Wild and Crazy Pearl

2011: The Year in Google Searches

2011-12-30T17:42:00.001Z

One of my most favorite parts of being a blogger (aside from the local fame and celebrity), is occasionally looking at the search terms you use to get to arrive here.

Completely inspired by my fellow blogess, Capitol to Capital, I decided to recap the most popular search terms (according to my friends at Google Analyitics) for 2011. There are some real winners in the list kids, so pull up a chair, get yourself a slice of slice of Jell-O mold, and read on...

*****

I think people are lost in the sea of social media, because MANY of you have searched for "s ocial media sermon" and wound up at mine. Granted, my beliefs on social media are not the only ones out there, but it is good to know people are reading about the evils of Facebook messaging on the pages of W and CP.

A shockingly large number of you are interested in a block island bachelorette party. My friend Katie's bachelorette party was the scene of my lobster roll taste test (which included not one but two lobster rolls consumed in 48 hours), and apparently folks want the skinny on this. It was a fun weekend, and I'm glad it will live on in Google fame forever...

HUGE heart explosions to everyone who searched for my chocolate chip challah recipe and made it the THIRD item that pops up when you Google "Chocolate Chip Challah." Hello search engine optimization!

And to my fellow web surfers who also dislike coffee, I think we're soul mates (unless you're just searching "dislike coffee" because you don't believe it is possible, in which case I would like to prove once and for all that it IS possible). My post about Filter remains one of my favorites, mostly because of the shout out to the coffee shaped bike racks.

One highlight on the list is "Emily Pearl AND Hampshire College" which leads curious searchers to my post about my weekend in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. I LOVE being associated with such a progressive, interesting, and delicious place.

A few savvy googlers searched for "holding out something picture." This just warms my heart! It was actually last year at this time when I was blogging about my top 10 favorite holding things out photos of 2010. I am thrilled that my signature photo (and forced depth of field strategy) has made it into your google psyches.

I am glad to know I am not alone in my love of kale. Internet searchers are looking high and low for recipes to incorporate the leafy green vitamin powerhouse, and arriving at my Wild and Crazy Palate post about kale, feta, cranberry goodness. Have you made it recently? I think you're due for another batch!

2009's Passover with a PowerPoint post was highly searched for this year. I even received an email from a woman in New Jersey who was looking for a downloadable version of the PowerPoint to use at her Seder! Way to go, Jill S., for creating such a fabulous Jewish education resources.

Searchers were all over my Meaningful Marshmallow Experience post this year. Folks searched for the "Karen Mary Company" and appropriately wound up there, but people also searched for "cookie as big as your head company" which ALSO brought them to the post. This is one of the reasons I love being alive, because of moments like this. (And also, shouldn't all cookies be as big as your head? Let's work on that.)

And to the person who searched for "bacon enrobed chocolate wild and crazy pearl," I salute you.

PS -- I was kind of wishing my list of Like It, Like It items would have made it into your search engine favorites, but it didn't. Alas, am linking to it here because 1) I can and 2) it is one of my favorite posts of all time.

Wild and Crazy about Austin

2011-12-24T23:10:00.001Z

plate by KathyPhantastic, www.kathyphantastic.com

Howdy, blog reading lovelies!

I am writing with information about my upcoming (temporary) relocation to Austin, TX. That's right. This blue state gal is studying abroad in the down home red state breakfast taco mecca that is Austin (actually, Austin itself is quite blue... but it is situated in a sea of red and that is therefore fun to talk about).

I will be departing my beloved D of C on January 2 and will return on January 29. (And if you are reading this and thinking that you can come to my apartment and steal my KitchenAid mixer while I'm gone... you'd be wrong. My friend Kirk will be living in my apartment, fending off possible KitchenAid robbers, and making Jell-o molds in my absence.) For those of you in DC, you should contact him! He is such a cool dude. (Thanks to Kay B. for making this connection!)

While in Tejasland, I will be working out of Convio's Austin offices and learning how to calculate the Eastern to Central time difference on my Outlook calendar. Other activities planned include:

tiny Darcy feet

photo shoot with Joey M. and her adorable dog
breakfast tacos every single morning
cake pop making date with Chris C. and Kathy P.
eating lots of BBQ
new boot purchase
quality time with Darcy P.
naps
spa day/tamale dinner with my colleagues Rachel J. and Rachel M.
water aerobics at the Austin JCC
searching for randomly shaped pinatas to ship back to my favorite people in DC for no reason
visits from Katie R., Lauren B., parents Goodstein, and Rebecca G.!
lots more...

My fabulous friend and blogging mentor, Jodi B., is also hosting a little happy hour to welcome me to Austin and introduce me to other bloggers in the area (almost as fun as my Bat Mitzvah, right?). The details are on Facebook, but I've also copied them here:

Join me in welcoming the wonderful Emily Goodstein, blogger at Wild and Crazy Pearl, lifecycle celebration photographer, and all-around adventurer to Austin!

Emily will be "studying abroad" in Austin for the month of January, which she has arranged through her job at Convio. For the other 11 months of the year, she lives in Washington, D.C.  

This girl is all about community, so I wanted to arrange a happy hour to introduce her to my friends in town.

5:30 PM on Tuesday, January 10 at Black Star Coop, 7020 Easy Wind Drive, Austin, Texas 78752

I hope you can make it! Even if you're not a blogger, don't you want to check out this fun beer coop and dine on some of their very delicious bacon peanut brittle? Good, that's what I thought.

Although I am often on the road and am rarely in one place for too long, this will be the longest I have been away from DC and my own bed... ever. So keep me company during my adventures by watching W and CP for updates and reporting FULLY on ANYTHING fun that happens while I am gone.

Hook 'em!

A Dose of Daily Candy

2011-12-15T05:00:00.000Z

Cowboys and cowgirls,

The good people at Daily Candy decided to tell the world about Emily Goodstein Photography today (this is up there with the time I acquired free tickets to a Michael Bolton concert in 2002). Yippee!

I thought it appropriate to post a tiny welcome note for folks stopping by my little home on the web for the first time. Hi, I'm Emily... the curly headed gal behind the camera, behind Emily Goodstein Photography, and the Pearl in Wild and Crazy Pearl. This here is my blog, which often features my favorite photos and the stories behind 'em.

