the harbor for a tour of the lighthouses in Portland Harbor. The fog was pea-soup thick in some areas, bright and sunny in others. We saw equal amounts (few!) of lighthouses and seals, and were entertained throughout the ride by a very peculiar couple who were....several sandwiches shy of a picnic?
Back in Portland, we poked around and shopped for a bit (I made my annual stop at Lovell Designs), making our way across town to a restaurant that Tom had been talking about for months: DuckFat. And yes, never fear, he was right on the money. Who wouldn't like french fries cooked in duckfat and delicious paninis? We found a very neat culinary bookstore just around the corner from it -- the selection was incredible, but we couldn't help poking around and thinking how we might get a better deal online. Must be so difficult in this day to be an independent bookseller.
Saturday night, we went for round 2 of Tom's incredible culinary tour and had dinner at Cinque Terre, which was awesome. The boys befriended a wonderful gentleman at the bar who surprised us later on by sending a bottle of champagne up to our dinner table. Food was great, wine was great...I was full and buzzed by the end! Dancing followed at a local club, but I can't say I remember much there!
Sunday morning we lazed around, then headed across town to a restaurant recommended by one of Tom's managers, Caiolas. More awesome food and a real off-the-beaten path find! Tom, in fact, is still talking about his burger. We decided to walk back to the hotel and burn off some of the calories we "collected" throughout the weekend. Beautiful afternoon, followed by a very quiet (zzzzzzzzz.......) ride back on the train.
Love the city of Portland -- great restaurants, very walkable, some good shopping (can be a little hit or miss, depending on whether you pick the right shops). This is the second time we've spent a weekend there and will definitely go back.
We arrived in Portland on Friday and had lunch at a great seafood restaurant on the waterfront -- the kind that is tucked in next to the big touristy seafood restaurant and is the one where the locals seem to go. We checked into the Portland Harbor Hotel mid-afternoon, then headed out in the evening to see the Portland Sea Dogs take on the Harrisburg Senators. Minor league games are the best -- up-and-coming stars (Beckett, Buckholtz, and Ellsbury all played here, and even Ortiz spent some time here a few weeks ago on rehab), cheap prices for great seats, and quality entertainment by the various mascots (Slugger the SeaDog and the TrashMonsters...sounds like a Sesame Street Band).
Saturday we had brunch at the hotel, then headed down to the harbor for a tour of the lighthouses in Portland Harbor. The fog was pea-soup thick in some areas, bright and sunny in others. We saw equal amounts (few!) of lighthouses and seals, and were entertained throughout the ride by a very peculiar couple who were....several sandwiches shy of a picnic?
Back in Portland, we poked around and shopped for a bit (I made my annual stop at Lovell Designs), making our way across town to a restaurant that Tom had been talking about for months: DuckFat. And yes, never fear, he was right on the money. Who wouldn't like french fries cooked in duckfat and delicious paninis? We found a very neat culinary bookstore just around the corner from it -- the selection was incredible, but we couldn't help poking around and thinking how we might get a better deal online. Must be so difficult in this day to be an independent bookseller.
Saturday night, we went for round 2 of Tom's incredible culinary tour and had dinner at Cinque Terre, which was awesome. The boys befriended a wonderful gentleman at the bar who surprised us later on by sending a bottle of champagne up to our dinner table. Food was great, wine was great...I was full and buzzed by the end! Dancing followed at a local club, but I can't say I remember much there!
Sunday morning we lazed around, then headed across town to a restaurant recommended by one of Tom's managers, Caiolas. More awesome food and a real off-the-beaten path find! Tom, in fact, is still talking about his burger. We decided to walk back to the hotel and burn off some of the calories we "collected" throughout the weekend. Beautiful afternoon, followed by a very quiet (zzzzzzzzz.......) ride back on the train.
Love the city of Portland -- great restaurants, very walkable, some good shopping (can be a little hit or miss, depending on whether you pick the right shops). This is the second time we've spent a weekend there and will definitely go back.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Happy anniversary!
