tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44841624802429265162024-02-06T23:53:43.521-06:00Adventures in the West LoopPhotos, fun, and stories of a girl and her husband about town(s)AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-9455856301840601542010-01-16T08:07:00.003-06:002010-01-16T08:15:57.618-06:00New Year, New Beginnings<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Happy 2010 everyone! Its been a whirlwind of a year here so far... hence my lack of posts. My new job is underway and is extraordinarily busy. I can't complain about surfing the web all day like most new jobs! :) <br /><br />Now that I'm working in the design world... I've decided most of our furnishings and the design of our place need a major overhaul. I suppose this is the downside of this industry...... more money to spend on my decor than on my wardrobe! So, I'm thinking about redoing the look of our bedroom this month... mainly because its probably the least expensive room to change -- some new bedding, lamps, nightstands, and we'll probably be pretty good to go, save a few accessories. <br /><br />so, I thought I'd share my latest iterations of the decor... not sure if this will be the final vision of the room. I'm definitely heading into a more mid-century modern look. If you have thoughts -- let me know. I'm thinking a gold /orange/blue color scheme -- all based from the new duvet cover by <a href="http://www.dwellstudio.com/">Dwell Studio.</a> (if you haven't checked out their stuff, you should. its so beautiful). I'll definitely take pics of the final look once i've honed it all down. <br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/bedroom_inspirations/set?.embedder=683060&.mid=embed&id=15170392"><img width="400" alt="Bedroom Inspirations" src="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFjJEd0FhYWdDM3hHWGJTZlJTaXlqa3cAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg" title="Bedroom Inspirations" height="400" border="0" /></a><br/><small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/bedroom_inspirations/set?.embedder=683060&.mid=embed&id=15170392">Bedroom Inspirations</a> by <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?.embedder=683060&.mid=embed&id=683060">AlexisPH</a> on <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/">Polyvore.com</a></small></div><br /><br />Hope you're all off to a wonderful 2010 and a bright new decade!<br /><br />Best,<br />A</span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-43473560419303001802009-12-29T09:28:00.005-06:002009-12-29T09:49:01.509-06:00A girl can dream, can't she?<span style="font-size:85%;">We've been busy squirelling money away lately to save for a new home. Its all very exciting (for us city dwellers, at least) thinking that we may own our own single family home... wow. we've lived upstairs, downstairs, next to, across from people in all kinds of apartment and condo buildings here in the city. to think we may actually own our own home that isn't attached to anyone else's is all very exciting. so, while we keep saving, i linger occasionally on real estate websites, looking up fun new places. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Most days are pretty much the same. but today was different. Today, i found my dream home. they always say location, location, location.... well, I think this location might just be pretty good.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlw8qyJkN_uM8Cq1vSxgHhvNNJk0WrGeMXp5uy9Q4FjU4IO3j4ybx2ruZ9qU4kWtY6K2u6bsbrSBZJNYjsWCMsFRWyU6u-hrsQJ8DBn_dFmnU5Acd27JGfCzXQY6fMIaLf1wk7TK3ePw/s1600-h/cassa-finisterra-07.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlw8qyJkN_uM8Cq1vSxgHhvNNJk0WrGeMXp5uy9Q4FjU4IO3j4ybx2ruZ9qU4kWtY6K2u6bsbrSBZJNYjsWCMsFRWyU6u-hrsQJ8DBn_dFmnU5Acd27JGfCzXQY6fMIaLf1wk7TK3ePw/s320/cassa-finisterra-07.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420682996851667970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZVUclAfeMfhDA68J7v2TA5vNSVKHF9ONzSWltRidWD1wdRq31bJM5vYVlsSQnNwnTdcep-hoRaoO4Gm46FPYNHBCoRpdMCV5POdfmh6Ccx8n7QaTH5HGX9R_I-ZBVfzx6KoMdTbX_34/s1600-h/cassa-finisterra-03.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZVUclAfeMfhDA68J7v2TA5vNSVKHF9ONzSWltRidWD1wdRq31bJM5vYVlsSQnNwnTdcep-hoRaoO4Gm46FPYNHBCoRpdMCV5POdfmh6Ccx8n7QaTH5HGX9R_I-ZBVfzx6KoMdTbX_34/s320/cassa-finisterra-03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420682984363280034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbKYrmYLVex3qdAsVMOPYaXRffe3pSZo16r95yEVji-wPAKdWPkNXuWzhjliDsEpMc7JKdJxGT6lvOuhkanP0-BtCMDvWmbIumU1QpDn6avpI5eFCXjaQSvxTFafFxBhp5vn04lyFRew/s1600-h/cassa-finisterra-06.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 141px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbKYrmYLVex3qdAsVMOPYaXRffe3pSZo16r95yEVji-wPAKdWPkNXuWzhjliDsEpMc7JKdJxGT6lvOuhkanP0-BtCMDvWmbIumU1QpDn6avpI5eFCXjaQSvxTFafFxBhp5vn04lyFRew/s320/cassa-finisterra-06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420685057911349634" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />and, the finishes look pretty nice too, so no renovations there.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6E_FHrdH9YQgBbsfedKm4YlyERQM9s3iKO6AauN4_wMKZSpkiho1-Ew6zbORBTjMdRg9j3h4azJH7-blFg9R8EHkrcFqOKNqArh3AUPQX2t3bPMnQZHeS2LgjeN26zP9je5KQhwBahHM/s1600-h/cassa-finisterra-05.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6E_FHrdH9YQgBbsfedKm4YlyERQM9s3iKO6AauN4_wMKZSpkiho1-Ew6zbORBTjMdRg9j3h4azJH7-blFg9R8EHkrcFqOKNqArh3AUPQX2t3bPMnQZHeS2LgjeN26zP9je5KQhwBahHM/s320/cassa-finisterra-05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420682994911132546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFs4FqgAnV1BEsTXWvwDwC6wxyc_F9Zuh-ZsjYLVgf_SFEEA1o3scWg0X4qEZG7yB7qV0IpFz0TZgTwCUd92FQSLy2VN6Z7q8o6Of5OTaDRF_QT9Ql_9yanN25WZWx-fR5HsWPjBEQuWk/s1600-h/cassa-finisterra-01.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFs4FqgAnV1BEsTXWvwDwC6wxyc_F9Zuh-ZsjYLVgf_SFEEA1o3scWg0X4qEZG7yB7qV0IpFz0TZgTwCUd92FQSLy2VN6Z7q8o6Of5OTaDRF_QT9Ql_9yanN25WZWx-fR5HsWPjBEQuWk/s320/cassa-finisterra-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420682976546632706" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />i'm pretty sure that i wouldn't mind waking up to the view, either.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xlqVO4ua8fXfUHAOKef8jUPAJea1RMzvXIq6GyFBMa3hfehhIKmXKk0Jr-3h4bvVYudMWJlMJ7pQgAJnAVsagDPR-FaQZJQvSQzoGHZCbEc2hpgcoeF26_C7kS0xnDMC6DmarPHMVPE/s1600-h/cassa-finisterra-02.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xlqVO4ua8fXfUHAOKef8jUPAJea1RMzvXIq6GyFBMa3hfehhIKmXKk0Jr-3h4bvVYudMWJlMJ7pQgAJnAVsagDPR-FaQZJQvSQzoGHZCbEc2hpgcoeF26_C7kS0xnDMC6DmarPHMVPE/s320/cassa-finisterra-02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420682980547464658" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Thanks to Rees Roberts who designed this gem of an interior... its so lovely.)