So if you're stopping by for the first time (welcome Daily Candy readers!) or the five-hundredth (hi Mom!), thanks for clicking through.

Now that you've been properly welcomed, let's get down to business:

Email me to inquire about photography session prices and availability. I'm Emily.Goodstein@gmail.com (shocking, I know).
Follow me on Twitter to learn what I had for breakfast.
Check out some new photos on my Facebook profile (also featured: my thoughts on Jell-o molds, pinatas, and The Electric Slide).
Subscribe to Wild and Crazy Pearl by email or RSS.

That's the scoop. I am so glad this day has finally come (mostly because I love meeting new friends... and because keeping this most fabulous situation a secret has been VERY DIFFICULT).

Over and out,

Wild about Want'ems

2011-11-24T13:48:00.001Z

I love talking to people I don't know. I am fascinated to learn where people are from, what they do, when they were born, what their favorite colors are, what they had for breakfast, where they got their shoes... I find that this is especially fun at weddings when I know I have at least something in common with my fellow wedding celebrants.

I have been known to purchase cookies from wedding guests to ship to me when I return home (this happened in Ohio--buckeyes of the cookie variety are hard to come by in DC). I have sourced wedding photography gigs from wedding guests (this happened in Minnesota--I wasn't in full-on photographer mode at that wedding so it wasn't as awkward as it sounds). And, I have procured a new trendy snackfood called Want'ems at another wedding (this happened in Vermont--then I did The Macarena and my life was complete). I really have no shame.

So today, I am here to tell you about the fun snacks I learned about while wedding celebrating in Vermont. They're called Want'ems and rest assured, you will want 'em.

My friend Katie P. R. actually introduced me to the king of Want'ems, Adam S., as we were seated at the same table at her sister's wedding. (You may recall the wedding, I blogged about it a few months ago.) Adam and I started chatting, mostly because his wife was TEARING UP THE DANCE FLOOR and I was insanely jealous of her command of party moves (the conversation was kind of awkward because I was supersaturated in sweat from all the dancing... another reason why I think it should be socially acceptable to wear workout clothes at weddings, at least for the dancing part). But then we began discussing where he went to undergrad, what he does now... my love of social media and snacks... and this post was born.

Adam is a tall Jewish kid, just like you and me (except I am not tall, and you may not be Jewish or a kid). He is getting his MBA with my aforementioned GW friend Katie from Boston University. AND he owns a Asian inspired snack company called Want'Ems. The chips are like wonton chips you get when you order soup in a Chinese food restaurant. Adam is passionate about the company and is a very smart businessperson, too.

I asked him to send me some samples so I could put a blog post together and tell the world about the product. In the interest of full disclosure:

I did not pay for the Want'ems products I recieved
I told Adam that most people who read my blog are Jewish moms and that I knew they'd be into Want'ems

So my Want'ems arrived. The good folks at the Want'ems Intergalactic Headquarters had packaged up the entire product line and sent it over to me. I was having folks over for a little crafternoon of card making that day and I knew the Want'ems would be the perfect snack.

My clear favorite item was the Asian BBQ chips. They were so delicious, I decided not to serve them to my guests because I wanted to save the whole bag for myself. Yes, I really did this. The Original flavored Want'ems are best suited to enjoy with one of the three Want'ems sauces (aka "Fusion Dips") which are also inspired by Asian flavor profiles: Sweet Chili, General Tso, and Thai Mango.

Each Want'em clearly resembles a large apostrophe, so I can imagine them being well used in some sort of food styling project or the making of a stop motion video about the magic Asian inspired chip who ventured from Boston to DC to the pages of W and CP. They are also delicious when served while doing crafts.

I think Want'ems should attempt to make a creamy dip in the future. I am imagining something along the lines of the sour cream/onion soup mix variety. Do you hear me, Adam S.?

So I know what you're thinking: Emily, we get it. We should try Want'ems. But where can we find them? THIS IS THE BEST PART: you can buy Want'ems ONLINE. Yes, Adam S. and his team are that high tech and fancy. Here's the link.

PS--don't you kind of like how the name of this company also encompasses my name? Just another reason why Want'ems and me make a great pair.

Annual Holiday Party How To

2011-11-14T08:14:00.000Z

I don't have any traditional gatherings that I host every year--but I am really good at attending them...

For the past several years, my ~~Christmas~~ "winter holiday" season has been marked by attendance at three traditional holiday parties that my friends host annually. I look forward to seeing the same folks each year (and when I meet new friends, flipping through my Facebook iPhone app to see who we know in common). The friends keep the structure similar and I enjoy comparing what awkward gift swap gift I end up with or which offensive tree decoration wins the contest year after year. (More on these details soon...)

Last year, I asked the hosting friends to answer a few questions about their annual parties. They have all been waiting SEVERAL months (more than 10) to see their holiday party how to guides appear here on the pages of W and CP... and I am proud to say that day has finally arrived. I may not be a fast blogger, but I am a most EXCELLENT Gmail in-box keeper and the emails these folks sent me in response to my informal questionnaire were just waiting for their moment in the blogging sun.

While I was putting this post together, I was reminded of those sometimes very unhelpful "holiday party guides" (featuring suggestions like "suspend mistletoe in a Jell-o mold as a decoration!") you get in magazines at the grocery store. The tips below are from REAL party hosts about REAL parties I have attended (and can attest to the fact that they are always very fun). So... consider putting together your own holiday tradition. I'll be there, with a jell-o mold!

White Elephant Chanukkah Spectacular by Jill and Amir S. (told by Jill)

We have been doing our "Annual White Elephant Party" for 5 or 6 years (not sure which--I'm inclined to say 6). We got the idea from my parents' friends' annual party. They do a similar thing, only with people my parents age. They have a slightly higher dollar limit than us, but it's the same idea. But I remember going one year to Milwaukee for this party and it was a lot of fun (I was there with a friend, and everyone else were my parents' friends). I assumed if they could make it fun, we certainly could! When we first moved here, we had found such a great community of friends and we thought a Chanukah party was a good idea. I liked the idea of an activity at the party, so that's how it was born!