Five years ago today, Tom and I got married -- love you, honey!
ps -- I love it that my husband writes comments on my blog!
ps -- I love it that my husband writes comments on my blog!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
More adventures in cooking!
So I've taken Tom's advice to heart and have been keeping an eye out for recipes that are relatively easy to follow. This weekend's brunch was a big challenge, as he was down the Cape fishing and unavailable to rescue me, even by phone!
Our menu:
Today, Tom picked up our latest CSA delivery and was pleased to find all veggies he recognized (those of you who played "name that vegetable" with us last week will be amused to learn the dirt balls were beets and the green bowling ball was in fact a watermelon). Tonight he helped me make gazpacho, something I've always loved and have been dying to try. I had ripped out another version of the recipe from Yankee Magazine last year because it had instructions on how to peel and seed a tomato -- apparently I just learn how to blanche, according to Tom! It's another recipe that calls for an overnight in the fridge, so stay tuned...
Our menu:
- Baguettes and several dips/spreads: herbed dipping sauces, rosemary & sage white bean dip, herbed goat cheese, and Persian spinach dip. I was excited particularly to find a spinach dip that doesn't have mayo in it -- instead, you use yogurt. The goat cheese was a hit with those who liked the lemony bite -- I normally love lemon, but thought it was a bit too much. I was nervous about the white bean dip -- it seemed too dry when I first made it, but sitting overnight did the trick (actually, they all sat overnight and were probably the better for it).
- Several salads: green salad with feta and grapes (minus the citrus dressing, as I didn't have white wine vinegar); corn salad (very yummy -- no mayo!); and a squash-based garden salad with citrus dressing.
- Frittata with spinach, potatoes and leeks. I followed suggestions and added more basil, but it was still a little bit on the bland side. It also took WAY longer than 25 minutes to cook -- try closer to an hour. Overall it was fine, but needed a little something-something.
Today, Tom picked up our latest CSA delivery and was pleased to find all veggies he recognized (those of you who played "name that vegetable" with us last week will be amused to learn the dirt balls were beets and the green bowling ball was in fact a watermelon). Tonight he helped me make gazpacho, something I've always loved and have been dying to try. I had ripped out another version of the recipe from Yankee Magazine last year because it had instructions on how to peel and seed a tomato -- apparently I just learn how to blanche, according to Tom! It's another recipe that calls for an overnight in the fridge, so stay tuned...
Monday, August 11, 2008
Why did the turtle cross the road?
Yesterday morning, I was driving out to Wellesley to meet my parents and sister for breakfast to celebrate my mother's birthday. Just off of 128 onto Route 16, five or six cars in front of me locked up their brakes and scattered all over the road. They all inched their way through, and low and behold the culprit: a turtle trying to cross the road from one embankment of the river to another.
No one seemed intent on stopping (hmmm...running late to church?), so I pulled over, waved down an approaching car, ran into the middle of the intersection, picked up the turtle and ran him (or her) over to the other side. What did I get for my troubles? Well, he actually hissed at me, then comically pulled in all four legs and his head like a cartoon. A station wagon full of kids cheered me on.
Needless to say, I was late for breakfast, but I'm sure "I was rescuing a turtle" was a new one for my parents!
No one seemed intent on stopping (hmmm...running late to church?), so I pulled over, waved down an approaching car, ran into the middle of the intersection, picked up the turtle and ran him (or her) over to the other side. What did I get for my troubles? Well, he actually hissed at me, then comically pulled in all four legs and his head like a cartoon. A station wagon full of kids cheered me on.
Needless to say, I was late for breakfast, but I'm sure "I was rescuing a turtle" was a new one for my parents!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Girls-only wine series: round 2
Several years ago, I read a wonderful article about a group of women who got together once a year at someone's home or summer home and spent a weekend together eating, drinking, laughing...no real agenda except the occasional pedicure. This really struck a chord with me, so I floated the idea among my friends. Long story short, by the end of a beautiful early spring weekend, close to 30 women had passed through our house in Plymouth. Some dropped by for an afternoon, others came down for a day, still others stayed overnight, and a few girls even came from out of town! Those who couldn't make it begged me to continue the tradition, saying that not only did they look forward to some girl-time, they needed it!
