change of plans

Weather. Gets in the way of many plans. Today I was supposed to be on my way to visit a dear friend in Shanty Bay, Ontario. But, news of a pending storm postponed plans. Hopefully another weekend. The friday feature was also interrupted this week by fate, a car wreck for the boyfriend (he's safe and sound) that had me out in Small Falls longer than I expected. While waiting around for the insurance claim and the repair shop to get sorted out, we made the most of the "day off" and scoured some local antique stores for items for both of our homes. He scored a great 4 piece set of oak Mission furniture at a crazy good rate and I brought back a funky curlicue mirror that I plan to paint bright red for the new apartment.

I also put together the cushions I was making for his Danish Modern settee. Do not look too closely at the stitching! From a distance it all works though.





Be safe this weekend.

vday

For everyone of us who is enjoying flowers, candy, cards, wine, and a moment of affection today, there is a woman who is fighting for her right to live, much less be loved. Please take one minute to consider these women and what needs to change so that all women can be free, safe, and thrive.

V-DAY’S MISSION

V-Day is an organized response against violence toward women.

V-Day is a vision: We see a world where women live safely and freely.

V-Day is a demand: Rape, incest, battery, genital mutilation, and sex slavery must end now.

V-Day is a spirit: We believe women should spend their lives creating and thriving rather than surviving or recovering from terrible atrocities.

V-Day is a catalyst: By raising money and consciousness, it will unify and strengthen existing anti-violence efforts.Triggering far-reaching awareness, it will lay the groundwork for new educational, protective, and legislative endeavors throughout the world.

V-Day is a process: We will work as long as it takes. We will not stop until the violence stops.

V-Day is a day. We proclaim Valentine's Day as V-Day, to celebrate women and men and to end the violence.

V-Day is a fierce, wild, unstoppable movement and community. Join us!

seven grain deliciousness

Made these loaves last night at my mom's request. They turned out very tasty, one is topped with flax seed and the other with oats. Her new diet is requiring the addition of flax and whole grains and of course I was happy to oblige. I would share the recipe except that I modified and combined two different ones to come up with something that might work. Definitely recommend bread making to de-stress!

biography

In the last few days, I have been assigned to write two biographical statements: one for the commencement booklet for the university and one for the website of my new employer. This should be a straightforward process. Report on the most salient details of your academic and professional career. And yet, it is a tad more complex. Sound smart, but not arrogant. Project experience, but do not inflate. Seem accomplished, yet humble. Overall, be authentic. Ok. Right.

The first bio went fairly quickly. After all, it is only an account of my four years pursuing the doctorate. There is a note about the dissertation, research projects, awards, and future employment. One concise paragraph. The second assignment is more public, accessible by GWB’s “the Googles” and other search functions, so it should be more…more…something. Not sure. Looking at those of my esteemed colleagues, I’m impressed and overwhelmed. For one thing, on paper, it seems that most folks have taken a fairly direct route to what they do now.

I began as an artist.

Not a dark and disturbed artist, but a graphic designer, painter, flower arranger, cake decorator. That last one was my life’s ambition as a nine year old. I would stand on tiptoes to peer over the glass bakery case at Wegmans where a woman, swathed in a smudged white apron, carefully shaped sugary goodness into exquisite roses.

What does that have to do with urban social policy? Over the summer between my junior and senior year of undergrad, I interviewed with a hunger relief agency to be their public relations intern. Little did I know where that internship would take me. I began doing their newsletter, simple flyers, some speech writing, but then realized how much I preferred the advocacy/research side of their work. That internship turned into a ten year relationship with the agency, part-time work, full-time, consulting, and put me on the road to a masters degree contesting the imbalance between many university/community partnerships (often more weighted to the university) and then a national service stint in inner city Philadelphia followed by the doctorate in urban affairs and public policy. Rather than a clear career trajectory, I have been following a winding path. That story seems to be the sort better told over a glass of CabSav than streaming from a blinking cursor.

chocolate love

Pink. Red. White. Ribbon. Roses. Hearts. Must be February right? I have an ongoing conflict with Valentine's Day. Why should Hallmark and other companies who specialize in manufacturing emotion tell me when to share my own affection? Yet, on the other hand, there are never too many reasons to make a card, pick a flower (not a red rose!), or share your love with a piece of chocolate. Wait, chocolate? Dark, milk, semi-sweet, bitter-sweet, plain, adorned, bar, bite...yes, chocolate.

I may spurn some of the trappings of this day, but I have no similar compunction when it comes to chocolate. Yesterday I was up to my elbows in the makings of chocolate truffles. Trader Joe's has some excellent fair trade selections and I stocked up last week. I had hoped to use framboise, but despite visiting several local liquor stores I came up empty handed. Instead, I made one batch with Starbucks Coffee Liqueur and one with vanilla. "Martha" kitchen goddess and marketing czar always comes through with recipes. I found this one to be easy, hope you enjoy!

