Feb 26, 2009

Pura Vida

I can easily recall many scenes in movies where the main character is frantically searching for something, or trying to escape from an enemy, and suddenly she stubs her toe, or trips and falls, only to discover something very important located right where she lands. The flashlight! The gun! The secret escape hatch! Dramatic moments like these don’t happen to me on a frequent basis, but in line with the overall theme, I have been made privy to how an unexpected disruption can lead to something previously undiscovered.

When I was in Costa Rica a few years ago, I was alone in my room just after dusk, when the electricity went out. My dad and I were in a relatively remote area of Monte Verde, and there was little moonlight. I had a hard time seeing even a few inches in front of me, and even if I had slightly improved visibility, the next nearest building was a difficult uphill trek even in broad daylight. I was not about to attempt it alone at night in the dark. Let’s face it; I’m not the most surefooted individual in the world.

I began to search for my cell phone to try to generate a little more light, and found my way to the window where I opened the curtains, hoping for illumination. What I saw instead were the most exquisite remnants of the sunset, sinking behind the silhouettes of nearby trees.

I fumbled for my camera and managed to snap a series of pictures through the window in an effort to capture this display. It lasted only a few minutes before again stranding me in cave darkness, but I felt fortunate to have witnessed such a fleeting moment of serenity.

Feb 25, 2009

I understand, but I don't get it.


When I left the gym yesterday it was member appreciation night. In addition to free chair massages and a few booths set up advertising healthy lifestyle choices, the gym had purchased several pizzas and was serving slices free to members. Granted, pizza is truly not that bad for you, considering many of the other temptations available to us, but it's also not generally a snack recommended for maintaining a healthy weight.

A dentist doesn't give you a Snickers when you leave, a counselor won't tell you to hang out with people who have caused you pain and a teacher won't tell you to go spend endless hours watching cartoons. In general, people don't facilitate the demise of what they have worked to correct or prevent.

I was discussing the irony of the situation with Jen as I drove home and she noted that her gym does the same thing but gives out hot dogs and steak on their version of member appreciation night. My first thought was that my gym is lame because they don't distribute fillet. My second thought was what on earth is wrong with these places throwing high calorie foods at members struggling to shed pounds.

As Jen put it, she could understand that pizza is cheap, and that people like free stuff, so the gym probably put those two facts together to generate the idea for free pizza night. That said, we can't get how this actually happens. Are carrot sticks and granola bars that much more money than hot dogs?

Phrase coined: "I understand, but I don't get it."

The more you think about it, the more this sentence explains every battle of head verses heart. You can often times logically understand why something has occurred when viewing it in black and white, but once you progress to think of it in a gray area, it can be difficult to fully grasp the reasoning behind something.

Even dictionary.com seems confused here. To understand: to have a systematic interpretation or rationale, as in a field or area of knowledge. To get: to acquire a mental grasp or command of; learn.

Anniversary







Tonight Jimmy and I celebrated our two year anniversary. Such a special night together and such an amazing meal at our favorite place, Cafe Boa. We had two flites of wine, and as an appetizer we shared a huge cheese board with dates, nuts and fruit. I had pasta with shrimp, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes and a goat cheese cream sauce. Jim had a Kobe beef burger that was amazing.

I love the extra touches this restaurant puts in. Sprigs of rosemary tied around the napkins, olives and hummus as a starter with your bread, it's all delicious. They also have the best servers of any restaurant I frequent.

Feb 24, 2009

Senorita Wilson



JW # 2: I cannot wait to be your sister, and am honored to be a bridesmaid. This was such a classy way to ask!

M-I-C, K-E-Y...


When I do all my chores Jim makes me Micky Mouse pancakes. I don't care how old you are these are the best thing ever.

Feb 23, 2009

So Fresh and So Easy

I have mentioned before how much I heart social responsibility, (it literally warms my heart) and it's great to see that some mainstream retailers and grocers are taking a huge step in the right direction. The picture here is of the recycling receptacle I saw at Fresh 'N Easy this weekend.

I am no manufacturer but this could not have taken too much time or money to create, and could be easily customized to suit different stores. Maybe prisoners could make them since most states have segued away from inmate-crafted license plates.

Why oh why doesn't every store in America have one of these? Even if only every other store had one, think of the bags, bottle and cans destined for a landfill that would instead be recycled.

Come On Get Happy



In college I was a frequent visitor to the Gold Bar in Tempe. I used to head to this unique coffee and tea house to pretend to study. I generally spent all my time texting or people watching but it was a solid effort on my part to do the studious/urban outfitters/emo thing.

