Kitchen Carnage

It has been a few months since my first attempt at the Red Velvet Cake. I've been itchin' for a reason to take another shot at it. I like an audience when I'm doing something like this and it just so happens that our family's matriarch was having a birthday. Perfect...well, sort of. You see, I've had a sting of bad luck with birthday cakes for her. This weekend was no exception.

Lets start with the good news. The color was excellent this time around. Very, very red. Definitely Ruby-esque. It probably had something to do with the ginormous amount of food coloring I used:


BOTH bottles were emptied in the process of this recipe. And, believe it or not, it was still less than it called for!! I thought that when I got the large, 1 oz bottle that I'd hit the motherlode and would be set for at least two cakes. Still not enough.

It definitely was red!! No mistake about it.



Maybe the brilliant hue had something to do with the new ingredient added in this recipe....vinegar? Supposedly it reacts with the food coloring to make it more strong or something.

Ready for the oven:


It all went downhill after this shot, though.

The cakes came out of the oven fine, but stuck fiercely to the pans. The NON-STICK pans. The ones that I oiled ahead of time, justincasethankyouverymuch. Yes, I've had this happen before, so I didn't completely freak out. I also knew that I had exactly what I needed for repair: adequate fine motor skills, true love for a culinary challenge and lots and lots of frosting.

Well, I did the best that I could.


It is a far cry from the one that I dream about in my head:


It is slouching a bit. And, doesn't it look a little like a crime scene?

I'm not sure what happened with the recipe - but it could be b/c the recipe called for three pans & I only used two? Maybe it was b/c the recipe called for "self rising" flour and I could not find that, so I mixed my own?? Or, maybe it was b/c it was a cake for Mom's BDay & that is just the way that goes sometimes? We had a great laugh about that.

This installment in my Red Velvet Cake adventure didn't produce the most stately, picturesque confection - but the cake sure did taste good. I think that everyone enjoyed it & there is very little left over. Mom even asked for a Red Velvet Doggie Bag. Considering that the last cake started getting a bit fuzzy before tossing it out, I'd give this one a higher mark in the taste department although I will not make it again. I'm looking for a firmer texture. If you have any thoughts or theories on the outcome, I'm open for feedback.

Red Velvet Cake Trial #2 - Donezo.




PS - Eleven Months since LID, too.

Easter Best/Updated*

Cool thing about California is that pretty much every day is sunny. When you are someone like me, however, you long for the rain. For the main reason, well, ya'know...without rain....one must water ones own damn garden.

Oh well.

As I promised to myself a few months ago, I have successfully reconnected with my garden. And, I must say - it looks pretty darn good. Really, really good, actually! This is...quite honestly...the best time of the year for our backyard because I have yet to completely burn out on the watering aspect of my gardening responsibilities.

On with the tour:

Here are my Parrot Tulips. Pretty...yes?? One of the many, many hoards of bulbs that I planted about 5 years ago to return. Because we rarely get a frost around here, bulbs that you want to return are supposed to be dug up and (I think) refrigerated then replanted. That is just not going to happen. For whatever reason, the Parrot tulips want to come back and that makes me very happy.


These are what my mother told me were "Mock Orange" - I didn't plant them, but I love that I inherited their sweet loveliness. Soon they will bloom and when they do - they really smell like orange! Cool.



The next 2 pics are of our climbing Clematis. I spent Easter Sunday untangling them from the pervasive Jasmine vine. Definitely worth it.





This next pic is of my most favorite rose in our backyard - my Sammy Rose. It commemorates my beloved cat, Sam. It is an Altissimo climbing rose and brought me so many smiles. I love red.


I'd like to introduce the amazing Foxglove patch. They are just ready and waiting to open up. Stay tuned for future pics of their loveliness.....


Finally, a pic of my favorite inherited rosebush - I wish I knew the name. It is a wonderful peachy color and blooms like crazy. I'll post pics when it is showing its stuff. Look carefully in the background - who do you see in the window????



Finally - a pic of the Virgin Veggie Bed. By weeks end - it will have new babies tucked in and all sorts of hopes bestowed upon it.


I must confess...I did end up making a trip to the yarn shoppe. My LYS (local yarn shop) is closing and everything is 30-50% off! What else could I do??? Look at my lovely cache:


Did I mention that I love red?


*I re-loaded my pics b/c something wiggy happened & I have no idea where they went. Hope that it is fixed now.

Sometimes Dreams Really Do Come True

I had a dream.

And, it came true.

Genesis has reunited and will be touring in North America Fall 2007. First time in 15 years!

Jzboy almost had to take me to Paris to see the show this summer...then we heard that they were coming across the Pond. (I suppose we'll tuck that unspent money away for our China trip sometime in the next decade).

Last time I saw Genesis was in high school. My boyfriend at the time stood in line for hours and got us tickets in the Fifth row - CENTER!!! It was one of my fondest teenage memories! I've always said that if there was one last concert that I could go to - it would be Genesis. I'll admit it, yes, I ((heart)) Phil. Not his recent, random Disney stuff - the old stuff - the brass section, the drums, the stories...you know, like Abacab. Paperlate and Silver Rainbow.