</span></span><br /><br />if you have some time, you can check out <a href="http://www.cf-cabo.com/">casa finisterra</a> ... there are many more lovely images to drool over. </span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-62332374887500220802009-12-26T05:00:00.001-06:002009-12-26T05:00:00.843-06:00MGMT<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >Okay, I thought I'd share another link to one of my recent favorite groups. They've been around for awhile, but I just love some of their songs. They make me want to get up and dance, so I just had to share. And, we've finally gotten our record player replaced over here... so I even have some new records (this being one of them). I love owning records. There is something very retro, but kind of lovely about them... its like taking a trip back in time.<br />Enjoy the tunes!</span><br /><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WAmcpsN1GL4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WAmcpsN1GL4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MmZexg8sxyk&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MmZexg8sxyk&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="295" width="480"></embed></object>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-32486495833330450582009-12-23T06:00:00.000-06:002009-12-23T06:00:05.119-06:00Happy Holidays!<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Wow - its been a long time, hasn't it? Sorry about that. I've been really overwhelmed at work lately. Although I have spent the past two weeks in North Carolina, which would usually mean that I'd enjoy warmer weather than here in Chicago. But, no such luck. I was there earlier this week when the huge snowstorms hit - 6-12" across the state. In Chicago, no big deal really. In North Carolina, this is a BIG deal. A really BIG deal! Our hotel shut down all of its restaurants and bars, which left us exhausted and pretty much starving after our final day on the photo shoot. But, all in all, it was a great trip. And, its always fun to see the models and watch the retouchers take 20-30 pounds off of them on the computer. (if only someone could do that to my photos!)<br /><br />I'll be putting out a few new posts over the next several days, but did want to send out some happy holiday wishes to everyone. I know its a busy time of year and this year we weren't able to get our Christmas cards out on time. But, I wanted everyone to know that we are thinking of them and wishing them love and friendship. Thank you all for being a part of our lives. We are lucky to have such wonderful friends and family.<br /><br />Happy Holidays!<br /><br />Love,<br />Alexis & Jamey</span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-54117535136036456192009-12-22T21:15:00.001-06:002009-12-22T21:15:50.355-06:00Cool Shops<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >I love to share new Etsy shops when I find them... partly because its a small business and its creative, but also because they have some really cool stuff! I just was introduced to a few new finds and I thought I'd share them with you.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/elementalthreads">Elemental Threads</a> recycles those old t-shirts that you love, but probably shouldn't wear anymore, into a brand new bag. You can choose one of their already made bags, or even send in a tshirt that you love to be repurposed. How cool is that? most recycled t-shirt bags are a steal too - at only $19<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/PataPri">PataPri</a> sells the cutest hand towels and aprons. What great inspiration for the kitchen. Wouldn't it just make you happy to cook if your hand towels all looked like these?!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilhouetteBlue">SilhouetteBlue</a> has the cutest personalized notecards and stationary. Isn't it wonderful when you actually get something in the mail these days? I'm hoping I have a use for these someday soon... because they are just too cute to pass up.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/chromalab">ChromaLab</a> makes the best clocks. I'm not usually a fan of the wall clock... I suppose it reminds me of all those years of school spent staring at the wall clock, willing it to be 3pm. But, these clocks just might make me change my mind!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/bumblebellydesigns?section_id=5267384">Bumblebelly Designs </a>has some really fun pillows (plus some really cool other items). I especially love the Old MacDonald series of pillows that say "woof", "cluck", or "quack". Definitely a touch of whimsy.<br /><br />If you've got any Etsy recommendations, send them along. I'm always on the lookout for new ones to peruse.<br /><br />Happy shopping!</span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-75569591600984825402009-12-20T16:10:00.002-06:002009-12-20T16:16:07.442-06:00Great Site for Giving<span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >I just got word about a new site called<a href="http://www.kiva.org"> www.Kiva.org.</a> What an amazing idea - you can help fund a micro-loan to someone around the world. Here's what Kiva says<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><b></b></span><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" ><b>The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals. </b>When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on Kiva, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >Check it out sometime when you're in a giving mood. <br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><blockquote> <div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></p></blockquote><p style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></p>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-10274871034127250212009-12-01T06:00:00.001-06:002009-12-01T06:00:08.726-06:00Another special birthday!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have another special birthday wish to make (I know, all of a sudden, I'm back on the birthday post bandwagon). <br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy birthday to my husband and best friend Jamey! Thanks for everything that you do all year to make things special for family and friends. Here's to another wonderful year (and that special part of the year where you're 2 years older than me -- old man!) and lots of fun surprises. I even found a special birthday tribute that's just your style... I love you! Happy birthday!