Fall Reading Update

So guys, I always read a ton. And I always tell people it’s because it’s the only thing I can stay still to do (which is true! Ask anyone. I can’t. Sit. Still. And yet I work an office job–it’s a paradox folks). But in the fall, when it’s getting cold and blustery, I especially love curling up with a book on the couch (Or in bed. Or on the El. Or while I’m icing at PT. I don’t discriminate).

So anyway, two weeks ago it was Halloween-y time. And Audrey Niffenegger had come out with a new book. And the Chicago Public library had informed me it was ready to pick up.

‘Twas a perfect storm of seasonal literary goodness.

So, I set out to read this gem of a book, written by the woman who brought the world The Time Traveler’s Wife (which, if you haven’t read, you should. Get out there! Go get it!). This is what the new book looks like:

Looks scary, right?

 

While this book is surely no Time Traveler’s Wife, it was definitely worth delving into during this Halloween season. Niffenegger writes in a way that is lyrical and easy to fall into; she’s nothing if not an excellent story teller. This book takes place mostly in an apartment outside the Highgate Cemetary in London, and is a story about inviduality, family, and most important, ghosts. It’s easy to say that the story is so far fetched as to be slightly confusing in places, but I keep reminding myself that this is precisely how I felt while reading her first book. You have to turn the page back from time to time to really know what’s going on, but there’s nothing wrong with that, I’ve decided. It’s good to go over the words for a second time. The end of this book is sad but satisfying–there is not a way for this plot to end with all the loose strings tied up, and Niffenegger does not insult her readers by trying to find a way to do it. This book should not disappoint those who loved her first book.

That’s how I felt anyway, and I’d wager to feel you’d feel the same. It was just the perfect amount of spooky, unrealistic, ghostiness.

And even though it’s November, I would recommend it anyway.

Anyway children, I’m off to Seattle for the weekend (for work only-bummer), but I’ll be back. Happy Friday everyone!

 

Montage de Panda

So, if you don’t know me (which you probably do, if you’re reading this), I have been heading out on Halloween dressed as a panda since my senior year in high school. It first started when we were all sitting around discussing various costume ideas, and I was becoming agitated by the rush of “slutty” costumes that seemed to be overtaking campus. Slutty Nurse. Slutty Firewoman. Slutty Big Bird (not really- but you never know). I tried to think of the absolute least sexy thing I could be.

And so Panda was born.

Over the years, I’ve been various types of pandas, and I think each one has its high and low points (Kung Fu Panda was weapon heavy- I kept losing them. Geisha Panda required grease paint on my chest, and Ky hated doing that for me). However, I can probably show this to you via images than by my words, and so, here it is:

Panda 2005- Panda loves a stiff drink

This Panda was made out of materials from Hancock Fabrics and Walgreens in Rogers Park in the course of one blustery afternoon. I fashioned the headpiece out of earmuffs, a black hat, and some safety pins. This was also my first go on the face paint, so you can see that my neck is decidedly human toned. I spent the night at a house party with my lovely friends, and said things like “Panda can solve world peace–he says EVERYONE come to the keg party.” Panda drank a lot of jungle juice that night. Out of a tupperware container.

Kung Fu Panda...also, chubby Panda...

Kung Fu Panda was an idea  I came up with prior to the animated feature starring Jack Black. This panda was nothing but trouble from the beginning, touring the Apartment with Jen (as Midnight Fairy) and a few other characters. B had to collect my ninja stars and other weapons all night, since I kept drunkenly losing them. Also, a man dressed as a cowboy took a weird liking to me, and so before B scared him off, we all did a shot to the World Wildlife Federation (his idea). Favorite line of the night:

Creepy Cowboy: “What do Pandas drink?”
Midnight Fairy: “They drink vodka tonics.”

So much fun, so much makeup...

Last year we all went over to M, M and C’s for another house party (this one much better than the tupperware jungle juice party mentioned earlier). It was lots of fun, and I didn’t do anything too outrageous as Panda. Ky remade my headpiece. because my friends broke to me that what I thought was the craftiest thing I had ever accomplished was actually “kind of ghetto.” My new headpiece is much better. What I remember most from this night is dancing tons, and trying to figure out a way to keep from sweating off the copious amounts of grease paint K so generously agreed to apply. In the end, nothing could be done, and I had to toss the geisha costume at the end.

