Why is Pushing Daisies like the best show on TV right now???

I <3 Ned, Chuck, n' company.

Work has been keeping me busy. I sorted out the thing with the guy who can't write very well. I felt bad about it, but my boss was, "If it stinks, don't print it", which makes sense. This is was editors do...even little ones like me for an e-newsletter. I'm going to write an article about tea and cheese pairings, in time for any holiday parties, which I hope will go well. I really wanted to focus on local cheeses, but to no luck. It'll have to be the Pennsy Dutch Market this Saturday (which is in a sense pretty local, but I wanted to actually visit a creamery) or Whole Foods which was the last thing I wanted to do.

I went to the doctor yesterday for the first time in a year. I don't do the doc thing too often, as i am pretty healthy. I got two shots, an HPV vaccine (to help prevent cervical cancer- I suggest all the ladies get it. It's pricy, but worth it) and a tetanus booster because my doctor said a lot of adults who were vaccinated at birth or a young age for tetanus is now getting whooping cough. Whooping cough? Didn't that disappear around the Civil War or something? I don't know, I always think of Native Americans getting pushed off their land when I hear Whooping Cough. Hmmm. I had to get a new doctor because my insurance changed- a huge pain in the butt, cos I still have to get a new lady doc, eye doc, etc- but he prescribed me some expensive ass lotion for my face, that I did buy because I'm tired of breaking out like a 13 year old. There was a little discount (it was originall 178.00) so I GUESS insurance helped. Otherwise, I hate health insurance. I think my plan is really sucky, and doesn't cover basic preventive visits and vaccines, which would suck, because that's what I got yesterday. My doc is cool and talks very fast. I always try to get in a year's worth of problems in the 1/2 an hour visit; we were able to hammer out my problems quickly. I go back tomorrow so they can take my blood. I'm sure that'll be another dent in the bank :(

After work I am going to stop by the bookstore so I can buy a journal. I've been really wanting to keep a record of all the restaurants I go to, with the exception of fast food/chain restaurants. I figure it'll help me remember things better, and I'll also have a great reference for out of towners and anyone else asking for a rec. I try to do this with other things- my other journal is books I've read. I haven't updated it in a while, because I'm still in the process of reading The Omnivore's Dilemma. My reading has taken a back seat for my other hobby, the embarrassing one where I write Mighty Duck fan fiction. It is helping as a writing exercise, as I have posted 3 chapters since I started on Sunday. I love it. I listen to my music or put on some historical documentary I like to watch obsessively (It's been the History Channel's Russia: Land of the Tsars). I hit a writer's block last night, but mapped out the entire story and i am so excited for it! I know, nerd! ha! I've gotten several reviews of people who are excited about my shipper- adam/connie, and I like reading them! I hope I don't disappoint. Nick read two of my reviews and was a bit taken aback about the realm of nerdy I had entered. I swear, it's the most Fangirl thing I do. I guess it's worse, because it's a subject that isn't even very popular among the mainstream- think Harry Potter or I dunno Lord of the Rings. And I'm not goth. But there is this really substantial MD lovers online. It's crazy. I'm not alone.

i've been compiling lists of tea rooms from our website teamap.com, and it's kind of crazy how annoyingly frou-frou some of these places are! Cynthia and I talk about how many tea room owners are either pesky divas who need your attention about buying like 2 tea makers from you (small orders and what nots) or they are complete backwoods women who do not know what email or the internet is. Gah! If I see another tea room with 'Victorian/Lace/Roses/Petit Fours' in their name, I'm going to scream. There is a time and place for frills and lace (ooh, that rhymed!), but seriously, enough is enough!

<3

I've given up! I got my third pair of boots (a lovely Corso Como pair from Nordstrom) in the mail today. They do not fit. I don't think boots are in my destiny for this fall anyway. I also bought a bunch of fun beauty stuff- already stocking up for some xmas gifts! I know, I'm silly, and it's far too early, but with a certain amount of beauty purchases, I got a great bag of premium samples-Bulgari, L'Occtaine, Bliss Labs, philosophy, Vera Wang, Clinque, Lancome, Smashbox- all sorts of goodies! Even a set of fake eyelashes. How fun! However, I bought a Voluspa candle (one of my favorites) and the tin arrived all sorts of dented and I couldn't open it! How disappointing.