</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I'm stuck traveling this year on Jamey's birthday (boo hoo), so I'm sending him happy thoughts from afar... but for those of you who get this and have a minute... give him a ring and say hello! </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><br /><br /><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/glNjsOHiBYs&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/glNjsOHiBYs&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-27001341594847658962009-11-28T06:00:00.003-06:002009-11-28T06:00:01.348-06:00Happy Birthday!<span style="font-size:85%;">A special shout out to wish our cutie pie nephew a very special birthday. Happy Birthday Roman! We hope you have a fun time celebrating and opening all of your special gifts!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOqQ4jcO5QdqaKFSLtFCztqm-aj6CoQahV0DrI8alpVq7ERuwd_S_G-im8biKuf7pFqTIgHrlFvzL0WxwUTDTpZYXnBNzWf_7OtCuv5efbJPyRGOozUPQzjKHBFMFtm6W5TFniBaS_fQ/s1600/SNV10278_2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOqQ4jcO5QdqaKFSLtFCztqm-aj6CoQahV0DrI8alpVq7ERuwd_S_G-im8biKuf7pFqTIgHrlFvzL0WxwUTDTpZYXnBNzWf_7OtCuv5efbJPyRGOozUPQzjKHBFMFtm6W5TFniBaS_fQ/s320/SNV10278_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408064098223374130" border="0" /></a><br /><br />p.s. Auntie Lex & Uncle Jamey will see you in a few weeks when Santa comes... we hope you've been good! :)<br /><br />I've been bad about doing these birthday posts lately -- sorry, new job stress, I guess. But, I also am WAY overdue on a special birthday message to a great sister-in-law. Happy (overly belated, OMG I can't believe I'm finally posting this I'm so embarassed) belated birthday Sheilagh!</span><br /><br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dePMU8R131s&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dePMU8R131s&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-78850588083967029482009-11-25T08:59:00.003-06:002009-11-25T09:12:51.453-06:00Happy Turkey Day!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We're heading off to Ohio later today, but I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">We couldn't celebrate Thanksgiving without this song, could we? (plus, its just entertaining to watch this really strange video along with it...) Enjoy!</span></span><br /><br /><object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-z27FKwupds&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-z27FKwupds&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-49369412923152152202009-11-22T08:39:00.004-06:002009-11-22T08:45:49.977-06:00Recipe of the Day: Quick & Spicy Tomato Soup<span style="font-size:85%;">Another great recipe, courtesy of Giada over at the Food Network. We've been making this a lot recently... and its great to have in the freezer for a quick dinner or lunch on the weekends. Enjoy!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKD0YLm9xvl7eeNuwYUx7_mKY5VAHyKuIhWWDirNLDrlvH7byvl7cT_6k3NJoLbRkQiltJPfwQrhUaW7OZktXfAAJb5myS0SdK0Mcfc647FG_BVV5WyYo_Ho1JF1PL9A4zazdf4Frao0/s1600/ei1005_tomatoesoup_med.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKD0YLm9xvl7eeNuwYUx7_mKY5VAHyKuIhWWDirNLDrlvH7byvl7cT_6k3NJoLbRkQiltJPfwQrhUaW7OZktXfAAJb5myS0SdK0Mcfc647FG_BVV5WyYo_Ho1JF1PL9A4zazdf4Frao0/s320/ei1005_tomatoesoup_med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406937952986954354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Ingredients:<br />- 3 TBSP olive oil<br />- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped<br />- 1 small onion, chopped<br />- 1 clove garlic, minced<br />- 1 26 oz jar marinara sauce (recommended: San Marzano brand)<br />- 2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth (we use vegetable broth in ours)<br />- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed<br />- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes<br />- 1/2 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta) <br />**you may be tempted to add more, but be careful, this really blows up in the soup<br />- salt & pepper to taste<br /><br />Directions:<br /><br />Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, this usually takes about 5-7 minutes at our house (depending on how large you chop your carrots, it may take longer). Add the jar of marinara sauce, broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve. Goes great with warm crusty bread!</span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-56169969708949977742009-11-21T14:30:00.004-06:002009-11-21T14:39:38.048-06:00OMG... Oprah Quits!I thought something funny was going on when I walked home from work on Thursday night. Several local TV channels were broadcasting from the corner near our house... but, I completely forgot about it when I actually walked in the door (a new job will do that to you).<br /><br />Then, as I was getting ready for work on Friday, I had CNN on in the background and heard the big news about Oprah. (oh my gosh - she's quitting?!) Of course! Now it was all making sense... So, when I left later that morning, I did a doubletake when I saw the same CNN reporter out front of our apartment, doing a live broadcast. For those of you who don't already know, we live across the street from Oprah's studios. Its always a hubbub of activity in the neighborhood and we have the rare pleasure of seeing armies of midwestern women dolled up for the show, carrying bright green bags from the Oprah store (yes, she even has her own store), and taking photos day and night (literally around the clock) out front of the Oprah sign. Its quite a sight to behold.<br /><br />Thought I'd share the pic I took on my phone friday morning out front of our apartment. I'm really wishing that I would have run behind her to try to get on camera (hey mom! i'm on CNN! how fun is that?!). ... maybe next time!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPcKGcrPhabh3pKfuG9ETP-bBn_-RDuaBh-S3PJdkOVEnqIv8Z_27x1iyc4nZ3luyMJc0J9IRB9MzMauWwEx2vhl_DHJI9-dWLHyh4mBZK7OzC65aZXkIRAImjz3hJSSlsILarCm80sE/s1600/IMG_0174_2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPcKGcrPhabh3pKfuG9ETP-bBn_-RDuaBh-S3PJdkOVEnqIv8Z_27x1iyc4nZ3luyMJc0J9IRB9MzMauWwEx2vhl_DHJI9-dWLHyh4mBZK7OzC65aZXkIRAImjz3hJSSlsILarCm80sE/s320/IMG_0174_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406659000397318322" border="0" /></a>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-67975549536221740142009-11-20T06:00:00.005-06:002009-11-20T06:00:05.976-06:00Looking forward...<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to our visitors this weekend!</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">hope you enjoy yours too!</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-x6I-zxF5WNggtppJNuldxExmSCKH2jRNEoY69D4rm1nOVV-z48ndKAZex4v-VqpTd4KA1k3PxlwYkAPSc8BzBcEoZ6BTXuMvIBkKyp5EKxL-PFKbXewFU4IqT8rgEIr7kbVUK1kYfw/s1600/DSCF0343.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 223px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN-x6I-zxF5WNggtppJNuldxExmSCKH2jRNEoY69D4rm1nOVV-z48ndKAZex4v-VqpTd4KA1k3PxlwYkAPSc8BzBcEoZ6BTXuMvIBkKyp5EKxL-PFKbXewFU4IqT8rgEIr7kbVUK1kYfw/s320/DSCF0343.