The planning involved is as follows:

Send out the evite a month in advance- people's holiday party schedules get filled really early. Especially if Christmas and Chanukah are around the same time.
Prepare the menu- Always some sort of fried latke (I have recently moved into the "unconventional" category with sweet potatoes and a soy/mirin sauce) and sufganiyot (fried jelly donuts- homemade for the last 3 years).
Buy the gifts for Amir and I to contribute to the pot. I always buy a few extras for guests or couples that don't understand the rules. We don't want anyone leaving empty handed. I also often regift items that are funny (one year I gifted a fake "roomba" that was basically a ball with batteries that wiggles on the floor and has some sort of pad that is supposed to wipe as the ball wiggles- that gift was re-gifted a second year in a row by the people who got it the first year).
Decorate the apartment the night before (or if I decide to keep it decorated for all of Chanukah, sometimes up to a week prior). We use lots of blue and silver decorations, candles, and sometimes chocolate gelt all over the tables with dreidels for people to play with.

It's almost a fool-proof party but if people don't buy good gifts, or are too timid to "steal" than it can go quickly and not be as fun. People need to get over the society induced politeness and really get into it! The guests that are new each year surprised to hear us say you can "steal" a gift from someone else.

The amazing thing about this party is that people fight over useless crap they would never actually purchase themselves. But in the context of a game with stealing, that item can become incredibly desirable by several participants and people will steal it over and over again.

Disgrace the Tree by Amber W. and Jeremy B. (told by Amber and Jeremy)

2010 marked the 6th annual "Disgrace our Tree" party, an idea stolen outright from another transient couple that left DC. We attended and loved the concept, so we decided to continue to tradition once our friends had moved away. The concept of the party is simple, people bring ornaments and compete in various categories. Planning a part prep include the normal things (clean the house, buy food and beverage, etc.) as well as prepping the tree (you need space around it for people to hand their ornaments and gawk at the competition), prepare the certificates, buy the prizes, and display the previous years winners.

Also, try to make sure the tree does not fall off the top of the car when you drive it home. This almost happened to us this year.

Prizes are awarded for the following

1. Most Inappropriate

2. Most Politically Relevant (this is DC after all)

3. Best Craftsmanship (added in 2008)

4. Best in Show

There is only one rule. Your ornament must be homemade. If not, we throw it away. Most people try to compete in multiple categories, since so many relevant political acts for the year lend themselves to inappropriateness. Honorable mentions are often also announced.

At this point, there are judges who decide on winners. This year that was Jeremy and I (the homeowners). I decided to retire after 5 years of consecutive wins and move into the judging role, much like Christian Siriano from Project Runway, who we all remember won season 4 and was a guest judge in an NYC design inspired episode in season 8.

To protect the innocent (and because of the wild popularity of the most inappropriate category) there are not many pictures we can share. I've attached one of my hand knit Obama logo ornament - Best Craftsmanship 2008.

We attribute the success of this party to the following: alcohol, glitter and creative friends.

Re-gifting Gift Exchange by Caeden D. and Antigone H. (told by Antigone)

How many years have you been having the party? How did you first get the idea to have it?

Caeden and I started hosting this party the first year we met - it was one of the first parties we did together. I think the idea came from wanting to do a "post-holidays" debrief with local friends and he suggested using the white elephant as a format. The other important part to the re-gift party is that we end the night with some fun group games like Taboo or Scene It. (Well, we used to before the baby, now we'll have to see!).

We ask people to bring a gift that they would like to "share" with the group - which is half the fun, because some people get some pretty scary things (Baby Obama Towels...I need say no more!). So half the fun is seeing what people bring.

What is involved in the planning?

Because we hold ours post holidays, we try and keep it pretty low key with an Evite...for the past three or so years we've gone the Costco lasagne/salad combo with a few snacks and it's worked well!

What have you tried in the past that really didn't work?

I can't really think of anything that hasn't worked - the only thing that hasn't totally worked is when people have brought an actual nice gift...but that all works out in the end. People usually take other's gifts, but just because it's not as bad as something else they may unwrap!

Why do you think this party platform is so successful?

I think for us it's geat because we have friends from many different parts of our lives and having a gift exhange provides everyone with something to do together which makes it easier for people who don't know each other. Plus the games help too!

Wild and Crazy Right Now: Babies + Baking Edition

2011-11-11T22:01:00.001Z

You're just in time for another installment in my series of Wild and Crazy Right Now posts featuring things I am following/reading/listening to/eating etc.

Are you wearing sweatpants and sipping some 2% milk? Because I am!

Softing:

My friends Jill and Amir S. just welcomed their first small person (second, if you count their puppy Toby S.) into the world. Neta Rose was born last week and we're best friends already. Don't you love her name? She is so soft and just wants to be held. Which is a good thing because I just want to hold her. I am really so proud of Jill--she was heroic as she brought Neta into the world. And I can't get over how Amir can fit baby Neta into the palm of his hand... really. Neta also comes with her own cheer (you know, for when she runs for political office or becomes an Olympic swimmer... no pressure, though).

Dancing:

I just downloaded Just Like Heaven by The Cure. Why I did not have this song in my iTunes library before today is a mystery to me.

OH! And I have been listening to the first album by Florence and The Machine (Lungs) on repeat for the past six days (especially "Dog Days Are Over"). Good thing I live by myself because anyone sharing a space with me recently would be so sick of Florence by now... but not me. This album is THAT GOOD.

Baking:

We've discussed my love of the empanada. So, today I whipped up a batch of the spinach variety. They were so easy to make! I just followed this recipe from Emeril and I have to say, they turned out very well. (I have a history of using martini glasses to cut the dough into even circles then ending up in the hospital to get stitches in my hand because the glass stem breaks--but the good news is that I used a round cookie cutter today and all went smoothly.) No stitches, only splendid pockets of spinachy goodness.

Reading + Writing:

I have this habit of reading blogger biographies. I find them so endearing. I love thinking about all the interesting things people do with their lives (and choose to share in a one paragraph format somewhere on their personal or professional homes on the web).