Speaking of problematic purchases, I bought the world's most complicated scale. I figured I should get one to keep progress of my weight during my work-out/lose the fat/get buff n' stuff goal. It programs my height, age, sex, and body fat percentage. But apparently no one else can use it? I haven't read that far into the instruction manual. My mother has already decided she cannot use it because describing it to her was too complicated.

Anyway. I went apple picking with a bunch of friends this past weekend and it was fun. I feel kind of autumned-out; impossible, but maybe. Though I am enjoying this weather, and I fear of how colder its going to get. I'm going into the city to see Carin who I haven't seen since Vegas (GASP! I know!) for dinner at Florent. I keep on meaning to pick up a notebook to start keeping write-ups of restaurants and other significant food places. Angela, our west coast sales rep is coming out in February and says I should have some places for her to check out. I like to have a nice arsenal of places to recommend to friends and out of towners, it's good to have favorites.

It is freezing! I watched this movie EAsy last night, which I hadn't watched in ages. So good! I forgot how charming Marguerite Moreau was in it. If you've ever slept/dated/whatever jerky guys, or boy-hopped, you'll identify. Now, I am watching a documentary about Elizabeth the I. I brought my mom to the movies on Monday night and we saw Elizabeth the Golden Age. They showed a trailer for Atonement- made me cry (I'm a big softie when it comes to that book...the love...the war...oh! I live for war-torn romances).

gaah!

I don't like delivering bad news to people (for the most part), especially when it involves someone's artistic endeavors. Rather, I don't like handing out criticism. I've never had to in the past really, unless I was proofreading someone's paper back in school and found inconsistencies or didn't like the way so and such designed a flyer for Radigals or what have you.

ANYWAY...being the editor (is there such thing as an 'editress'?) of the company's newsletter, I venture to find writers or whoever can make 'words sound pretty' to write a little article about tea. This helps me, because I have different people writing for the newsletter, as opposed to the Christine show every month, and it helps them because when they Google their name, they will see an accomplishment, as opposed to , I dunno, ebay listings or porn.

So, someone who owns a little website about tea contact me some time ago interested in writing a little piece. Wrote one, and I said, this is too basic (it was all about loose-leaf tea), as many of our customers already drink loose-leaf tea. He agreed, and I gave him some direction to what I wanted- something about Fall, cold weather, drinking tea, comforts, all that bullshit. He wrote another piece, again, it falls short and is just boring, boring, boring.

I'm not a huge writer, but I like to think I can conjure up an entertaining piece. And I do like to write about food and tea because you can utilize all your senses to convey the experience. You can do it with other things too, yes, but I find that comfort and familiarity with food, cooking, baking, etc that one might find with sports or what have you.

Anyway, it also sucks cos its not like I'm Ruth Reichl or anyone important. What do I know? Who am I to tell him his writing blows? Gahhhh...it also does not help that he's pretty 'nice-sounding' over our various email correspondence. I guess what I am trying to say is that I like to write about food and why doesn't anyone like to write something interest about tea? This is a poorly structured vent, and I apologize.

In other news, I've been in the biggest NPR/podcast kick. I haven't listened to music in a couple of weeks while at work, or in the car. I've also revisited this highly addictive, slightly mostly embarrassing habit of reading Mighty Duck fan fiction while at work, or until 1am because you know, I don't need to get up early or anything. Geez, Christine.

Note: I've returned the JCrew boots featured a couple of posts back. I am also boycotting them because Nick's anniversary shoes' insole began to peel away from the shoe after four hours of wear. WTF, JC? Anyway, I will not be buying anything from them, as they are overpriced for shoddy apparel. The only clause is their Merino wool cardigans, which I bought in maroon, and am coveting in the French blue (only because I've confirmed my Franco-philia). Pfft!