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405654561221127570" border="0" /></a>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-6006446651306576022009-11-20T06:00:00.004-06:002009-11-20T06:00:02.236-06:00Check it Out!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I just found a new blog I'm adding to the links on the page. If you've ever been looking for a cheaper alternative for a special item you've been coveting... this is the blog for you. Check it out </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.copycatchic.com/">here</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">.... A-MAZING!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">by the way, if you haven't checked out some of the great blogs here on the right hand side... you're missing out. there is some great inspiration out there!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Enjoy!</span></span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-31609181768761742472009-11-19T06:00:00.000-06:002009-11-19T06:00:01.097-06:00John's making amends...<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm soooo not a fan of John & Kate (either one, ever... they're both ridiculous... seriously). But, this video is making me laugh ( a little bit...at least). </span></span><br /><br /><object width="384" height="256" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" id="ordie_player_82ee1f0bd5"><param name="movie" value="http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf"><param name="flashvars" value="key=82ee1f0bd5"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed width="384" height="256" flashvars="key=82ee1f0bd5" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" src="http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf" name="ordie_player_82ee1f0bd5" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><div style="text-align:left;font-size:x-small;margin-top:0;width:384px;"><a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/82ee1f0bd5/jon-gosselin-goes-back-in-time" title="from Jon Gosselin">Jon Gosselin Goes Back in Time</a> from <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/jon_gosselin">Jon Gosselin</a></div>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-55428748327570751992009-11-17T06:00:00.000-06:002009-11-17T06:00:08.900-06:00Keb Mo at the House of Blues<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">we just saw keb mo on 11/13 -- and it was a great night! if you're not familiar with keb mo, he's a great blues singer. you can check out his music, background, etc. </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.kebmo.com/site/">here</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. jamey had seen him before at another venue in the city, Old Town School of Folk Music. Definitely a more intimate venue than the HOB, and he played more acoustic. Last night was more of a jam session with the band behind him rocking out. They played a ton of different instruments - ranging from mandolins to steel guitars, to stand up bass, ukelels, and harmonicas. At one point the pianist was playing piano, organ, and a harmonica... all at once. AMAZING! I wish I was that talented... <br /><br />Thought i'd share a few photos of the evening from my iphone as well as some great videos from You Tube. Though it looks farther thanks to the lousy camera in my iphone, we were actually really close to him -- about 60 feet or so from the stage. <br /></span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnGqjlch_zizPE_hfgg7gQpiS_vWty_T4EJtlk5-LhbcgkKbPE1iwdij4H3IKI_HIvVK9Z2T1F-e1-00Qu_YRwo9RDILq_mCmhJ2PXBocYqlgw0X7Tq-31y9sAWIBEmJ40v-C7RojPKU/s1600-h/IMG_0168.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnGqjlch_zizPE_hfgg7gQpiS_vWty_T4EJtlk5-LhbcgkKbPE1iwdij4H3IKI_HIvVK9Z2T1F-e1-00Qu_YRwo9RDILq_mCmhJ2PXBocYqlgw0X7Tq-31y9sAWIBEmJ40v-C7RojPKU/s320/IMG_0168.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404016122162719666" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >at one point ,women from the crowd jumped onstage and started dancing with the band - kind of hysterical (though some may have taken the sexy dancing a bit far... I'm talking to you sequin dress girl!). here's a funny shot of the moment!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSM1DDq1nLBn6Fv8xjSZJZxOzqH8OHVn-gsV8AjMTZOnsQaTHnziNP56ZZpodNhAK6tI0Tj2h38oKOWMEDvMwMH_pQCMX9ndVWKgE2W6LC3qz7GnRKu2lcbImeZroku3XPx1o-Mr8JlrQ/s1600-h/IMG_0172.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSM1DDq1nLBn6Fv8xjSZJZxOzqH8OHVn-gsV8AjMTZOnsQaTHnziNP56ZZpodNhAK6tI0Tj2h38oKOWMEDvMwMH_pQCMX9ndVWKgE2W6LC3qz7GnRKu2lcbImeZroku3XPx1o-Mr8JlrQ/s320/IMG_0172.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404016116703308562" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OI_GNu8jaSA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OI_GNu8jaSA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q1uztIwZtzc&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q1uztIwZtzc&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">and one of my favorites -- House in California (ah, how I miss CA!). I can't find it on You Tube, but you can listen to it for free </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.last.fm/music/Keb%27+Mo%27/_/House+in+California">here</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. </span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnGqjlch_zizPE_hfgg7gQpiS_vWty_T4EJtlk5-LhbcgkKbPE1iwdij4H3IKI_HIvVK9Z2T1F-e1-00Qu_YRwo9RDILq_mCmhJ2PXBocYqlgw0X7Tq-31y9sAWIBEmJ40v-C7RojPKU/s1600-h/IMG_0168.JPG"> </a>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-36261772399397911362009-11-15T10:31:00.000-06:002009-11-15T10:31:00.400-06:00Recipe of the Day: Feta-Mint Dip with Yogurt<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">this is a great appetizer or dip to put out when entertaining. and, its easy to make. just pop most of it into a food processor and you're all set!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Feta-Mint Dip with Yogurt</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >makes 1 1/4 cups<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ot_8Y9Qs8aIhQjWMAFVZ1egTNWXNHwqf5Hf_Nf1W9SgBFJp7qusY2ZU88ImWo-GNLMC7vHA9w0IzbgZolC5-NEZXUR-LQ8y9gNzFPdzm50QMRhRrrlmzZ0hMawHHvnjsiYTB0x_J880/s1600-h/feta-mint-dip-lores.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ot_8Y9Qs8aIhQjWMAFVZ1egTNWXNHwqf5Hf_Nf1W9SgBFJp7qusY2ZU88ImWo-GNLMC7vHA9w0IzbgZolC5-NEZXUR-LQ8y9gNzFPdzm50QMRhRrrlmzZ0hMawHHvnjsiYTB0x_J880/s320/feta-mint-dip-lores.