Thank goodness my husband gets it. He's with me. I mean, we played Genesis as our first dance at our wedding - and it was the perfect tune for us. For whatever reason, the band has always touched my heart. And, of course, the music takes me so easily back to a different time. When life was shiny and new - when standing in Fifth Row/Center with your boyfriend to see your favorite band was the most mind blowing experience that you'd had in your young years.

This seems to be the summer of reunion tours: Genesis, Aerosmith, the Police, (Van Halen cancelled the tour because Eddie went into rehab), Smashing Pumpkins, Rush, Rage Against the Machine and Roxy Music with Bryan Ferry!

For now, we're in with tickets to see Genesis. Who knows how the rest of 2007 will unfold.

What are you seeing this summer?

I Believe in UFOs

Frequently when faced with crappy news like further slow motion on the adoption front, I find myself self-medicating at either the yarn shop or the fabric store. Somehow working on a project feels like forward motion, productive use of my time and...well, to someone like me...just looking at pretty colors and fondling soft wool is meditative. The promise of creating something lovely brings me joy.

Sooooo, with all of this talk about the latest batch of "March" referrals only covering TWO DAYS (insert pained moan) I surprised myself by reconnecting with some old projects vs. going around and starting new ones. This was AFTER much needed zoning out in front of the DVR watching inspirational Oprah-esque programmes, inhaling a large tub of microwave popcorn and enjoying a suuuper long shower. Come to think of it, maybe I just didn't feel like leaving the house?

Old Projects = UFOs (un-finished objects)

Here is the pillow cover project that I started maybe last summer. It was my first try at cables and I love the neutral heathery yarn. Believe it or not, cables are actually quite easy & fun. I'm stoked to get back to work on these guys.


This next project is for BabyZ. Remember the Lambies & Lola that I made for my neice (click on the highlighted words to see a pic)? Probably not, because it was my second post ever. Anyway, of course BabyZ needs her own set. The "baby" lamb pictured is waiting to be felted and stuffed. I thought that it would be fun to make it muticolored. This yarn is supposed to be excellent for felting. The "mama" lamb is going to be the magenta hue. Fun.


Finally, here is a pic of this shawl that I've been thinking about for ages. I bought the yarn several years ago and began the project before I was really ready. It is a complicated lace pattern, one that you have to pay attention to - not a great beginner activity. I ripped that thing out so many times that I had to hide it in a drawer. I miss it.


Don't you just love this color?? I am excited just typing about it. Maybe I'll drown my CCAA sorrows in this dusty pinkness. I suppose there are worse things that I could do.



Who knows? I may just end up at the fabric shop by Sunday. Or at least with some sort of crazy Hot Fudge something or other. How is everyone else coping?




PS - Not sure about who will get the big prize on the prior posts contest.....still deciding.

Fluff

Waiting on referrals.

Lacking meaningful inspiration.

Leads this girl to....

Fluffy desperation.



Anyone who has followed our blog over the past, shoot (!), year or so....knows how much we love our cat, Iris. Here are a couple of special pics of her over the past few months.

She LOVES her DaddyZ:


We don't call her Noodles for nothin' (click on pic for best view):


There definitely was some shrimp in this bag:



Soliciting captions for this one:


Winner gets a special surprise from the ZFamilia.

Something cool, I promise.





PS - I am on CD #8 (of 10) of the Kite Runner...and all I want to do is drive and drive and drive.

Until the end of the story.

Who lives in LA?? Maybe I'll be in the area.....??

Compelling

My new thing is books on cd. I started out with David Sedaris (hilarious), moved on to Mitch Albom (soso) and now Khaled Hosseini's Kite Runner. Talk about a shift. This past week, I have actually been looking forward to my once dreaded commute. Today I actually took a longer route to the office because I couldn't be left hanging where I was in the story.

The story follows two boys living in Afghanistan in the early 70's - before the extreme political/social/cultural unrest began. The author does an amazing job of illustrating the tension between the Sunni Muslim/Pashtun people and the Sh'ia Muslim/Hazara people. I have seven (out of ten) cds ahead of me, but I can tell that this is going to be a complicated, multidimensional story that will be personally transformative.

For anyone who is a fan of this story, here is a treat: I found out that this novel is now a movie "in production" scheduled for release November 2007!

Here is a lovely picture of the author:


A man with an incredible gift.

Are Pigs the New Ladybug?

Last week this arrived on my doorstep:


Makes me wonder if in this Year O' the Golden Pig - the Ladybug will be replaced by a pink, fluffy Boar??

Now, I am not too sure who to thank on this one...but I think her name starts with Connie???

If so, thanks, Connie! If not, will the sneaky-pig-sender please oink at me.