Vampire Panda caught without his paws...

This year, I decided last minute to be Vampire Panda. I thought it was timely, what with the vampire craze sweeping pop culture. I have learned to take my pop culture cues, as I am still kicking myself for not going as “Panda at the Disco” when it would have been timely. This costume was easy to make, since I just needed fangs and blood, and a cape (the cape was dubbed “Jr. Cape” since that’s what the package said. Apparently I don’t fit in adult capes). This year I also upgraded to a turtleneck, after my promise to K (who went as business casual witch) to never again make her grease paint any part of me that wasn’t my face.

In all, this is probably one of the weirdest things I’ve ever done (and it’s hard to discriminate- I’ve done a lot),  but it’s super fun to add on to my panda wardrobe every year. I hope you’ve enjoyed my montage, and please, feel free to give me a heads up for good ideas in 2010.

To the WWF!

 

October…check.

Sorry folks, I know I’ve been MIA, but it’s been a busy end of month.

I took KD and Aus to see Where the Wild Things Were, and I loved it.

It was so good. Except also, it was so incredibly sad, and I cried so much at the end (another sign of my black heart melting). Then, with a serious look on his face, Aus looked at me and said:

“Nikki. Are you crying? You’ve got to pull it together.”

He looked at me with his 12-year-old look, and then, I realized he was acting his perfect 12-year-old age by being embarrassed, and so I laughed at him, but kept crying, partly because the movie was sad and partly because when on earth did he become an embarrassed 12-year-old?

It was fine though, because KD sniffled with me. She’s only ten, and I intend on keeping her that way. Ha.

After my humiliating theater trip, I laid low for awhile and did things like make soup and mourn the end of the Farmer’s Market. And swim endless laps at the Y.

Aside from that, it’s been pretty quiet around here.

I have a Halloween Post ready, but unfortunately this will have to wait until another day, until I gather my photo evidence.

I can’t do it justice without the proper documentation, you see.

Until then, I hope everyone’s having an appropriately gray first day-after-Daylight-Savings. See you on the flip side.

 

 

 

Off for a swim…

There will be more to come later, but I leave you with this:

What a great picture!

You can say what you will about the man, but he’s got one good looking family backing him up. Now that’s a picture of America!

 

Things to note…

1. I am obsessed with Glee. I simply can’t get over it. I would love to delve into the probable mental health of a 25 year old who finds herself drawn to high school centric media, but I think it would probably end badly for my image.

2. My house is snack free. Tonight I was forced to eat chocolate squares that I’m pretty sure were meant for baking and leftover pieces of chicken as a post dinner solution to stave off hunger. I’m going to need to get myself some Goldfish crackers in bulk this weekend so this doesn’t happen again.

3. I swam this morning, and managed to keep out of the way of the elderly, but I did run into the pool ladder and the thermometer. I’d still count it as a success.

4. I have been vaccinated against the regular flu. I feel slightly more protected against illness, but my arm is sore. I’ll call this one a draw.

5. Tomorrow’s Friday, and it came pretty quickly, so no complaints here.

Hope you chickens are looking forward to my weekend because I definitely am–let’s see how my marketing/drinking/cooking/eating/rugby watching affairs go in the next few days!

P.S. I finished my book- In the end, it made me want to grow a Victory Garden, box Stalin’s ears at the Yalta conference, and go back in time and make everyone just move the Civil Rights Movement along twenty years. I’m  earlier. I’m adding the rest of Doris’ books to my list!

 

Midweek Reflection

So we’ve decided to bypass Fall, and I’ve had to throw my coat on the past several mornings.

I hate this.

However, I’ve been dragging myself out of bed to go swim at the Y, and it’s been mostly for good. For some reason, hitting the pool at six fifteen in the morning doesn’t make me angry the way that hitting the treadmill at the same time does.