I went tonight to meet Keri and it was great to be back. I had one of the best teas I have ever tasted and it was called Get Happy. It was decaf so I guess that means happiness is not derived from caffeine. I think the tea made me happy, as well as the half pound slice of carrot cake I tried.

To get an idea of the charm of this place, located literally in a parking lot, check out the Top 10 list they have on their Web site:

Top Ten Reasons for Choosing Gold Bar Espresso:
10. We don't have naked ladies on our cups.
9. We have loyalty cards that's like a 10% discount.
8. We never have to close to retrain our staff.
7. We do not assult your ears with cds we're trying to unload.
6. Our coffee is fresh roasted by people who know what they're doing.
5. We have live jazz and classical guitar on the weekends.
4. Our caring staff want you to have the best drinks possible.
3. We have dog bones for your dogs.
2. We have granita...fresh and frozen without using ice or powder. They have blended drinks, blah and diluted.
And the number one reason for chosing Gold Bar...
1. We don't charge you more for the GOOD coffee.

Feb 22, 2009

Wine Art








Last night we went to the tasting room, a.k.a. the magical basement, at Sun Devil Liquors in Mesa. The place was awesome and I entertained myself for part of the evening just perusing the collection of wines.

Apricot Glazed Chicken

I cook all the time and am always searching for easy recipes that can give the impression that you spent all day putting it together. Here's one I tried last night, solely for the purpose of getting rid of random things I had lying around, in this instance apricot jelly.

Ingredients:
-2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
-1 small jar of apricot jelly
-1 10 oz. can of low sodium chicken broth
-Half cup of light soy sauce
-1 tablespoon of corn starch

Brown the chicken in a large skillet, add jelly, broth and soy sauce and stir. Simmer for about 20 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken from skillet and add cornstarch to thicken sauce to your liking. Add chicken again and mix well. Serve over rice.

Feb 21, 2009

Pink Ribbon


This morning Nicki and I did a 5K run out in Gilbert, AZ that we found out about online. The proceeds were going to benefit a Valley organization that helps out single moms battling cancer. Both of our moms are breast cancer survivors so we felt it was completely appropriate to participate.

The infamous pink fire truck was on display at the race, which I had not seen since last summer when I was working for Governor Napolitano. The fire truck made a stop at the Capitol in July 2008 and the Governor, also a breast cancer survivor was one of the first (if not the very first) to sign the truck. As you can see in my photos, there are now thousands of signatures from people all across the U.S.

Here's some background on the effort: A member of the Glendale Fire Department organized a Pink Ribbon Tour to encourage fire and police department members, local leaders and community members to to show support (and wear pink) for those battling breast cancer. The tour included a custom-painted pink fire engine complete with an enormous sculpted metal breast cancer ribbon.

The official tour began August 24, 2008 and stopped in 32 cities across the United States. Each scheduled stop served as an opportunity for the Pink Ribbon Tour to partner with the local Komen affiliate in that city. Together, the goal is to raise support and awareness for breast cancer research, education and treatment services. The brains behind the effort, David Graybill, likes to point out the significance of a male-dominated field (police and fire departments), supporting a female-dominated disease.

The race was interesting. We were under the impression it was a run, but it was actually a walk. We figured we'd run anyway, and broke away from the crowd. When we had been running for about 20 minutes, around the time we should have been finishing mile two, the race volunteer nearby told us we had finished the race. We paused, and contemplated packing it in, even though there was no chance in hell we had just completed a 5K, but then Nicki had the bright(?) idea that we could run the whole course again. So we did. And then I was really tired.

This morning was a cool experience that made it easy to help out a fabulous cause. There were probably only 200 people or so participating, unlike the Race for the Cure which brings in about 30,000 people per city, but it was just as rewarding.

Rising Star


Did you ever get the feeling, at a very young age, that you were destined to be a star?

Feb 20, 2009

Cooking Crafts





I have decided that my passion cooking and baking is the adult equivalent of my former love of arts and crafts. The same basic principles apply, and a similar satisfaction and sense of ownership are generated. It’s the joy of doing the work and putting pieces together to create a whole, finished product. I enjoy that even as I get older I can use the culinary arts as an outlet for creative energy when it has become less appropriate to bust out a coloring book. The same way that a five year old version of myself would draw a picture or craft a valentine to show someone how much I cared for them, my 25 year old self bakes cookies or a pie instead. Cooking can also produce a similar fury as would arise when a painting just didn’t come out the way my childhood mind envisioned it. When I’ve spent the time and money to put together a meal and it comes out looking like something from a science fair, I want to throw it on the floor, e.g. crumple it up and throw it away like a bad drawing. Maybe this is why I like to photograph certain things I cook, because unlike a collage, cupcakes don’t fit well in frames or and banana bread doesn’t stick to the fridge with a magnet. The pictures give me a way of remembering the satisfaction these ventures created.