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392856449462167666" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;font-size:85%;" >ingredients:</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">1 cup plain whole milk yogurt<br />1/2 cup mayonnaise<br />2 1/2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)<br />1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves<br />2 medium scallions, roughly chopped<br />2 tsp lemon juice<br /><br />directions:<br />1. place yogurt in fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth-lined colander set over bowl. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours; discard liquid in bowl below. this should leave you with a very, very thick yogurt consistency.<br />2. process all ingredients in food processor until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds. Transfer dip to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until flavors are blended, at least 1 hour. serve cold with crudites.<br /><br />* can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 days<br /></span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-26993797734770752312009-11-14T11:30:00.000-06:002009-11-14T11:30:44.379-06:00monsters of folk<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Jamey and I headed to a great concert about a week ago -- the </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://monstersoffolk.com/">Monsters of Folk</a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. The name is probably pretty misleading... its not folk like most people think of folk. But, it is a great group of artists who have all done their own thing before and finally decided to come together and record an album. The group includes Jim James, Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst and M. Ward. Maybe you're familiar with them, maybe you're not... if you're not, you should definitely check them out. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Admittedly, I had only listened to the album a few times before the concert... I wish I had listened to it even more. Now, after the concert, its really become one of my favorites. The concert was a great evening - definitely check it out if they come to your town. Ours was at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre (an amazing venue if you haven't been there). Its nearly acoustically perfect sound and is incredibly beautiful - perfect for this type of a concert. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">I thought I'd include some of their music videos in the post... Enjoy! </span></span><br /><br /><object height="285" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WnL96oSKVSc&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WnL96oSKVSc&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="285" width="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /><object height="285" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nfcI2HliOIM&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nfcI2HliOIM&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="285" width="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">and a cover of a My Morning Jacket Song - Golden... for those of you who aren't familiar with MMJ. </span></span><br /><br /><object height="285" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IXmnnlppTkA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IXmnnlppTkA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x2b405b&color2=0x6b8ab6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="285" width="340"></embed></object>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-56251834905398529622009-11-10T09:01:00.001-06:002009-11-10T09:01:00.511-06:00Girls Night Out<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sorry for the lack of exciting posts recently. I've been really under the weather and also just started the new job... so things are a bit out of whack. But, I'm settling into the new schedule, so i'm hoping to keep up the blog as usual. I thought I'd put together a few posts of fun things that have happened recently, but may not have made it up here yet due to my new work schedule.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">First up... the Gordon & Rees Women's Event. Jamey's office held an event here recently that was put on by the women in the office, for female clients (and a few lucky wives "wink"). They put together a great event held at a local create your own jewelry boutique. We all got to make a beautiful bracelet from the huge selection of beads in the shop.<br /><br /></span><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxB9_dRHDZvVX87mtWS59cCsFXr_rTsUWXqlCiUDxD6jekByKnPi9Es_1kAi6OJEGvY4NCkH3ZppqJl1E-bwDjuIEFmfz-el-2ERlAhurIlpDe1bGI99RdzLgKiBCx-kky7cLMX5LBtPI/s1600-h/DSC_0180_2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxB9_dRHDZvVX87mtWS59cCsFXr_rTsUWXqlCiUDxD6jekByKnPi9Es_1kAi6OJEGvY4NCkH3ZppqJl1E-bwDjuIEFmfz-el-2ERlAhurIlpDe1bGI99RdzLgKiBCx-kky7cLMX5LBtPI/s320/DSC_0180_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401932915970867602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">And, they had a charity that also took part in the event called, Dress for Success. If you haven't heard of them, they are a wonderful group. They help disadvantaged women enter the workforce by providing professional attire, support and career development. We were all asked to bring either a donation of faux pearl jewelry (given to each woman as she embarks upon her career) or cash. Its a nationwide organization, and if your interested, you can find more about them </span><a style="font-family: verdana;" href="http://www.dressforsuccess.org/">here.</a><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZmATXJ6syh0eTU5mT6S4DY8SSeF8zonLNEl1f4d-DO5R5lqdueiTkwDOgs5VQ1ECnIYEzpTqsFbtSmjHTYlk5Hi9JjqBfizeSshS2AccVeJ3KYWmySczvepTtYbQ0nGTf32kZr_kp6A/s1600-h/DSC_0211.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZmATXJ6syh0eTU5mT6S4DY8SSeF8zonLNEl1f4d-DO5R5lqdueiTkwDOgs5VQ1ECnIYEzpTqsFbtSmjHTYlk5Hi9JjqBfizeSshS2AccVeJ3KYWmySczvepTtYbQ0nGTf32kZr_kp6A/s320/DSC_0211.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401932935606316498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Being the designated amateur photographer, I thought I'd share a few pics from the evening. It was a great night!</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqMGcXA4sibkIolCVu3Z1pE9q-Qz5v5XkavVi3npQCez_CIkpvEmssAo6SZ0TDplIBoZDWLswd01sEKy-MAeG7KScg31_6rITolVBAPX9bibKgQoTnEQPMAbM_maa1k7XhAU5BLu6boQ/s1600-h/DSC_0139.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqMGcXA4sibkIolCVu3Z1pE9q-Qz5v5XkavVi3npQCez_CIkpvEmssAo6SZ0TDplIBoZDWLswd01sEKy-MAeG7KScg31_6rITolVBAPX9bibKgQoTnEQPMAbM_maa1k7XhAU5BLu6boQ/s320/DSC_0139.