I think it’s because I get to wear my swimsuit, cap, and goggles, which basically amounts to a costume.

Who doesn’t love a costume?

In any case, I’ve been swimming now a half dozen times, and I have decided that I could get used to this, if I could only figure out the following:

1. How to stop kicking/splashing leisurely paddling old people by accident. It’s embarrassing, and I’m sure it’s not good for my pool rep, if such a thing exists.

2. How to breathe on a consistent basis without swallowing half the pool and/or lifting my entire torso out of the water. I have been working on both of these items, but it’s difficult to achieve them both at once.

3. I would like to figure out a way to make my goggle marks look less like double black eyes. This is unsightly, I think.

In any case, so far, so good, and I’m liking mixing it up at the gym. Plus, my PT said my heel/ankle/foot in general is looking better. She let me in the Zero Gravity treadmill for 10 minutes yesterday. It’s this crazy machine that requires me to put on spandex shorts over my workout pants in front of the whole office/gym, and then zip myself into this:

Except I don't get to run in it. And I look way less cool.

Aside from strapping myself into embarrassing machines and swimming into the elderly, I’ve been busy working, reading up on the Roosevelts (I’m almost to the end, but I hate it, b/c I know FDR’s about to die–on the upside, we’re about to win WWII), and using my fall produce. Tonight I made a butternut squash-y sauce by pulverizing some squash and sage in my food processor, and then sauteed it until it fell apart in the good old cast iron. After about 30 minutes, I tossed it with some shell pasta and parm, and it was delicious. And way faster than roasting/baking all that squash up. It’s definitely a keeper.

I hope everyone else has had a good week so far–I’ve had a healthy dose of Glee this evening, and I’m off to brush up on the timeless Where the Wild Things Are in preparation for the movie. See you on the other side!

 

Long Fall Weekend…

So I gave myself a long weekend, since it’s approaching the end of the year and I thought I could use a mini-break. This led to a productive and fun weekend that’s not quite over yet.

Friday I checked out this restaurant, which has a great array of grilled cheese options (nearly too many, to be honest. Making a choice was a little labor intensive) and I hope to get back there in the near future. It also boasts some seriously good tomato bisque, which is the obvious choice for this medley of grilled cheeses. It’s in the Lakeview area, which is a bonus for me, making it just a quick 152 bus ride away.

Saturday morning included an Autumn jaunt to the Farmer’s market in the brisk Chicago weather. Apparently we decided to move straight to Winter around here, but I can’t say I’m surprised. Farmer’s market in the Fall is a little different than in July and August, but still pretty satisfactory.

Medley of Peppers

So many acorn squash!

I love interesting gourds

Stalks of brussel sprouts, so cool!

Keik and the white pumpkin

As you can see, it was highly productive. I picked up what I needed to make these potato goodies, and I also made Pasta Fagioli, which was delicious. It’s also insanely easy and ridiculously cheap. Wins all around!

As for the rest of this day, I have reading this (yes, after all that bitching about Team of Rivals, I am hooked on this author. I can’t help it). I haven’t gotten very far but I’m already swimming in Roosevelt facts I never knew. I love it!

I’m also heading over to the Y to see if I can get myself to swim more than a mile. We’ll see how I do–and when I get back, it’s the Roosevelts topped off by a roasted chicken, lots of blankets (because it’s really just too early to be turning on the heat, despite the 40 degree weather), and maybe some Monday Night Football! Enjoy the start of your weeks, everyone!

 

Tendonitis, Swimming, and Soup

That basically sums up what I’ve been up to this week.

After visiting with my Romanian doctor, it was determined that I needed to go visit a Physical Therapist. “And no running or sports!” was the stern warning I was issued on my way out of the office.

While my physical therapist was a little more specific in her diagnosis (aforementioned tendonitis), she also insisted that I stay away from soccer and running. I could do the stationary bike, if I wanted to.

Did that mean I could spin, I asked innocently.

No, that did not mean I could spin. I took her at her word, afraid that if I kept it up she would demote me to something horrible, like a recumbent bike. A recumbent bike is my worst nightmare.