Feb 19, 2009

Appetizer Art



My mom vs. Jim over the weekend...


Jack Talk Thai...


Jim's Thai Curry. It takes a confident and wonderful man to incorporate baby corn into his recipes.


Disturbing Fact of the Day


Costco sells coffins. I don't even want to think about how or why this came about.

Food, Glorious Food


It seems that all of my girlfriends and I share the same affinity for food. If we could only talk about one thing ever again, it would not be men or shoes or ourselves; we would be completely content to drone on endlessly about how we nourish ourselves. If at any point in time we aren't talking about restaurants, recipes or what we just ate, it's probably because we are currently eating and our mouths are full.

This realization prompted me to begin surveying all the women I know about their favorite spots to dine in the Phoenix area. I've created a sort of master list that would be a crying shame not to share. Here is a sampling of some top picks:

-Best Dessert: The house dessert at Grazie in Old Town Scottsdale. It's amazing. A humongo calzone full of cooked bananas and chocolate/hazelnut cream sauce, topped with vanilla ice cream. If this didn't require the use of a knife and fork to consume I would eat it so fast I would get heartburn. *A close second in this category is the Pizookie at Oregano's. Many have attempted to copy it, but no one has mastered it the way this joint has.

-Best Pizza: Picazzo's. I happened upon this place about a year ago because Nicki was in town and wanted pizza, but Nicki has celiac disease and can't eat wheat, so we spent some time googling for a pizza place that offered gluten-free crust. Not only does this place have celiac-friendly crust, they also have a gluten-free version of a Pizookie (see Best Dessert category). The pizza in insanely good and the wheatless crust is outstanding.

-Best Breakfast: Chocolate chip pancakes at the Breakfast Club. I stand by my conviction that chocolate is never bad. Ever. Especially not early in the morning. These babies come in a place so large it could double as a livestock trough, and they are the perfect way to start your day with a sugar high.

-Hardest Menu to Make up your Mind: The Vig…this place is a gem. From the outside you'd never see it as worthy of a visit, but the interior décor and outside bocci ball court are just the beginning of the appeal. The menu changes periodically and this is the place where I spend the longest time making up my mind on what to order because EVERYTHING sounds amazing. I am a decisive, black/white person, but this plays throw me for a loop in a delicious way.

-Most Outdated Décor with the Best Cookies Ever: Pugzie's was yet another find on a gluten-free adventure with Nicki. They offered wheat-free bread so we decided to check it out. The entire place feels like a nursing home, complete with sea foam green paint and plastic everything. One wall has a jungle mural on it which really makes no sense and is a little frightening. However, the cookies this place sells must have crack in them. I am an avid baker but I have never produced this kind of masterpiece. They epitomize the crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside that all bakers strive for.

-Mexican Restaurant that really feels like Mexico: El Comedor Guadalajara in central Phoenix is probably the single largest restaurant I have ever seen, but don't worry, that's just because it turns into a dancehall on weekend nights. (Totally normal) The food isn't anything too unusual or fancy, but the atmosphere is always entertaining and everything is delicious.

-Best Place for Wine and Appetizers: I live with a wine-o, so we don't often go out for wine, but any time I do I head to Kazimierz. It's one of those places that you enter and immediately feel transported out of the norm. The food and wine here are fantastic, and the service is always great. They have a variety of small plates or appetizers, my favorite being the cheese fondue that comes with apples and bread for dipping.

-Best Salads: My Florist has a variety of amazing salads that all sound appealing. You know how most of the time fancier salads always go too far and you have to eliminate certain items when you order it? Not here. They hit the nail on the head with all their selections.

-Best Homemade Italian: Cafe Boa on Mill Ave. Everything is homemade from the pasta to the sauces, and the wine list is the largest I have ever seen. One of my favorite things about eating here is the assortment of olives they bring out as an appetizer.

-Cheapest Lunch: Come on. Can you beat what CostCo offers? A foot long hotdog and a drink for $1.50! It may lack the ambiance of a real restaurant, but I'd be lying if I told you Jim and I had never been on a date here.

Feb 18, 2009

Getting buff in the buff


I have been going to the gym regularly since I was in high school and believe me; I've seen a lot of strange things go down. This ranges from the mildly strange, like people working out wearing jeans, to more extreme, with the random person who does Tai Chi in the middle of a crowded weight room. I've also seen bad things, like people passing during their first workout, people getting injured, and oh so many folks throwing up after intense training. Once, an enormous man asked me to hold 45-pound plates on his back while he did push ups. Naturally I obliged.