This is what I've currently got for my blogging bio:

When I am not busy helping non-profit organizations raise money online to change to the world, I leverage my status as a DC native (and expert Googler) to recommend products, restaurants, recipes, and shops (in addition to other things I find mildly diverting) on my blog, Wild and Crazy Pearl. The photos and witty banter are all mine, and don't belong to my lovely employer. I spend too much money on iTunes and lots of time in Planned Parenthood board meetings. My favorite possession is the cobalt blue Kitchen Aid mixer I used part of my Bat Mitzvah money to buy (it is still going strong). I also enjoy wearing hooded sweatshirts, drinking grapefruit juice, and falling asleep with the TV on.

I am thinking about other things I want to incorporate and spent about four hours today rewriting my blogging bioblurb. My stint as a cake decorator, appearance on the Today Show, radical left wing political leanings, and love of sweatpants must be incorporated somehow. I am also on the verge of blogging about my trip to Alabama and perhaps 287 other things I've been wanting to tell you about but haven't had the time. Stay tuned for somethings shiny and new, blog darlings.

Wearing:

I recently posted this to Facebook: "One of the best decisions I ever made was to buy 10 of my favorite lip gloss and put one in every bag I own." (Is it awkward that I just quoted myself?) The response was OVERWHELMING! Odd, since sometimes when I think I am posting something so pithy or hilarious, it gets no comments, but the lip gloss status got tons of comments.

SO, it seems that people are really into talking about lop gloss. I thought I'd give a little W and CP attention to my lip gloss of choice. My heart belongs to MoistureShine® Lip Soother by Neutrogena. And I really do have one in every bag I own (plus one in my desk and one in my makeup bag). There is an odd feeling of opulence that accompanies lip gloss handy whenever you want it--similar to hair things. It is the little things, kids.

Blog on a Stick: Adventures at the Minnesota State Fair

2011-11-07T02:07:00.001Z

Who doesn't love Minnesota? (It is one of my favorite states, as we've discussed previously.) Whenever I meet anyone from Minnesota, their down to earth Midwestern-ness is just so obvious. People who relocate to Minnesota are overflowing with pride for their new place of residence ("Did you know that The Cities have some of the best tap water in the US?!" ...someone really said this.) People who stray from Minnesota long to go back, as evidenced by the move my good friend Meredith S. H. made from DC back to her hometown of Minneapolis. (Amber W. and Jeremy B., I live in fear that the low humidity summers and Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party will lure you back, too...)

And why wouldn't you love Minnesota? In my head, the entire state is covered in rolly babies wearing handmade sweaters and legwarmers, people stirring up soup in well seasoned cast iron pots or canning summer fruit into delicious jams to enjoy in the winter, progressive politicians making sure everyone has healthcare and is paid a living wage, and sporty outdoorsy people canoeing the Boundary Waters or skiing the Birkie.

It is possible that in a past life, I actually was a Minnesotan. And in this one, I do all that I can to surround myself with people who either hail from MN or understand and respect my love for the Gopher State. So, I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was when, as part of my summer travel adventures, I attended the MINNESOTA STATE FAIR. A right of passage for any Minnesota enthusiast, sure. A must see/taste/photograph experience for any food blogger, obv. And one of the items on my hypothetical bucket list since I started keeping one.

"The Minnesota State Fair is also the largest state fair in the country by daily attendance, though not by total attendance as the Texas State Fair runs for almost twice as long." -- Native Minnesotan, Betsy G.

Winner for best non-food-related and best overall fair activity: GROUP KARAOKE!

The Minnesota State Fair is the queen of all State Fairs. Just ask Betsy G., who sent me a series of facts and statistics by email the week before we met up at the fair (entitled "Great MN Get Together. The Fair that WILL change your life!"). Or Jill L., who took a day off of work to attend the fair and then blogged about it for Heavy Table. (We did a prep meeting before I attended the fair and I have the napkin on which I took notes hanging up in my cubicle. No shame.)

Before I unveil the winners of the completely arbitrary categories I created, here are a few quick MN State Fair tips for success:

Pool your money and your stomach space. (I was there with four other people so we all just thew in $20 and split all the food we bought. Nobody retched because they were so full and couldn't handle one more bite sized reuben and we kept the day pretty affordable by sharing finances as well.)
Pre-purchase tickets. (Savvy fair goer, Mer, picked up tickets for us in advance at a Twin Cities grocery store and we saved $2 a ticket!)
Everything at the fair is on a stick. (It is gimmick and it is funny. Go along with it.)
Strategize. (There are maps, smartphone apps and a mobile optimized site, blog posts, MPR podcast specials, and more all devoted to the fair. Figure out your top five priorities and plan your visit. The fair is crowded and can get hot and tiring--don't get distracted by the flashy items that happen to be close by just because you didn't properly plot out where you were going to get what. I will gladly do a phone consult about your fair visit if helpful. Just don't go in unresearched.)
Don't miss the miracle of birth tent. (Just don't.)

This piglet was one day old. TINY PIG.

Hydrate and be kind to your feet. (Going to the fair is kind of like going to Whole Foods the day before Thanksgiving.)

The following recap of the fair is based on one eight hour day in late August 2011 spent touring, tasting, and documenting. I also forced friends Meredith S. H., Adam G., and Elizabeth B. to participate in a post-fair debrief during which I took copious notes.

Best Food on a Stick

The breakfast lolly pop took this category, FAIR and square. It was oddly the first thing we tried at the fair, so I own that my rating could be influenced by this, but I'm STICKing by my judgment. The breakfast lolly consists of a breakfast sausage patty dipped in corn muffin batter (on a stick, obv) then fried and drizzled with REAL maple syrup. It was crunchy, salty, and sweet... and it was really really good. If you go to the fair, this is a must have item.

One thing that really struck me about the fair was the way little pockets of foodie bliss were tucked into a sea of fair food mediocrity. As evidenced by the menu below, the menus are extensive and choices can be overwhelming--just another reason to do your pre-fair research.

Best Non-Food-Related Fair Experience

(Here's a video of us singing along, please excuse the bad camerawork.)

The group karaoke really shined in this category. In the words of Mer, "it really felt like Minnesota was coming together here." How adorable is this: during the year, Minnesotans vote for the songs that will be sung along to during the fair... then a huge screen is built and the words are projected in front of a field of microphones at all different heights. The grass is covered in straw to make you really feel like you're in the Midwest.

