Thursday, July 31, 2008

We had a great visit with the Plants - Chris, Martina and Hugo. Hugo is a little dear - I truly enjoyed him. He's absolutely sweet as can be and is constantly smiling! We got along well.

We fed them some good old American style food - local Philly cheesesteaks, North Carolina style pulled pork with slaw and baked beans, homemade burgers and all sorts! It was fun. They seemed to like our town a lot which made us feel good.

A Haddonfield gal named Erin Donohue has qualified for the Olympics in Track and Field's 1500 meter event and the town is having a parade tonight down Kings Highway to send her off with a bang! I think it's a great idea and of course I am going! The parade will end at the Haddonfield Memorial High School where she was a State champion and the town has invited all the local kids to take a lap around the track with her. Small town living at its best! Go Erin!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Just a quick post - trying my best to blog very regularly. Chris, Martina and Hugo arrived yesterday and we had a lovely evening. I made the Cook's Illustrated version of penne alla vodka and it was quite good. Got lots of other good food ideas up my sleeve for their visit.

I'll be back soon - am super busy!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

It is as hot as hell here and despite air conditioning, we're feeling mighty sluggish. Despite that, yesterday we managed to get out to a party at George's house which was alot of fun. George's yard is lovely, wooded and private. We spent our time between the inside and the outside. I made a really amazing S'mores cheesecake which was a big hit.

Today we've spent a lot of time preparing for the arrival of the Plants on Tuesday. My odl neighbor and good friend Pam brought a portable crib for Hugo and a box of toys as well, which was extremely sweet and thoughtful.

Later we're going to a neighborhood block party. I see as a quick dash and back as it is so stifling outside.

Had a nice conversation with Lise today and managed to whisper a few sweet nothings into teh phone propped up to lovely Stella's ear!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

An old friend came over last night and we spent hours talking and eating. It was the most pleasant night I had with him in years and reminded me of when we were both single and spending a ridiculous amount of time together. John is whip smart, talented, funny, compassionate and a joy to be around. We haven't spent that much time alone in years and it was wonderful. We've always found conversation on a wide variety of subjects to be easy. Last night we deconstructed Madonna - someone who has fascinated both of us for years, the current mood of the country both poilitically and economically, our families, gardening, books and all sorts. I had been very low earlier in the day and my spirits were really lifted.

P.S. The meal was grilled tuna steaks that I marinated in soy sauce, white wine, ginger, garlic, a hint of mustard and lime juice stuffed with arugula that had been soaked in the marinade, orange scented couscous and a plain old tomato salad. Fresh and good.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Tuesday night Stitch 'n Bitch at Tivoli Kaffe is going great guns thanks to my networking it allover the place and especially lately because the local paper "What's On Haddonfield" ran a blurb about us in a recent edition. We have a nice little group which varies in six from a handful of knitters to fifteen or more. It has been great and I think it's got legs!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Yesterday I used the phrase "white trash" in a post (which I have since edited to delete it) and it later got me thinking about it really is not really an appropriate thing to write or so. It has always been one of those phrases thrown about ironically by the self consciously hip and I have now come to realize it is really another ethnic slur. Once I used it in a conversation and Chris got very heated up about it and I thought he was being totally PC but on further reflection, I realized he was right AGAIN. I would not ever call someone a nigger - never in a thousand years - so why am comfortable calling someone white trash?

There's some interesting stuff about this very subject on the web.

Monday, July 14, 2008

I had a total low rent lunch today - a roll filled with American cheese, juicy Jersey tomatoes and Hellman's mayonnaise - and it was amazing. I love the combo of tomatoes and mayo - yum. Next time I think I will jazz it up a bit. Take a look at this yuppified version of it. Looks fantastic!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Chris and I had a really lovely day at the beach today. We left early and spent hours enjoying a perfect day. We got the perfect amount of sun. The water was cold as hell though! Yesterday there were three drownings on the Jersey shore due to deadly riptides so the lifeguards were being even more vigilant than ever.