Regardless of which gym you attend and how sophisticated or rudimentary it may be, chances are you're always going to have access to a locker room. This is where my confusion arises.




Why is it that just because multiple people are going to exercise within the same complex, must we all undress in front of one another? It's not that I'm squeamish or overly modest. To tell you the truth, changing in the locker room doesn't faze me at all. It's just the fascination with who came up with this concept and why they felt it was appropriate.




Obviously there aren't too many places that involve large numbers of people simultaneously undressing, but if you consider retail dressing rooms, medical offices or massage studios, they all offer individual places to change. It's also interesting to consider that if you were to undress in front of other people anywhere public besides a locker room, you'd probably be arrested.



Understandably the layout of a locker room with individual changing areas would look something like a labyrinth, so maybe that's where the bullpen atmosphere originated, but I've always found it a little curious.

Feb 17, 2009

My hair does what?


I got my bangs trimmed by the incredible Shelby at Mood Swings today and came across something awesome. There was a poster explaining a new program that allows salons and individuals to donate hair cut clippings to an organization where they are woven into mats that are used to clean up oil spills. Sounds INSANE...but I went to the Web site and it's legit. Here is an excerpt from www.matteroftrust.org:

Matter of Trust is collaborating with thousands of salons throughout the US and abroad, that donate their hair clippings to soak up oil spills. Last year over 2,600 oil spills occurred in the world. They weren't all are high profile, but most had an impact on the environment. Phil McCrory, a hair stylist from Alabama, first discovered how hair can help. He was watching CNN coverage on the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. He noticed the fur on the Alaskan otters completely soaked with oil. He began testing how much oil he could collect with the hair clipping from his salon. Phil then invented the hairmat which has other uses as well. Hair also provides a slow protein release which is excellent for flower growers.

I heart social responsibility. It's incredible that everyday individuals are accomplishing some wide-reaching and highly effective ways to help the environment.

So I can get to stompin in my air force ones

I was having a blah day and feeling unjustifiably bad about things on my drive home when I had an amazing experience. Like hundreds of Phoenicians I cut through the airport on my commute home to save about 20 minutes sitting in traffic. It's technically illegal, but I'm not the one who built an airport in the center of a booming metropolis. There was extra traffic today, and suddenly it dawned on me that President Obama is in town today to speak about the housing market crisis. No wonder there was extra traffic I was in the midst of half a dozen police departments and the secret service. Then, there it was: Air Force One. So freaking cool. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I literally happened upon. I love when life shouts at you to get over yourself!

Feb 16, 2009

Rants & Raves: Rob Dyrdek

I never believed that any show would be able to match my obsession with ‘Rob and Big,’ but now that ‘Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory’ has started, I am once again in awe. This guy is my modern-day hero and I would pay large sums of money to get to hang out with him.

The Smart Way to Shop?



In college I moved every year, and it worked out that the closest grocery store always would be a different chain than in my previous living situation. This was in the height of the grocery store key fob discount program heyday. I think at one point I had twice as many grocery discount cards than actual keys on my key chain.

The funny thing is, you do nothing for these cards, I have really never seen a benefit aside from immediate price reductions, and if needed, you could apply for and receive an unlimited amount of them. Literally, I could apply for a new one with a new fake name and address every time I went shopping. I learned early on, however, that most stores keep stacks of extra cards by each register, so if you forget yours, they will just use one from their arsenal to ensure you get your discounts. If all else fails and they don’t have one for you to use, 99 percent of the time the person in front of you or behind you in line has one to lend you.

I’m not sure when this all changed, because I thought I was pretty on top of the situation, but this weekend I had my first taste at being marooned on no-card-for-you island.

I was at Safeway, where over my lifetime I have easily opened a dozen of those stupid little red cards, but I apparently have lost all 12 because my wallet contained cards for Fry’s, Basha’s and Albertson’s, but none for Safeway. How could this be? Panic. I turn to the two people in front of me and ask for their card, but they didn’t have one. Next I asked the gentleman behind me if he could lend me his. He didn’t have one either. Who are these cardless freaks! Are they really unaware of the potential savings these free cards can bring a person? You don’t even have to qualify, they GIVE them to you.

As a last resort I asked the cashier to use one that he had on-hand. Surely he must have stacks of those glorious plastic beacons of savings beside his register. No! Alas! He had none. He actually noted to me that if he was to let me use a card without properly completing the accompanying application, the store considered it stealing. Stealing! I’m going out on a limb here…because the prices are such a steal…?