This year, we put the house on the market and eventually rented it out in the last spring, so using Plymouth was out of the question. We live in a two-floor apartment in Somerville, so having a houseful of girls for an entire weekend is sketchy at best. So, Heather's girls-only wine series was born!
I threw together a last minute wine & cheese in June, featuring Australian wines, and only a few girls could make it. This time, I gave the gals a few weeks notice and was delighted to have a full table of girls over for brunch today. Our theme: champagnes and sparkling wines. Why? Because I had somehow accumulated four bottles in our fridge between the SuperBowl and a few other parties and I desperately need the room!
Our selection:
A good resource for the uninitiated: Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wines. I think the writing is hilarious and have learned a lot from it. The best part is for each type of wine, he recommends best buys under $15, as well as those to impress under $30. Several of the above were his recommendations.
The nicest surprise of the day, however, was Tom's early anniversary present. He had come home from the Cape a wee bit hungover, so instead of heading out with the boys, he spent a few hours in the a/c upstairs in bed, then later in the afternoon settled in on the couch to watch TV. He must have been listening to our conversation about jewelry, because he suddenly appeared with a bag from DePrisco and said "here, I thought you might have fun showing these to the girls." A beautiful pearl necklace and matching earrings! Totally caught me by surprise -- we're heading up to Portland this coming weekend to celebrate and I hadn't expected us to exchange gifts (sneaky little bugger!). But apparently I needed to stop borrowing my friend's pearls (namely Cindy's for our wedding) and have my own. What a guy!
This year, we put the house on the market and eventually rented it out in the last spring, so using Plymouth was out of the question. We live in a two-floor apartment in Somerville, so having a houseful of girls for an entire weekend is sketchy at best. So, Heather's girls-only wine series was born!
I threw together a last minute wine & cheese in June, featuring Australian wines, and only a few girls could make it. This time, I gave the gals a few weeks notice and was delighted to have a full table of girls over for brunch today. Our theme: champagnes and sparkling wines. Why? Because I had somehow accumulated four bottles in our fridge between the SuperBowl and a few other parties and I desperately need the room!
Our selection:
- France: Perriet Jouet Grand Brut
- Spain: Freixenet and Segura Viudas Brut Reserva
- Italy: Prosecco Brut Mionetto and Zardetto Proseco
- US East Coast: Westport River Blanc de Noirs 2000
- US West Coast: Mumm Nappa Blanc de Noirs
- El cheapo: Korbel
A good resource for the uninitiated: Oldman's Guide to Outsmarting Wines. I think the writing is hilarious and have learned a lot from it. The best part is for each type of wine, he recommends best buys under $15, as well as those to impress under $30. Several of the above were his recommendations.
The nicest surprise of the day, however, was Tom's early anniversary present. He had come home from the Cape a wee bit hungover, so instead of heading out with the boys, he spent a few hours in the a/c upstairs in bed, then later in the afternoon settled in on the couch to watch TV. He must have been listening to our conversation about jewelry, because he suddenly appeared with a bag from DePrisco and said "here, I thought you might have fun showing these to the girls." A beautiful pearl necklace and matching earrings! Totally caught me by surprise -- we're heading up to Portland this coming weekend to celebrate and I hadn't expected us to exchange gifts (sneaky little bugger!). But apparently I needed to stop borrowing my friend's pearls (namely Cindy's for our wedding) and have my own. What a guy!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Now this is how a concert should be: Coldplay
Tom and I went to the Boston Garden...er, Fleet Center.....er, TD BankNorth Garden or whatever they're calling the building on Causeway, to see Coldplay.
The show itself was fantastic -- I love the emphasis on piano in their music. Their light/visual effects were incredible -- really very cool. Toward the end of the show, the band hopped into the crowd, went across the venue and picked back up on a very small stage in the middle of the crowd to play one or two songs. Very, very cool! My only complaint -- they should play longer shows (played for one hour, then a 2-3 song encore).