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401932923960737698" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyiPUBXIuJ2ggV0IOYqqTihAlpRy7InyoCTOPAK77rnRIqropuuIi3r82EdrvFUE_Tgu_jD65LV5_Gh5AGKtouP8sHThEHQBMrq8jaICJF7EPzkgL7c3qHmC5g_66-oGgscANKYeahtk/s1600-h/DSC_0191.jpg"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 163px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyiPUBXIuJ2ggV0IOYqqTihAlpRy7InyoCTOPAK77rnRIqropuuIi3r82EdrvFUE_Tgu_jD65LV5_Gh5AGKtouP8sHThEHQBMrq8jaICJF7EPzkgL7c3qHmC5g_66-oGgscANKYeahtk/s320/DSC_0191.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401932928151651378" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfdz5eaG_xhPsfavYpwLUAEEe2hZynM_iG4n7fkDve98BVen7LbNN0LOhTfYzPRzn6gsXAD9nuU9jphvxi9a7hetnK4r_e8LQ371BDdF-_zNcZu2Nv_cqIlUA7EC37fMPh1JIhELVV2M/s1600-h/DSC_0226.jpg"> </a><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfdz5eaG_xhPsfavYpwLUAEEe2hZynM_iG4n7fkDve98BVen7LbNN0LOhTfYzPRzn6gsXAD9nuU9jphvxi9a7hetnK4r_e8LQ371BDdF-_zNcZu2Nv_cqIlUA7EC37fMPh1JIhELVV2M/s1600-h/DSC_0226.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfdz5eaG_xhPsfavYpwLUAEEe2hZynM_iG4n7fkDve98BVen7LbNN0LOhTfYzPRzn6gsXAD9nuU9jphvxi9a7hetnK4r_e8LQ371BDdF-_zNcZu2Nv_cqIlUA7EC37fMPh1JIhELVV2M/s320/DSC_0226.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401932944727973794" border="0" /></a><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAv9c6PR2ka9a0NgKiAT_iC-uzg7tQky3SZtNAuh7TZjP3nPTBrwj2_Oyw8pgTzM9dYNNdcJvHwToSiquN8TZpUTTATQ-b0NBQ_N58uH-IjG9wRdgQl4am2rspdT8KoHzE7_-DuVzSytw/s1600-h/DSC_0207.jpg"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 234px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAv9c6PR2ka9a0NgKiAT_iC-uzg7tQky3SZtNAuh7TZjP3nPTBrwj2_Oyw8pgTzM9dYNNdcJvHwToSiquN8TZpUTTATQ-b0NBQ_N58uH-IjG9wRdgQl4am2rspdT8KoHzE7_-DuVzSytw/s320/DSC_0207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401933627467926098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-86364060095475705452009-11-08T00:00:00.000-06:002009-11-08T00:00:00.429-06:00Recipe of the Day: Cedar-Planked Salmon with Barbecue Spice Rub<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I thought I'd include a great recipe that we tried recently. We love to grill fish, and this is a really tasty way to make it on the BBQ. Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_LQn6OQyhYZuI9z4lJKtyh7FHgDXRJ8ixiFUwRivqYMrZofOxSEMsETovtOCdGhjCzb17a9m7CUgqnZ43pesDSFgZYi2jgxwcFDEqgn_hbljfYQFPEjPw4oZ5kH-q1S6Hn3_bByFY40/s1600-h/IMG_0095.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl_LQn6OQyhYZuI9z4lJKtyh7FHgDXRJ8ixiFUwRivqYMrZofOxSEMsETovtOCdGhjCzb17a9m7CUgqnZ43pesDSFgZYi2jgxwcFDEqgn_hbljfYQFPEjPw4oZ5kH-q1S6Hn3_bByFY40/s320/IMG_0095.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371721551906748258" border="0" /></a><br />(a pic of our secret spice rub & cedar planks)<br /><br />Cedar-Planked Salmon with Barbecue Spice Rub<br /><br /><br />1 (15 x 6 ½ x 3/8-inch) cedar grilling plank<br />1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt<br />1 ½ teaspoons dark brown sugar<br />1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed<br />¾ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper<br />¾ teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika<br />¾ teaspoon chili powder<br />¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1 (3pound) center-cut salmon fillet, skinned<br /><br />1. Immerse and soak plant in water 1 hour or longer, drain.<br /><br />2. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.<br /><br />3. Place plank on grill rack. Grill 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Carefully turn plank over; place fish on charred side of plank. Cover and grill for 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Cut fish crosswise into 8 (4 ½ oz) pieces.<br /><br />* We use this recipe on all sorts of fish and it would probably be great on steak or chicken too. Its also great used in grilled salmon tacos the second day.<br /><br />Note: Look for cedar planks in gourmet markets or large supermarkets. Or, you can purchase untreated cedar shingles from lumberyards or hardware stores, and have them cut to a specified size.<br /><br />Yields: 8 servings</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-27384134425359886992009-11-02T00:00:00.000-06:002009-11-02T00:00:03.675-06:00Trader Joe Favorites!<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >I was just recently reintroduced </span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >to Trader Joe's by a friend (thanks, Jenny!). She had some tasty treats at her home and made me curious to revisit the store again. I'm so glad that I did! TJ's has become my go to store for almost everything on my list. I do try to buy most of our produc</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" >e at the farmer's market, but TJ's is a great stop for nearly everything else. I thought I'd share some of our favorite items and see if it inspires anyone else! Feel free to share your faves too. I'm always looking for new items to</span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" > enjoy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trader Joe's White Cheddar corn puffs</span><br />(aka Pirate's Booty @ your regular grocery store)<br />A great light snack low in calories.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-eya1E5-gESmm45iDQtybHnoYq0LqFkwvpKW6_lmXHbDkItLI12NZuqChGvwwe_bhj1KdWLJOc1VbH2eW7n2XcD5mlL-4iE9VNoVt4ZsYYBHHkqT9Hn_STJrISTqVpZFmOyLeDaXvl8/s1600-h/DSC_0213.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-eya1E5-gESmm45iDQtybHnoYq0LqFkwvpKW6_lmXHbDkItLI12NZuqChGvwwe_bhj1KdWLJOc1VbH2eW7n2XcD5mlL-4iE9VNoVt4ZsYYBHHkqT9Hn_STJrISTqVpZFmOyLeDaXvl8/s320/DSC_0213.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371803317510546034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trader Joe's Edamame Hummus</span><br />This hummus is actually made from soybeans, not garbanzo beans. It sounds different, but its delicious!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNHDsjRanCJtvpXihgMnqnLSc8ukvN-qELGk-6pzPBe-J_pvvFAOGWd5p8iFrXwnPePvO2U-3V5w3beGz1nao8u_ysk-eRxhdJTKqFVx46KDl4DemeQw0XETvbmvgMxg2YRXNOE-KrFQ/s1600-h/DSC_0241.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNHDsjRanCJtvpXihgMnqnLSc8ukvN-qELGk-6pzPBe-J_pvvFAOGWd5p8iFrXwnPePvO2U-3V5w3beGz1nao8u_ysk-eRxhdJTKqFVx46KDl4DemeQw0XETvbmvgMxg2YRXNOE-KrFQ/s320/DSC_0241.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371803858223276706" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trader Joe's: Ready to Bake Pizza Dough</span><br />We've decided its so much better and more fun to make our own pizzas at home. We can choose the toppings we want, how much we want, etc. Pizza night is one of our new favorite traditions.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNFqN3ev_h2jwEfZVn29sw3oiOwqDbAracrjMGEi1un4d5IDKotH_HMoEeUYznNHUJH6Us-btKNOcqzphwxxX129wKALPi6FjuUfDhF3nqRrXfsAzr0wwtZqS-fLJ7Sr9j4p94SZhTtA/s1600-h/DSC_0223.