I asked her about swimming, and she said that would be fine. This was good, since I had already purchased the necessary equipment and visited the pool.

I’ve been a few times this week, and although it’s a change of pace, it’s nice to be up early, swimming laps to classical music. I do not dislike it.

And I’ve only run into one person so far. Not bad, I think.

It will be an interesting six weeks.

Aside from my adventures in alternate exercise, I’ve been cooking up a storm. Last weekend was gray and fall-ish, and so I visited the Farmer’s Market and grabbed up basically everything my paws could carry. And more, of course.

K helped me make a pasta with swiss chard, red peppers, and onions, which was delicious. I also drummed up a potato leek soup that was delightful, but probably would have been more enjoyable had I not been burning leeks on the bottom of the pan for 20 minutes without noticing.

We all make mistakes.

This week has moved along at a pretty solid clip, and as I head into my next weekend, I have my Grandma’s recipe for Pasta Fagioli and a roasted chicken in mind. And with possible flurries in the forecast, I think it might be time to bake some bread (or ask JW nicely if he’ll do it).

I’ll be at the pool doing laps so I can justify eating everything in my fridge.

 

A few things to smile about…

1. I finally, after seven years, got my IL license. And it was totally no big deal. Obviously I was being dramatic about that. I went to the Secretary of State, waited in line, paid $10, chatted with a few of my fellow residents, and registered to vote. I also had to take the written test, on which I missed only one. This was a much better experience than when I was 16 and my mother hid in a bush in the parking lot to watch me parallel park before being found out by the driving instructor. True Story. So I am now documented.

2. I am going to the doctor tomorrow. Normally not something to smile about, but I am tired of this ridiculous heel/ankle/foot injury, so I’m ready to find out what it is. Plus I think K’s sick of threatening my life if I go to spin class. It was the tale of the toe-to-hip cast she told me yesterday that really put me over the edge. I merely lifted some weights today.

3. I finished this book, which is by the same author as the formidable Team of Rivals. It was far less intense, many fewer pages, but just as enjoyable. Plus, it centered around baseball. What’s not to like?

You really should look inside. And pick it up at the library.

4. I found this recipe today. I am absolutely obsessed with Pioneer Woman and every facet of her website, but of course, it’s the food I am always coming back to. Everything I’ve ever made from her chest of recipes has been delicious. You should go there now (but make sure you have a couple hours to spare, you’ll need them) In any case, I am thinking of this as a weekend project. Or something to to delegate to JW, since he has the magic baking touch. But I’m a little afraid of the bleu cheese component of this bread. Tell me to get over this please.

Please tell me you don't find these delicious looking

5. Tomorrow is Thursday, which is delightful. In addition, it’s October, and in addition to that, the birthday of two of my favorite people, my Dad and Courtney! Happy birthday!

I think that’s good for now, but I hope everyone else is having a pleasant evening. I myself am turning in after a night of laundry and DVR. I will most likely go to sleep with this in my head, but it’s okay. I sort of love Glee.

 

Back to the urban landscape…

My loyalty to Chicago runs deep, but on occasion, it’s important to get out of the city, leave the millions behind you, and recharge your batteries.

It’s also important to grab the necessary supplies. Like your friends. And vodka.

After a weekend of eating, drinking, relaxing, and all around enjoying myself, I present to you a few snapshots of what the city folk and I were up to this weekend. Pictures do it more justice than my jumbled words.

A & W is not quite as delicious as I remember, but still a good time

Waterloo is a vast wilderness. We spotted both goats and bears on the property.

Enjoying a boat ride on the lake...

Making pizza...we ate them too fast to get any pictures of the finished product

Despite the wet weather, Chris and Jon made us fire.

The next day, we ate more

And then it was my Dad's birthday, so he blew out the candles. And we ate more...

As you can see, the trip was more than successful, and I was sad to go. However, I was happy as always to drive into the Chicago skyline, and I’m anxious to dive into this Fall-y weather that’s been gifted to us this week.

And tomorrow, I complete Stage 2 of Proper State Identification.

Never mind that it’s been seven years since I moved here.

We’ll get to that another day.