And I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think the group karaoke beat out the breakfast on a stick, the fried cheese curds, and just about everything else... and it was my most favorite part of the fair. Perhaps this comes for my love of singing out loud (but often feeling hampered by not knowing the words?), or possibly the fact that karaoke is ALWAYS better when sung out of a bar and in a large open area covered in straw?

Best Classic Fair Food

This category had two winners: fried cheese curds in the savory genre, and Sweet Martha's cookies in the sweet category.

Cheese curds actually freak me out a bit (don't try to say the squeaky noise against your teeth is charming, that is scary... I don't want to hear squeaking while chewing no matter what I am eating). And the fact that they're called curds doesn't help things, either. But once over that, the curds of the fried variety are quite delicious. We ate ours with lots of ketchup and I felt very in with the fair in crowd. If only I had been wearing a fitted plaid shirt (isn't Mer's so fair chic in this photo?) or perhaps a calico print sun dress... the moment would have been complete.

I had been hearing about the Sweet Martha's cookies stand for weeks before the fair. I think there is something about cookies being served in big buckets that really makes people like them. These cookies are small, thin, and soft. You get them when they're HOT and they come in a "keepsake bucket" so you can refill it with mediocre cookies through out the year and be reminded about how good the cookies were at the fair.

Best Fair Beverage

You will see signs for beer on a stick. Don't waste your time. This is a fair gimmick and the people I saw drinking them were struggling. What you should try is the UNLIMITED MILK FOR ONE DOLLAR. This was the one item I heard about time and time again before the fair. Minnesotans of ALL AGES will tell you what the milk used to cost when they were younger.

I know what you are thinking: "Emily... It is hot and August-y and crowded and who wants to drink lots of milk then go on rides?" The answer is: YOU DO. AND I DO. The milk is SO COLD and so frothy and so delicious. It was the perfect accompaniment to the aforementioned Sweet Martha's Cookies.

INSIDER TIP: You can also get chocolate milk. OR you can ask for 1/2 normal milk and 1/2 chocolate milk. Huge thanks to Betsy G. (pictured here) for this suggestion.

Best Progressive Political Swag

I actually was not prepared for the high quality non-food/non-ride related activities we discovered at the fair. There is an entire building devoted to award winning needlepoint and glass blowing and weaving. Several buildings, actually.

Alas, I found tons of swag at the fair--two favorites necessitating another tie in this category! I loved the MN ACLU booth in the Education Building because they gave out a Bill of Rights on a stick. How cute is THAT? I thought this tabling swag couldn't be topped. It was educational, useful, and appropriately thematic. Then I discovered...

The condoms on a stick at the Pro-Choice Resources booth! And you know I am always in search of good pro-choice tabling give aways. Fabulous on many levels. (Also, this: we spent a long time wandering around the exhibit hall looking for the Pro-Choice Resources booth... so I'm going to add another item to my tabling best practices list: always publicize your booth location and booth NUMBER.)

Most Amazing Yet Bizarre Fair Tradition

The butter sculptures. Have you heard about this? Here's the scoop from Wikipedia:

Since 1965, sculptures of the winning Princess Kay and other finalists have been carved, one per day, at the Minnesota State Fair. Recent butter sculptures have been carved out of a 90 pound block of Grade A butter, in a walk-in, glass-walled refrigerator. The butter is manufactured by Associated Milk Producers, Inc., in New Ulm, Minnesota. The butter carving booth is one of the most popular exhibits at the Fair. The carving of the butter sculpture takes 6-8 hours per finalist. For nearly 40 years, Linda Christensen has sculpted the Princesses' butter sculptures. Princesses take their butter sculpture home with them at the end of the Fair.

Did you catch that last part? The princesses TAKE THEIR BUTTER SCULPTURES HOME. Would you eat yours or just freeze it forever? I have given this lots of thought and am still not really sure what I would do. Maybe I would donate it? Excellent ice breaker question!

I have so much more to tell you about the fair! Like the fun ride we took from one side of the fair to the other (perfect for the moment when we decided we needed to sit down--and perfect for catching a glimpse of the entire fair from above). Splendid for taking photos. Or the other booth in the Education Building where you can learn how to vote (and even cast a sample ballot for your favorite item at the fair)! Or the crowning of the "Prince and Princess of Poultry" sponsored by 4H! Or Adam G.'s favorite item had at the fair: a pork chop on a stick (it was juicy and very well grilled, this based on the bite I stole when he was distracted by the corndog Mer was eating at the same time.) This also happens to be Al Franken's favorite fair item, too.

In the end, attending the fair was even better than I'd hoped (if that was at all possible). I was thrilled that I had so many enthusiastic Minnesotans to guide me through the experience... and cannot WAIT to return in 2012 as I make this an annual pilgrimage (when I WILL time my visit for the same day that MPR broadcasts LIVE from the fair and when Lynne Rossetto Kasper AND Al Franken are there too).

*The title of this post was inspired by my Ideas Man.

Be a Champion of Choice

2011-09-28T01:19:00.000+01:00

Howdy blog reading darlings!

I'm writing because one of my favorite events is coming up on October 25... Planned Parenthood of Metro Washington's annual Champions of Choice luncheon!

I can promise lots of good, positive, pro-choice energy, most likely little pats of butter shaped like the Capital, and the opportunity to dine with ME. Join me to celebrate all options for women regarding when and how many children to have. Make a donation because you believe public school students have a right to access information about sex and sexuality. Mark your calendar with vigor as you support affordable contraceptives which prevent abortion! And don't forget that this isn't just any Planned Parenthood event, it is a Planned Parenthood event to support the local clinics serving the women, men, and teens in and around the Nation's Capital.

Fun facts:

Back in 2005, I won a Champions of Choice award. My gram came up from Florida to celebrate (as well as tons of other fabulous people). Here's a little photo of us together that day... and a little action shot of me actually receiving the award. This year, the DC Abortion Fund is one of the awardees. They do really important work providing women of the DC area with crucial funds to cover abortion procedures. I can't imagine another organization I'd rather honor at this year's luncheon.

One more thing:

I have decided NOT to put any scary information about the future of reproductive rights and access to healthcare for women in this country in this blog post. I don't believe negative information or scare tactics work to get people to do what you want, but if that information would be helpful as you decide how to spend your lunchtime on October 25, here is some more information.