Last night we totally chilled at Lisa and Mike's, ate some great food, drank a lovely bottle of Castano Monstrell rose that was absolutely perfect for a summer evening on the porch. We also knocked back a nice bottle of Provencal rose from Chateau Calissane that we pick up from Moore Brothers. It was just one of those perfect breezy summer nights and everyone was in good form, laughing up a storm.

Tonight we're trying a local Malaysian place recommended to us by our neighbors, Jill and John. I am seriously in the mood for spice!

Saturday, July 12, 2008


Tonight we're headed to Lisa and Mike's for dinner. She's making a Greek themed dinner with a great big salad and grilled loin lamb chops. I made a rustic blueberry nectarine tart and snapped a photo of it.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

A quick post before I head out for a night boat ride on the Delaware with Matt, Kay, Lisa and Mike.

I made a blueberry buttermilk tart last night and it was a very big hit both with my family who came for dinner and Bob, who ate the leftovers at work this morning. I love buttermilk and gravitate towards recipes using it. John and I were reminiscing about the long gone days when we both lunched in the Reading Terminal (over ten years for each of us) and that great old sign that said "Drink BUTTERMILK and Live Forever". Boy do I miss having the Reading Terminal as my grocery store.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

I joined National Blog Posting Month in an effort to keep up my posting. They have all sorts of ideas and give you a monthly theme on which to concentrate. July's theme is food. I can so do food.

The good local produce is starting to make its way to the farmer's markets and the grocery stores and I could not be any happier. I have been eating blueberries by the handful and making muffins, pancakes and cobblers with them as well. Tonight I might try a crisp. I have to look up some recipes. Full report tomorrow.

Chris is in California this week, but I am not feeling as blue as I was a few weeks ago. I am keeping busy and that helps. Monday night, Lynne and I have an exercise class. Tuesday , the Stitch 'n Bitch is going gangbusters and that's a small thrill for me! Tonight my family is coming over. Tomorrow night Matt wants us all to go out on his boat in the Delaware and the weather is sounding good so I think I am in.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Really had a great time at T & T's house. It was a nice group of folks - and we had two Brits, three Spaniards and one Pole among us which was kind of fun. There are a lot of Brits living in Haddonfield and on the East Coast in general - it can be England West at times.

The food was quite good. Terry takes cooking as seriously as I do so we always have a good talk about food. He's boundlessly enthusiastic about everything - I totally enjoy being in his company. His eighty one year old mother was there and she's got a lively personality as well. The apple did not fall far from the tree.

The conversation was good as well. We like meeting new people and this group really had a lot to say on a variety of subjects. Add booze and laughter and the day was just about as close to perfect as you can get.

Trying to decide what to do tonight. Very overcast looking day so not sure if we'll be grilling. Thinking of fish and chips, but you've got to keep the numbers down for that or you're frying all night!

Friday, July 04, 2008

Am heading up to our hokey Fourth of July parade shortly. I have a headache from drinking Mike's sangria which was laced with all sorts of booze and tasted so good and so unlike booze that I really went overboard. Ouch.

Going to hit the gym and then chill for a few hours before going to Terry and Teresa's for a barbecue today. I made Matt's baked beans and I hope they turn out as well as the time he made them for us. Yum.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Yesterday spent the day at Island Beach State Park with my sister Lisa and the kids. Was a perfect day for the beach, sunny and breezy. Ocean was ridiculously cold though but I went in three or four times. There is nothing better than the ocean in my mind - I find it calming when I am sitting next to it and exciting when I am jumping the waves. Island Beach is an undeveloped barrier island and it is spectacular with rolling dunes, all sorts of interesting birds and beautiful natural vegetation. It's what all the Jersey beaches must have looked like one day before we ruined them (most of them anyway).

Last night was Stitch 'n Bitch. We're up and running and have a nice core group of regulars. I'm happy about that.

Chris gets back later this evening. I guess we'll go grab some dinner somewhere. It will be too late to cook.