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNFqN3ev_h2jwEfZVn29sw3oiOwqDbAracrjMGEi1un4d5IDKotH_HMoEeUYznNHUJH6Us-btKNOcqzphwxxX129wKALPi6FjuUfDhF3nqRrXfsAzr0wwtZqS-fLJ7Sr9j4p94SZhTtA/s320/DSC_0223.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371803322463373218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trader Joe's dried fruits: Chile Spiced Mango and Nothing But... Banana</span><br />These are great for snacks, especially when you're on the road and carrying around real fruit just isn't an option. TJ's has an amazing array of dried fruits, granolas, etc. I always see something new when I'm in there.<br /></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7ai7btnnZRAqTI6JVtiUqpAXWmcXNk5OywxPB6CuxO4oBH-KJmXOV5AoMurQZG8w5VqyZptBOjyDCyjntE0c-nBDvfO4AkNDkjb1zGLEX5vz87pBnes5XySRFSRVjvBTU-jsifQPTbc/s1600-h/IMG_0106.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7ai7btnnZRAqTI6JVtiUqpAXWmcXNk5OywxPB6CuxO4oBH-KJmXOV5AoMurQZG8w5VqyZptBOjyDCyjntE0c-nBDvfO4AkNDkjb1zGLEX5vz87pBnes5XySRFSRVjvBTU-jsifQPTbc/s320/IMG_0106.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371785526644374402" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trader Joe's Frozen Indian Specialties: Garlic Naan</span><br />A perfect accompaniment for those evenings when you want to order in Indian Food (or make it yourself). Its really tasty and it saves you money since you don't have to order it with your meal.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R3hkljhmkxzX7RS12GemTu7uecTjDFOhkJUjQN5GrfxOwfSZIuPIfvJID0FpTdPGy290CU_uZCHJ6uk8s_CHZZwWt1awCWtGxXLKAZsgZtmioSeHmcv6g45nfg3DzLEk5ANIxs9KfPw/s1600-h/IMG_0110.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R3hkljhmkxzX7RS12GemTu7uecTjDFOhkJUjQN5GrfxOwfSZIuPIfvJID0FpTdPGy290CU_uZCHJ6uk8s_CHZZwWt1awCWtGxXLKAZsgZtmioSeHmcv6g45nfg3DzLEk5ANIxs9KfPw/s320/IMG_0110.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371785541725616194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mochi ice cream treats</span><br />Most likely, if you've eaten at a sushi restaurant, you've seen these. They are little bites of ice cream wrapped up in a rice dough. There are several different flavors to choose from, we like the coffee and chocloate flavors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPj3Du9DB91qZtJwahb5C5D88HuVvNyn3kXdSrgM6nmH3BA7c753Bo3vtbnxMyKYm8KfpDTrL-f-f6dW50nMKgsN8Trr-GNjirhLNx6hwoDmdHxAAxpO0FRKfMiEnTNHVwA_rqlutLbr8/s1600-h/IMG_0107.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPj3Du9DB91qZtJwahb5C5D88HuVvNyn3kXdSrgM6nmH3BA7c753Bo3vtbnxMyKYm8KfpDTrL-f-f6dW50nMKgsN8Trr-GNjirhLNx6hwoDmdHxAAxpO0FRKfMiEnTNHVwA_rqlutLbr8/s320/IMG_0107.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371803863658039042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />If you have any favorites that you want to share, send them along or post them in the comments section - I always love new ideas!<br /></span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-11811451853042241352009-11-01T00:00:00.000-05:002009-11-01T00:00:04.171-05:00Recipe of the Day: Spiced Lentil Tacos<span style=";font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;" >I know this recipe may sound a little weird to some of you, but its a great meatless option for mexican night. And, a low cal one at that. We've even shared it with my parents who are big fans of the recipe also. Bon Appetit!</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><a style="font-family: verdana;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgV2lNjTWTGXHfkGvXs3sTTXJ65PxtU5qtUMrtsLvREuSH_Xea_BLL3Tux3U75i3ZR8yfqSUhcEiCjziKcZKvWmdcBfDIXrxZo9OUQ6uiKwddWcYsckjTwpCxYkO2jllBtiWXirGGPr8/s1600-h/spiced-lentil-tacos-fore296.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgV2lNjTWTGXHfkGvXs3sTTXJ65PxtU5qtUMrtsLvREuSH_Xea_BLL3Tux3U75i3ZR8yfqSUhcEiCjziKcZKvWmdcBfDIXrxZo9OUQ6uiKwddWcYsckjTwpCxYkO2jllBtiWXirGGPr8/s320/spiced-lentil-tacos-fore296.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371728236136357122" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Spiced Lentil Tacos</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1 tbsp olive oil</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 cup finely chopped onion</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 clove garlic, chopped</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1/2 tsp salt</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1 package (2.25 oz) taco seasoning (we use low sodium)</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">2 1/2 cups vegetable broth</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1/2 cup fat-free sour cream</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />2 tsp adobo sauce</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">8 taco shells or soft taco wraps</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1 1/4 cup shredded lettuce</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1 cup chopped tomato</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute.</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25-30 minutes.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl.<br /><br />Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.</span> </span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-21226573168628412432009-10-31T06:00:00.000-05:002009-10-31T06:00:04.404-05:00happy halloween!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">i am so excited for halloween this year and let me tell you why.... living in chicago, we never get to do the trick-or-treat thing. we have never been able to hand out candy to cute little kids dressed up in adorable costumes because most of them trick or treat at the storefronts in the popular neighborhoods. they just don't trick or treat in the neighborhoods... maybe its too hard to organize or its too hard to differentiate neighborhoods. but, either way, we've never gotten to sit at our door and hand out candy. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br />but</span>, this year, we live in a building that is hosting its own trick or treat event. YAY -- i am thrilled! we've decorated our apartment for halloween and both kids and dogs come by for trick or treating. i can't wait to see the kiddies and some of those cute puppies in little halloween costumes. </span><span style="font-family:verdana;">i'm hoping to take some fun photos of the night... so those may be posted soon. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />happy halloween to you. hope you get lots of great candy!<br /><br /> </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlS8rQU90czEnVoU_CQBJTNLTNpGE_LRO4x-aD9RJR7ABwee1QH3yP1kzctkna-vEVMb1K5aqqrc-s6jLESoLB0h3PX50UVuaknRcUCthR2wlBp9vJRJ8Kw8541cQGoxHHvnFyCdR21o/s1600-h/jack-o-lantern+%283%29.