The juicy details:

Please join Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington on Tuesday October 25, 2011 at our Champions of Choice Awards Luncheon. We will be celebrating leaders who continue making choice, access, and healthy communities a reality in the Washington DC metropolitan area. This event raises vital revenue for the organization, which is put back into the community through our clinical and education programs and services.

Send an email championsofchoice@ppmw.org if you have any questions.

Listen here youngins: special tickets for young professionals ($60 as opposed to the usual $150) can be purchased here!

Quick Preview: Meg + Scott

2011-09-21T13:22:00.001+01:00

IMG_2408, a photo by emilygoodstein on Flickr.

I discovered this shot from Meg and Scott's wedding earlier this summer and just love it! This was one of the first weddings I covered with my new Canon 5D Mark II and I think the photos prove the investment was worth it!

More to come...

Wild and Crazy Palate: Kale + Feta + Cranberries

2011-09-12T02:14:00.000+01:00

Happy Sunday evening, monkeys!

I've had an extremly productive weekend--including editing two (!) entire weddings worth of photos and attending another. I also squeezed in time for a quick trip to the farmer's market and whipped up one of my favorite go-to dinners. (When I say "favorite go-to dinners" I mean I make this ALL THE TIME. I have made it twice since Wednesday.)

I first had this dish at my friends Meredith S.H. and Adam G.'s house. They lived at 1722 Kilbourne and I lived at 1722 19th. I think this is what really brought us together.

When they lived in DC (they now live in the great state of MINNESOTA and I just visited them--way more on that another time), their dining room table had a great big bench instead of chairs and the first floor of their row house had really high ceilings. There was always good music playing a I remember everything I ate there was fantastic... but this was one item I knew I needed to recreate in my own kitchen.

Here's what you need:

1/3 cup chopped currants or raisins (I always almost use dried cranberries.)
1/2 cup hot water
1/3 cup diced walnuts (life is too short to dice walnuts--throw 'em in whole or in pieces)
2 bunches (approx. 2 lbs) kale (you will need more than this, the kale cooks down to nothing... also, I've started using beet greens, chard, and other hearty greens and they all work well.)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove chopped garlic
1/2 cup feta cheese
salt and pepper

Note: I almost never measure anything in this recipe. The amounts are REALLY just suggestions. But don't try to triple the amount of feta as I did once in a moment of recipe rebellion. It doesn't work as well as you'd think!

Here's what you're supposed to do:

Soak 1/3 cup chopped currants or raisins in 1/2 cup hot water. Toast 1/3 cup diced walnuts in a large skillet (without oil) while preparing the kale for cooking (wash kale, cut off stems, shake dry, and slice in 1" wide strips). Don't try to skip this step. Once I put the kale leaves in without cutting them up and it did NOT work out.

Remove walnuts, set them aside.

Now heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in the empty large skillet. Saute the chopped garlic briefly, then add the sliced kale, tossing lightly. The greens will wilt quickly (toss it constantly so they wilt evenly), salt as desired, and add the currants (or cranberries/raisins) with their hot water. Leave covered over medium heat for about ten minutes, longer if you want the kale to be less chewy. Toss often, adding water if necessary (to keep kale from drying out). Water should be absorbed when finished cooking. (If you're using greens that are NOT kale, I've found this whole water situation is unnecessary, but it is crucial for kale since it is so chewy.)

Toss with toasted walnuts and feta cheese and serve. Try serving over cooked pasta if desired. (It is desired, especially with whole wheat pasta.) Makes a very good leftover (if any is left-over!), too!

Looks like a place mat, right? Well, it's a pillow case. Ha!

And if you know me, you know I am a fan of non-traditional breakfast items (breakfast is awesome, but why should we limit eating it to the morning?) I say--if it's good, eat it whenever you want! And the same goes for this recipe. I've eaten it for breakfast before and let me tell you, it is really good cold, out of the tupperware, in your pajamas, while checking your work email on your iphone before 8:00 AM.

P.S. I just read this great post on The Pinoeer Woman's blog about food photography. I love lots of her suggestions but am having some trouble with the "only photograph food in natural light" suggestion. OBVIOUSLY this is true (photos 1 and 2 in this post were taken around 3:00 and photo 3 was taken around 8:00, hence the artificial light in the last one), but it does present a little challenge for those of us who are not at home with camera and food blogging time during the daylight hours. #firstworldproblems

Documentary Darling

2011-08-22T01:45:00.008+01:00

Lots of people make lists (shopping lists, lists of places they'd like to travel, brands of hair products to avoid). I am in full support of all types of lists, in fact I have been known to list out conversation topics when meeting new people or seeing an old friend to ensure everything I want to discuss is covered.

But today's moment in the sun with W and CP is about the list I carry around in my curly head about documentary films I'd like to make. I think this stems from my LOVE of documentaries in general. (I am really fond of the deep dive into one topic, the behind the scenes footage, or people who arrange their entire lives in the pursuit of doing crossword puzzles...). The fun fact that I learned at SilverDocs a few years ago: synchronized swimmers put Jello-o in their hair before a performance to keep it slicked back and shiny. Thanks, documentaries, for filling my mind with small pieces of information I can strategically place in conversations and make people think I am actually a well rounded, worldly individual.

Alas, my documentary film idea list has grown and I decided it was time to share it with you. NOTE: I have no intention of ever actually making any of these films (but if you have the time and money, I'd love to be a consultant on the project, and pose for photos in a kicky dress on the red carpet at the opening).

*****

Conventions: The Dark Underbelly
I think this idea made its way onto my list during the four years I spent in my last job as a pro-choice, pro-faith comprehensive sex educator for a DC based non-profit. I traveled to student organizing conferences, sex education trainings, religious denomination conventions, and so much more. In my current job, I've had an opportunity to attend and exhibit at conference about non-profit technology and direct marketing--both with their perks (free M&Ms, Queen Latifah, respectively) and were ripe for documentary filming.

While making my way from the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in Fort Lauderdale, FL to the Medical Students for Choice conference in Salt Lake City, UT, I thought about what other booths inhabited the space at the myriad of convention centers to which I dragged my gigantic orange pop up display. And who else was traveling with over 300 branded condoms in her carry on. (This made for some really interesting conversations with TSA agents.)