San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade

My well-connected sister got us super VIP tickets to watch the SFCNY parade this year. We got front row seats, free pre-party invites, a chance to meet last season's Survivor winner (Yul) and very cool goodie bags to boot! Sure feels like a great start to this Golden Pig Year!!


Definitely beats sitting at the end of the parade route when all the bands are tired of performing and all the kiddos are ready for potty breaks. Nice to be at the Head O' tha Parade.

Here is the view from the pre-party shindig. Beautiful Day...couldn't have been prettier.


Here are the lovely treats that they offered. Mega dimsum, including an amazing green spicy veggie dumpling that I long for to this day...and ice cold Chardonnay. Niiiiice.


View from the parade site.


Lucky boots.


And, sunset comes.



Dragons!


Lions!


And, Piggies! Oh My!



Serious Warriors....swinging lumbering arms as they walk over mounds of firecrackering explosions.



Beautiful dancers.....fluttering colorful fans.



But, what is up with these freaky heads????



Good times.

More Hearts

A dear, dear friend came over for a sewing date this past Sunday. While she cut, I stitched. We chatted. We ate. We jammed to Missy Elliot and Lil' Kim. Hootie Hoo! It was a modern day quilting bee. Not only was it fun, but it was productive!

Take a look:


With this second batch o' squares, I've got 25 in total. I can hardly believe it. There are some famous swatches here (click on the pic for a closer view) - anyone notice anything familiar? Stacy? Connie? Nicole? Ally? Debi? Barb? There are also special bits and pieces from my cousin, some local pals and my sewing buddy...she and her hubby both gave me a wish. Their heart is in the bottom left corner - they make a cute couple, don't you think?

This weekend I'll take some time to match up some more fabric and start the assembly line again. I'm going to keep on making these hearts until I grow weary of the project - it calls for 77, but I might just make it to 177 at the rate I'm going. I wanted it to be bigger than the original pattern anyway.

Nothing like a fresh batch o' hearts to lift the spirit.


PS - BTW, it has been 10 months since our LID was issued. We've hit the double-digits...and I think that we finally qualify for veteran status at this point.

Rubber Spoons vs. Rubber Rooms

I have been soo good. I have resisted many, many fun little purchases here and there. I've all but stopped even looking in the baby department for cute little thing-a-me-bobs that BabyZ can't live without. I've saved my pennies and it has felt great. It has payed off, even.

Something snapped a little last week, though. I broke down. I hit my fave Impulse Shopping Store that just happens to be walking distance from my office. Perfect lunchtime activity for a day that was a little rough going.

It all started with this unidentified, yet slowly building tension I've been feeling recently...timeline on that is sketchy. Then, there was a little bit of snappish domestic quarreling pre-dinner Monday that was completely unnecessary. And then there were the notices about this months meager allotment of referrals. 11 days! Three months to get through October 05! Damn! Crap!

Tuesday brought an annoying email from someone who has no idea how her words get to me sometimes. And, just before lunch same day - a crappy, crappy, annoying meeting that I could not escape. Torture, I tell you...agonizing. Too much for so early in the week.

This perfect storm of annoyances is what lured me to the aforementioned fave Impulse Shopping Store for a little lunchtime retail therapy. Originally I was only after some new music (read: Arcade Fire's new album) and wound up in the baby aisle.

Of course.

I walked out of the place, about $30 lighter and 10 times happier because I got myself some very cool new red sunglasses, the new tunes, fun summer socks, an US magazine, a Diet Dr. Pepper....and these:


Pretty little baby chewy spoons. My fave colors - kelly green, light purple, fuschia.

Happy. Spoons. Mine.

Baby girl may be a long ways away from joining our family - but we are going to be so ready for her. In our hearts and in our spoon drawer.

Happy colors + rubber chewiness x nesting over the long haul = tenacious love.

Very Good Intentions

A little while back I posted a list here with eight things that I wanted to accomplish within the next eight months. I am very surprised by how powerful doing that was. I'm actually ticking things off of the list! And, it has only been a month and a half!!!

Wow.

I've tried hard to be intentional in my life. Usually my intentions are conversations and plans that I have with myself. Stuff that I know that I'm doing but nobody else necessarily does. A groovy friend of mine suggests that when you put your intentions out "to the universe" - you will see results. I suppose that is what I did back in January when published that list for all of blog-land to see.

Perhaps shouting out intentions is more effective than whispering them?

So far: I've started learning the Red Velvet Cake, I've begun sewing up the Bai Jia Bei, we've been totally on save-mode and managed to put one whole paycheck into savings last month, baby's room is getting prepped....

And, I've been reconnecting with my garden!

Look at my happy plants:

Tulips poking out


Sedum raring to go


Rosebushes thank me for pruning them with lovely buds



The Snowdrops are a reminder that Spring is coming!


I think that Martha would be proud of my Hellebore


Foxgloves waking up


And beautiful fiddleheads ready to stretch


Still need to work on a few things such as getting back in the damn gym.

There, I said it. Actually, I shouted it. Now I really gotta do it.