The clerk thought it would be an effective use of my time to begin entering phone numbers of everyone I know to see if anyone’s pulled up their membership. I guess he doesn’t understand that no one has put their real numbers on anything since the federal Do Not Call list was debunked. As expected, no phone numbers pull up a valid account.

I’m starting to freak out at this point. People are waiting behind me and there is no way in hell I am paying full price for that pint of sour cream. My potential savings could be 18 cents before tax.

Finally, salvation arrives in the form of the cashier, who up until now had not been particularly helpful. As he observed my futile attempts to find a valid phone number, he asked if I knew any songs with phone numbers, because sometimes people use those since they are easy to remember. Eureeka. I enter my area code and then the infamous 8-6-7-5-3-0-9 and bingo, my discounts popped up like a winning combination on a penny slot machine.

Infinite thanks go out to whoever was ingenious enough to use a hit song as their Safeway Club membership.

Feb 13, 2009

The Wrong Place at the Right Time

So I almost bought a house this week. I was really excited about this house, and trusted that through my own due diligence, combined with the skilled diligence of a certified home inspector, I would be able to steer clear of any hazards. To the inspector’s credit, he never got an opportunity to test the waters; he was saved by Lonnie the Nosy Neighbor. (If this was a theater reading there would be a dramatic sound after her name). (Every time).

We were taking another preview tour of the home, and as we were leaving, Lonnie the Nosy Neighbor appeared in the front yard. She asked if we were the ones selling the property, and when we told her we were not, she asked what we knew about the irrigation system.

Well, I know about as much about irrigation systems as I do Russian literature, which was revealed with my quizzical silence. Lonnie led us to the front of the house where she began explaining and pointing out the flaws in the system. Long story short, and from my limited understanding, the center for the entire neighborhood’s system is located on this property, and severe cracks underground have resulted in periodic and systematic flooding of the entire front yard of the home. We’re talking total submersion.

Not only that, but as a result, the other houses on the block never get enough water and are dying. It all gets flooded out at this house! This is not sounding pleasant. Picture dozens of local seniors on the rampage when their citrus trees are repeatedly under-watered. Seniors and citrus are like peas and carrots. They just belong together.

This news was enough to send any sane buyer sprinting away, but Lonnie kept the bad news rolling. Turns out the roof has been replaced twice in the past year, both times improperly by people flipping the property, and now when it rains it essentially falls apart and ends up in the driveway.

Lonnie had to be about 65, and was decked out in an Obama t-shirt and white denim jacket. Her raspy voice was likely a result of years of smoking, considering she had a pack and a lighter in one hand. I have to think that she was acting in the spirit of Obama himself that fateful Tuesday. YES WE CAN Lonnie. We can save an innocent party from embarking on a horrendous rollercoaster with this money pit of a residence.

That said, we withdrew our offer that evening, and learned a valuable lesson about interviewing the locals before making any offers.

Feb 10, 2009

grat-i-touille


In elementary school I recall hating brainstorming exercises. I thought it was a waste of time to write down random thoughts that you might never use, and I felt foolish writing down any idea that came to mind, that with further consideration, might not bear relevance to the subject at hand.

The older I have gotten, and as writing and communication have become my career, I have come to love this process. When given the opportunity to compile ideas without critique, I am able to explore ideas that would otherwise remain stifled.

I use this technique with my work, but also for more personal motives. I love, love, love making lists, and tend to combine brainstorming with list-making to express myself when I don't want to write formally.

On an unrelated note, lately I've been thinking more and more about gratitude. I've never been good at keeping a gratitude journal. Ok- I've never even tried but know I wouldn't do too well, but I feel guilty that I do have so much to be thankful for that I don't want to overlook. The list could go on without limits, but aside from the very major, but very often considered things, there are some everyday things that really resonate to me.

my girlfriends are amazing. i can travel. i have popsicles in my freezer right now. my electric bill was ridiculously cheap this month. i have several friends who i can call crying at any hour of the day, no questions asked who would help me with anything i need. i am healthy. i am financially stable. my boyfriend understands me, and loves me nonetheless. my parents prioritized my education. i will always be daddy's little girl. i have so many shoes i could go for three weeks and not double up. i have the ability to trust and love unconditionally. my dog never judges me. i have health insurance. i always have someone to hug. i can give money to charity. i have DVR. i will never again have to do a book report. i like my hair. at age 25 i have finally learned what it means to have faith which is a daily blessing and comfort.

Impossible to list them all. but necessary to remember as many as you can when things get tough.


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