This documentary could take a few forms, but I think it would have to follow one organization or company to several large conventions over a specific period of time. The film makers would have to spend a good amount of time getting footage of random give aways, mediocre convention center food, and most importantly--the set up and tear down of each conference. Alternatively, film makers could document one convention center for a year and follow the unique gatherings that take there as well as the interesting and vastly different people who enter the center for three or five intense days of conference festivities.

Jewish Christmas at The Matzo Ball
This is my favorite idea.

You know what the Matzo Ball is, don't you? (Here's the skinny: on Christmas Eve, lots of Jewish people don't have anywhere to go--we like to save the movies and Chinese food routine for actual Christmas DAY--so some savvy Jewish community professionals came up with the idea of hosting an event for Jewish singles to gather, drink, and meet each other. And then get married and have lots of Jewish children: the central theme in most Jewish community events.) The entire idea is genius if you ask me, and also HILARIOUS.

My documentary about the Matzah Ball would follow a few people. Someone at the New York City Matzah Ball (THE Matzah Ball to end all Matzah Balls), perhaps someone in a city with very few Jewish people (probably in Nebraska), someone attending the Matzah Ball for the 20th time, and maybe a non-Jew pressured to attend the event by his or her Jewish friends (NOTE: I was at a party on Christmas Eve this past year and actually watched three Jewish kids convince their non-Jewish/oblivious friend to accompany them to the DC Matzah Ball. I wish WISH wish I had an opportunity to get that person's reactions to this fiesta of Jewish singles intensity... sort of Real World confessional style.)

The film could debut at an ACTUAL Matzo Ball and little containers of the edible kind could be distributed as opposed to popcorn. Documentary gold, right? I feel like I could get some mega Jewish philanthropist to back this project...

Life After Live Journal
Has there already been a documentary made about bloggers? I don't think so! I really feel like this idea just has so much potential.

This documentary would feature a few different bloggers, but all would be prepping for a blogging CONFERENCE (so meta, I know). One would be a really shy dude in real life, but would have a gazillion followers on his blog about Age of Empires game cheats. Someone else would be going through a really medical situation but blogging about the entire experience (and maybe he or she would have gotten a really significant health insurance coverage breakthrough or something--just to shine a light the reality of medical costs in this country), someone who actually still keeps a Live Journal, and maybe someone who writes about something VERY specific (vegan entrees available along former underground railroad stops OR knitting patterns for oversized street signs).

I maybe need to narrow down this one a little bit. Perhaps a documentary only about food bloggers would be better. It would star Tasty Touring, obv.

The Carnation of Fonts: Comic Sans
This documentary is completely inspired by one of my favorite films (Helvetica, have you seen it? If not stop reading now and make your way to Netflix to see it stat) but profiles one of my least favorite fonts... Comic Sans.

It really is the carnation of fonts. Overused, pretty cheap looking, and generally tacky. But then every once and awhile, there is an effective and tasteful use of the carnation. The same is true for Comic Sans. The documentary would feature the font's development, some popular (and unpopular) uses, and the growing movement against the font we all love to hate. I am sure there are businesses out there who use CS for their branding and love everything about it. We'd meet those people and ask them why they feel so at one with the font. We would interview my friend Elissa F. and find out what inspired her to put her resume in Comic Sans in 2006. (NOTE: this really happened. The situation has been rectified.)

And if you're lucky, we would throw in footage of the famous Microsoft (or M$ as my friend Louis O. calls it) talking paperclip. "It looks like you're writing a letter!"

From Generation to Generation in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
We've talked about my plan to become an AKA.

The only thing I need to fully ingrate myself into the AKA community is to be star documentary filmmaker for a behind the scenes look at this sorority. Specifically, my documentary would follow families featuring SEVERAL generations of women who have become AKAs. Footage would include rush week (at Howard University, where the first AKA chapter was founded, of course) and obviously the Boule. I'd include shots of women picking out wedding dresses that feature a little salmon (pink) and apple (green) to show their AKA pride. Important interviews would take place with notable AKA soros: Maya Angelou, Alicia Keys, Gladys Knight, Wanda Sykes, Faye Wattleton, and my personal advisor on all things AKA, Ms. Jamia W. I'd also line up an interview with someone who decided to become an AKA after college, and maybe a soro who is a first generation member of the sorority just to balance out the theme of family history in the film.

We'd do a whole segment on the authorization process to become an approved vendor of AKA paraphernalia, and of course visit their headquarters in Chicago, IL. It really has potential.

In the Clear: Security Clearance Interviewers and the People Who Love Them
I have talked this idea up to a few people and I think it is really gaining traction.

Have you ever completed one of these interviews? I've done three and every time I remember what a rich documentary topic the whole experience would be. The interviewers always show a badge which makes the whole thing even funnier in my mind. (I am the person they hate to interview because I always ask other questions about the process, where the badge came from, who they last interviewed, or too many personal questions about the person doing the interviewing and the whole thing ends up taking too long. Sorry if I am thirst for knowledge and trouble sensing when my guest is uncomfortable as I ask about restaurants in his or her home town.)

My favorite are the questions about the subject having ties to other specific countries or if the subject of the interview has done things in the past that would make him or her an easy target for blackmail. Really? Even if I had friends who would be easy targets, I am pretty sure I'd have no idea. I digress....

The idea of the documentary would be to follow a security clearance interviewer around and learn about the job, the process of completing the interviews, where the badges actually come from, and the random things the interviewers find out. It would be tricky to do this in a way that didn't violate the confidential information of the interview subjects, but I don't think that's showstopper. We'd have to include footage of the interviewer going into someone's house that was really poorly decorated or wading through a very large collection of something awkward (doll houses, Elvis paraphernalia).

I think this idea could really work. But it is possible that it would only be popular inside the Beltway.... then again, inside the Beltway is cool.

*****

Fear not, there are MANY other ideas. But these are surely the most fleshed out ones. I also often think about how amazing it would be to make a documentary about my family (imagine the Peter G. Guide to Life in REAL LIFE)... but they'd never allow it so I will stick to still photos for now.