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlS8rQU90czEnVoU_CQBJTNLTNpGE_LRO4x-aD9RJR7ABwee1QH3yP1kzctkna-vEVMb1K5aqqrc-s6jLESoLB0h3PX50UVuaknRcUCthR2wlBp9vJRJ8Kw8541cQGoxHHvnFyCdR21o/s320/jack-o-lantern+%283%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392859384679150498" border="0" /></a>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-44348556493964461792009-10-25T00:00:00.000-05:002009-10-25T00:00:00.601-05:00Recipe of the Day: Pumpkin Bread Pudding<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">another great fall recipe... this one's a dessert. i'm a bit partial to pumpkin flavor, if you couldn't tell. enjoy!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:verdana;" >pumpkin bread pudding</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >courtesy gourmet magazine, ian knauer</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:times new roman;" >makes 6 servings<br /></span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzm5rjXbFFGNHUS9bWO2SmY-o1VwFTIj_OAmQhmIF5UQeHXP5d5QHyxr9Ooi88KLTzgL-e99-gc3PmCyqGx8oINDMWL7BkvlpInZ4anEp5JSMnrdYtDOhVtVHSOhmS-ZJTwM_prOHZBA/s1600-h/240275.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzm5rjXbFFGNHUS9bWO2SmY-o1VwFTIj_OAmQhmIF5UQeHXP5d5QHyxr9Ooi88KLTzgL-e99-gc3PmCyqGx8oINDMWL7BkvlpInZ4anEp5JSMnrdYtDOhVtVHSOhmS-ZJTwM_prOHZBA/s320/240275.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392854928261890546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">ingredients:</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">1 cup heavy cream</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 cup whole milk</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1/2 cup sugar</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />2 large eggs plus 1 yolk</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1/4 tsp salt</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">1/4 tsp ground ginger</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />1/8 tsp ground allspice</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />pinch of ground cloves</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />5 cup scubed (1-inch) da</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">y old baguette or crusty bread</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">directions:</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat.<br /><br />transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25-30 minutes.</span></span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-56666144344219016862009-10-22T21:02:00.000-05:002009-10-22T08:39:44.666-05:00harry benson recap<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">i thought i would provide a quick recap from my evening with harry benson and a quick photo of the night. harry benson was very charming and such a pleasure to listen to. he's seen some really amazing things in his lifetime. he took us through a selection of his photographs and told the stories behind them. all, in all, it was a really fun evening.<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobT8IGHKU5kzDG6xZLrzaddR5p_KyaleJgQmM03u6PVjXH7LY9zKu0KrmYxBfcYTVwnoWZBW4tLoCJG0WLOIN9zE-mHVm7lfNuTSyUz-3Xz8fCtXk4KDdO8Bvf4ct6XYRVQ_EzlCWjAs/s1600-h/IMG_0158.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhobT8IGHKU5kzDG6xZLrzaddR5p_KyaleJgQmM03u6PVjXH7LY9zKu0KrmYxBfcYTVwnoWZBW4tLoCJG0WLOIN9zE-mHVm7lfNuTSyUz-3Xz8fCtXk4KDdO8Bvf4ct6XYRVQ_EzlCWjAs/s320/IMG_0158.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394790795292923714" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(isn't my new iphone app cool... it makes pictures into polaroids... i love it!)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">a few highlights:</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">** harry arrived in the US with the beatles and never left. his photographs capture so many moments of beatles history... when lennon said they were more powerful than god, when they met mohammed ali, paul composing at the piano with stella, their arrival in the US.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">** i asked him if there was anyone left that he was interested in photographing... he said putin. and maybe the pope... reading the sports page in bed... to humanize him a bit. :)</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /><br />** he has a great picture of greta garbo, swimming along in antigua when she just happened to float by the boat that he was on with friends.<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">** elizabeth taylor allowed harry to take photographs of her both pre and post her brain surgery. she really marches to her own drummer doesn't she?</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><br />** harry believes that in the world of photographers versus reporters, photographers are able to understand subtle nuances of things that are happening. photographers are also able to get much closer to subjects through their art. reporters are simply 'too busy taking notes to see what's really happening'. he said that while working at the nixon white house, the photographers could see that something was happening within the staff... but the reporters were missing it for the most part. </span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">** he was there when bobby kennedy was shot, at martin luther king's funeral, in somalia at the refugee camps, at the watts riots, in afghanistan with the army, with the ira in ireland, when the berlin wall went up and when it went down, when nixon resigned, with michael jackson on neverland ranch... </span></span><br /><br />what an amazing life.AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4484162480242926516.post-52390060470827510612009-10-22T12:11:00.004-05:002009-10-22T12:18:08.316-05:00what a long, strange trip its been!<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">after months of looking for a job here in Chicago, i'm happy to report that i'm finally starting a new position.<span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-family: times new roman; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;">(yay!)</span> </span> i'm really excited about the new job, and lucky for me, its even in the city! hooray - a short commute... no more driving out to the 'burbs for work! i'll be leading the marketing efforts for Baker furniture, a division of Kohler, and can't wait to get started. <br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">i'll be starting in early november, so stay tuned for more updates. hooray for "re-employment" and my own paychecks coming in the door again. i missed those little guys an awful lot! :)</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > (i'm sure my favorite stores did too...)</span>AlexisHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09762520614311918030noreply@blogger.com0