Martha Stewart Chocolate Truffles (courtesy of marthastewart.com)

Ingredients

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen

* 8 ounces best-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 1 tablespoon liqueur, such as triple sec or framboise (optional)
* Unsweetened cocoa powder, for rolling

Directions

1. Put chocolate into a large heatproof bowl. Bring cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour over chocolate in bowl. Stir in liqueur, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand 10 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let stand until thick, about 15 minutes.

2. Pour chocolate mixture into a shallow 8-inch dish or pie plate. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until mixture is very cold and set but still pliable, about 30 minutes.

3. Using a teaspoon or a 1/2-inch melon baller, scoop balls of chocolate mixture, transferring them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper as you work. Refrigerate truffles 10 minutes.

4. Using hands dusted with cocoa powder, dip each truffle in cocoa powder to coat, then quickly shape truffle into a rough round. Refrigerate truffles in an airtight container until ready to serve, up to 2 weeks; before serving, reshape into rounds, and roll each truffle in cocoa powder, if desired.

miss austen

(photos courtesy of PBS.org)

Have you been watching the Masterpiece Theatre adaptations of Jane Austen's novels? I think they are a perfect indulgence for these bleak months of January, February, and March. As I have been at home these past few weeks, my mother and I have been watching them each Sunday evening. Unfortunately we missed Persuasion and the biography, Miss Austen Regrets. But, we thoroughly enjoyed what has to be our fourth viewing of the Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth. Sigh.

I'm not going to belabor the many fine points of Austen's novels here, or the sadly indulgent nature of the millions of women who appreciate them. If you are in, you are in, and if not, too bad. I'd rather spend a few moments on the movie adaptations. We own all the Hollywood versions of Austen's books. I've been known to watch the P&P with Donald Sutherland more than twice in one month (notice I didn't say with Keira Knightley--once you see her in Domino, there is no way she can be Elizabeth Bennet) Gwyneth Paltrow in Emma is a decent choice I think, particularly alongside tall, dark and handsome Jeremy Northam. What about Mansfield Park? Frances O'Connor (now stateside in Cashmere Mafia) is all giggles and whimsy with her Edmund played by Angelina Jolie's cast-off Johnny Lee Miller, but not entirely as innocent as she is depicted in the book. Persuasion, done by the BBC back in 1995 is perfectly balanced and restrained with lovely cinematography, but proves that Hollywood cannot seem to adapt the "feel" of the novels as well as the Brits. In my opinion, the closest Hollywood comes is with Sense & Sensibility featuring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Gemma Jones, and Hugh Grant. Hmmmm, maybe that has more to do with Ang Lee and the British actors than anything else!

The mid-nineties were good for Miss Austen, but the recent feature films of Becoming Jane and the Jane Austen Book Club were disappointing. Thankfully, Masterpiece Theatre has come to the rescue! I'm not a true Anglophile. Nonetheless, seeing so much of the English countryside in each of these weekly films has me very glad that my family will be headed across the pond this summer for a celebratory vacation, a birthday, an anniversary, and two graduations! Yes, the entire family with wives and significant others all stashed away in a flat. Bro2 and I have already reserved a day to visit "Pemberley" (actually Chatsworth House) in Derbyshire.

There is still time to see the remaining parts of P&P: 2/10, 2/17, 2/24 and then it is on to Emma 3/23, and Sense and Sensibility 3/30, 4/6. What's your favorite? Please post below!

the gang at ommegang

The warm scent of hops and malt greeted us as we walked in from the cold through a heavy wooden door. Inside the large room with shiny metal vats and rows of gauges and tubes stood an assembly of admirers gathered around with steaming bowls of chili made with one of their fine brews, Three Philosophers. Then the tour began...



I have to admit I've never been much of a beer drinker. Something about going to a conservative college, read "dry campus", meant I was not submerged in keg parties and beer pong, sucking down cheap beer in great quantities. Ok, drinking was not entirely absent at the college, but I was not a participant, probably due to a number of factors, including the homeschooled girl thing. When I was of age, I spent my energy on getting to know wine and never really acquired a taste for the pints. However, that changed when I began dating a guy who brews his own. Probably enough said. I have now sampled a range of micro-brews and handcrafted naturally fermented beers in his care. I would still choose a glass of Shiraz over a porter, but I can appreciate the time, effort, and craft that goes into the latter.



...and we learned a fair bit about the differences between Belgian style beer and others, as well as the former glory days of upstate NY hop farmers. My task as the DD limited my sampling, but the tour concluded in a rather manly tasting room complete with food pairings. I certainly did not hold back from enjoying some fine Belgian chocolate, and in fact, came home with a dark bar containing bits of Earl Grey tea--very elegant. All four of us who headed out from Small Falls also purchased classy Ommegang shirts to commemorate the visit.