Aha!!! Two posts in one day? Is it senior year at college again? Anyway, On Kyu's request, easy chicken vindaloo:


Adapted from Epicurious.com:

what chu need:

3 Yellow Onions, chopped
2-3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp of white vinegar
2 garlic cloves (chopped if you want)
1 tsp of fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp of tomato paste

1 tsp of the following spices:
paprika, garam masala, ground coriander seed, tumeric, cumin,

1/4-1/2 tsp of Cayenne Pepper (I like using a heaping 1/2...spicy!)

2 Tbsp of cooking oil
1- 1.5 lbs of potatoes, scrubbed and peeled, chopped into small pieces (I like using regular russet baking potatoes or golden yukons)
6 chicken skinless, boneless thighs, chopped into smaller pieces/strips.
1 C of carrots chopped
1.5 cup of low-sodium chicken broth (or water)

what chu do:
1. Put the first six ingredients and all the spices (including the cayenne) in a food processor or blender. Mix/puree until well blended, but not smooth.
2. Heat up cooking oil in large pot over medium heat. Add mixture from the food processor/blender to the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add potatoes, chicken, and carrots into the mixture, and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken broth or water, and bring to a boil. I add salt to taste here. Then reduce to a simmer and let it cook until chicken is cook thoroughly and potatoes and carrots are tender, stir occasionally. This is about 13-15 minutes.

I eat it with some naan bread, or rice. Also, a nice addition is fresh cilantro on top with some plain yogurt (or mix some plain yogurt- I find Greek yogurt the best- with a pinch of cumin if you want, or mix it in a food processor/blender with chopped cucumber and cumin). Yum.

Fall adventures :)

Nick and I decided to go to Chadds Ford in Pennsylvania for a day trip in celebration of one year together. It was also the third game in the Phillies v. Rockies series and we planned on watching the Phils in their hometown. Needless to say, they were swept but it was cool to watch them in PA, especially since it's so nearby. Also, we took an awful pit stop in Bryn Mawr, where i have never seen such a concentration of people I wanted to strangle. Seriously! The movie theater there on the main street is quite nice though, it's right across the street from Daddy's Bank (long story). Anyway:

Starting the day in P'ton for breakfast:



You KNOW it..oh Trenton:



We went to the Brandywine River Museum, where they have a bunch of NC Wyeth and Family- they lived in the area. They also had this amazing exhibit of early children's illustrations from the late 1800s, early 1900s. Taken outside of the museum:

Piggy:



Anybody say Lechon????



Happy Fall. Next week...apple picking! so excited.

This makes me very happy:



Team Hung!

I have been in my pjs all day with both my laptops in bed, in almost complete darkness. Being sick sucks!

I am rarely sick. I get migraines once in a while, and some lady problem crampage during that time of the month, but other than that I am a walking stamp of health. Well, not really :) But for the past week, I've had a sinus headache, allergies, a slight fever, a toothache, and cramps like I've never had before. Yes, yes, I should get to a doctor, but with the problems with my insurance, I have had to change over all my doctors. SIGH. New general practitioner, gyno. Gah. Insurance is frustrating.

Last night I made a big old pot of chicken vindaloo. So tasty. Ate it with fresh cilantro and greek yogurt (i've fallen in love with fage yogurt, 0%...so good, plain!). I had it for lunch and I will have it again for dinner. Indian food is such a treat because Nick is not a big fan of it, so I rarely get to make it or eat it if we go out, so cooking up a huge quantity will keep me appeased until the next time I can get to it.

Also, I am working on quitting smoking! Seriously! I haven't bought a pack in a about three weeks- which is a step. I haven't had a cigarette in the last 3 days, and have broken the smoking-in-my-car habit. I still nipped a bit during the past two weeks if I was around smokers, but only 1 or 2, definitely not as much as I used to smoke. Yay! It's pretty liberating- I like not having to depend on making a stop to a store or anywhere when I don't need anything else, and spending that 5.00-7.00 dollars per pack. It's nice to have some cash left in my wallet- more money to spend on pretty clothes.

Speaking of pretty things, I finally got a pair of boots I enjoy:




They're a bit wrinkly on the bottom, but tuck really well into my jeans.