Our seats were the bonus for the evening. We bought into a luxury box through one of Tom's friends with 24 other people. Really pricey and not something we're likely to do again, but we had a private box with a great view, free food, a personal bartender, security to keep the riff-raff out, and nice cushy seats, including couches. Very, very comfortable.
Ah, if only we had a money tree in the backyard!
The show itself was fantastic -- I love the emphasis on piano in their music. Their light/visual effects were incredible -- really very cool. Toward the end of the show, the band hopped into the crowd, went across the venue and picked back up on a very small stage in the middle of the crowd to play one or two songs. Very, very cool! My only complaint -- they should play longer shows (played for one hour, then a 2-3 song encore).
Our seats were the bonus for the evening. We bought into a luxury box through one of Tom's friends with 24 other people. Really pricey and not something we're likely to do again, but we had a private box with a great view, free food, a personal bartender, security to keep the riff-raff out, and nice cushy seats, including couches. Very, very comfortable.
Ah, if only we had a money tree in the backyard!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
The perils of moving over a six-month period: stuff, stuff and more stuff...
Last night, Tom and I went to The Container Store and spent $$$ on Elfa shelving for our dining room. There's an alcove where his parents' hutch fit perfectly, but alas ours does not even come close. Tom decided, given our storage constraints, the best plan of attack was to install shelving and cover it with curtains. We sat down, figured out exactly what our storage needs were, and found ourselves happily designing a space that's 57" wide by 93" tall by 18" deep. Yes, it's the little things in life.
A few swears later this morning, our shelves were in place, and I spent most of the day going through boxes and bags of stuff yet unpacked from our frenetic move from Plymouth.
So here's what happens when you put your house on the market, move over a six month period, then decide to rent said house semi-furnished: you can never remember what's at the house, what's buried in the apartment, or what you simply don't have. This is why I uncovered the following this weekend:
So, with our new and improved shelving system, I went through our cabinets and reorganized everything. The things we tend to keep buying are now in plain view, whereas the things that I don't mind collecting because they get used up so quickly (marinades, pasta sauce, BBQ sauce) are in the cabinets. We're already off to a good start: Tom was reacquainting himself with the basket of sauce and seasoning packets and discovered one for herb roasted potatoes which will nicely take care of the potatoes from last week's CSA delivery.
I swear, when the day comes when we consider redoing the kitchen, we have a good case for using glass doors just to keep track of the "stuff."
A few swears later this morning, our shelves were in place, and I spent most of the day going through boxes and bags of stuff yet unpacked from our frenetic move from Plymouth.
So here's what happens when you put your house on the market, move over a six month period, then decide to rent said house semi-furnished: you can never remember what's at the house, what's buried in the apartment, or what you simply don't have. This is why I uncovered the following this weekend:
- 13 sticks of my deodorant, and at least 8 of Tom's
- Cans and cans of beef and chicken broth, at least half of which expired 1-2 years ago
- Several opened boxes of crackers that didn't need any further investigation to determine staleness
- 4 bottles of Frebreeze air freshener
- 2 boxes of Saran wrap, 3 boxes of freezer bags, and an extra box each of sandwich bags, tin foil and trash bags
- Unopened flour (yup, re-bought up here for Christmas baking), vanilla (same), honey (probably the same), and the bottle of key lime juice my father picked up for me two years ago when I had intended to make a cake for one of our Pig Roasts, then ran out of time. Now that, I might use next weekend....
So, with our new and improved shelving system, I went through our cabinets and reorganized everything. The things we tend to keep buying are now in plain view, whereas the things that I don't mind collecting because they get used up so quickly (marinades, pasta sauce, BBQ sauce) are in the cabinets. We're already off to a good start: Tom was reacquainting himself with the basket of sauce and seasoning packets and discovered one for herb roasted potatoes which will nicely take care of the potatoes from last week's CSA delivery.
I swear, when the day comes when we consider redoing the kitchen, we have a good case for using glass doors just to keep track of the "stuff."
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