Cool, Calm, and Carless

2011-08-06T15:17:00.006+01:00

I don't have a car.

In fact, this is one thing I love about living in DC -- I have no need for a car. And when I need wheels to get somewhere, my trusty car having pals seem to be natural carpool moms. This also means I have almost no reason to go to gas stations (and I rarely have anything to say when people start talking about how gas is expensive... it gets awkward). Alas, this sometimes means I am not up on the latest gas station cuisine. Good thing my in-the-know car possessing people keep me in he know.

I've recently had two excellent meals at gas stations.

Before we go any further, I should make one thing clear: I would have sought out both of these destinations even if they weren't in gas stations. The fact that they also happen to be located in close proximity to what feels like the antithesis of somewhere you'd choose to say, sit down and enjoy a sandwich, is just part of their charm. Even without the plethora of petrol, these two establishments would be worthy of a W and CP post.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, I'll tell you about my Austin gas station dining experience first. My lovely friend Joel H. lives in the Austin, TX and is one of the best Austin tour guides ever. He embraces my love of scheduling and doesn't flinch when I have us booked with activities and meals from 8:00 AM to 9:30 PM (at which time I usually demand that we go home because I'm tried). He is the calm driver while I coordinate groups that are far too big for cute little restaurants that don't take reservations and is also the dad of two of the softest, most adorable dogs that share his kind spirit and patient attitude.

On one trip to Austin, I scheduled a significant chunk of an afternoon for napping (what's that, you don't schedule naptime? If you don't schedule it, it simply won't happen). It was rainy and Joel and I were enjoying a calm afternoon with the dogs when we began to think about where to have lunch. Joel suggested Rudy's which was located about 30 seconds from his apartment. When we arrived, I noticed that Rudy's was housed in a gas station. (Ding ding ding, it was going to be good.)

Joel took the lead on the ordering process since I was completely overwhelmed by the gigantic (like 4x as tall as me) bottle of BBQ sauce that greeted us (unfortunately I didn't get a photo, so you will just have to go to Rudy's and bask in the mammoth sauce bottle yourself). My favorite part of the Rudy's experience was when we were asked how much bread we wanted. Curious, since we didn't order bread. We were then handed what looked like half a loaf of white bread (think Wonder bread). I didn't grow up in a white bread house (read: I'm Jewish) so this made me even more intrigued. What were we supposed to do with the bread? Did Joel know? Yes, good. Hopefully nobody was pointing and laughing as I was so clearly not from Texas at that moment. (My friend Rachael A. calls these "planet Austin moments" and writes about them on her blog. Which you should obviously read.)

So we sat down to enjoy some very fantastic brisket. But, as you know, I'm really in it for the sides and quickly fell in love with the creamed corn. I am usually not a fan of creamed corn (especially when other corn products, such as corn meal deep fried into hushpuppies are an option) but this version really won me over. And it doesn't take much else to make me happy when there are free sweet tea refills and the ice is so finely crushed that all beverages kind of make you feel like you're drinking a slurpy.

I know there are people who don't agree with me (...Betsy G...ahem...) on this final note about Rudy's, but I still think it is important that you hear this from me and not find out in a moment of Rudy's related disappointment: I don't love the Rudy's breakfast taco. They sell them pre-made and made to order (full disclosure: I've only had the pre-made variety) and they are just not as delicious as those from other breakfast taco establishments (for example, Taco Deli).

Now, onto my DC gas station recommendation (remember: these recommendations have nothing to do with the price of gas or quality of gas station service, they are purely based on the dining experience). Two words: FAST GOURMET.

You know when you're in another country and you start plotting the first meal you're going to have when you return home? (Do other people do this or is it just me? I hope it is not just me.) Well, I learned about Fast Gourmet while I was in Costa Rica. I was sitting at a little seaside restaurant (which, by the way, was adorable and I wish we'd stayed to eat the fish tacos there) and chatting with a few folks we'd met at the wedding we were in CR to photograph (they ended up spending some time on the Caribbean Coast post wedding, so we made plans* to get dinner).

*There is something so crazy making yet so calming about making plans 1) in other countries 2) when nobody has a cell phone. I believe someone called our hotel to discuss the dinner plans. Then we made a "meeting spot." I felt like I was in 1997.

I mentioned W and CP and they said "YOU HAVE TO TRY FAST GOURMET." So there we sat, in a tiny little restaurant in Costa Rica, discussing one of Northwest Washington's finest gas station establishments. I actually took notes on my phone so I would remember the specifics. As soon as I returned home, I made a point to venture to what has quickly become my go-to 14th Street diner of choice. My first visit was with the one and only Beth K. (making a guest appearance back in DC for the summer) then I visited twice more. I really can't get enough.

Fast Gourmet did not disappoint. I had the Cuban sandwich and it was fantastic: a salty layer of Black Forest ham, crunchy pickles, pulled pork, a very grainy mustard, and melty stringy gooey cheese. All served on perfectly toasted bread which was slightly sweet (thank you, Julie F., for prioritizing the eternal search for a salty/sweet combination in all you eat). I actually ordered the exact same thing on both subsequent visits to Fast Gourmet because it was THAT good.

The other item that is not to be missed is the eggplant fries. They're served with some ranch dressing on the side and taste like potato fries' hipster cousin (sans the PBR). In the home kitchen, I think the eggplant fry is one of those items that in concept sounds really good (when, perhaps, you have a eggplant in your fridge and are trying to think of something delicious to do with it), but in practice never really turn out. But Fast Gourmet has overcome the problem of mushy, gray eggplant and triumphed with a crunchy, salty experience you won't soon forget.

I also loved the strategic use of mason jars for water and fountain soda, plethora of Bob Marley posters nailed to the walls, and classic rock tunes playing in the background. Well done, Fast Gourmet.

A few other Fast Gourmet ordering notes:

Don't make the same mistake I did: swap out the normal fries for eggplant fries if you order a sandwich. You can thank me later.
I didn't love the plantains that we ordered. Someone on Yelp said they were good but I disagree. Don't waste your time/space in your stomach.
I wouldn't suggest the empanada either (I got the corn one which was good, but not as good as the eggplant fries... but maybe the other flavors are better).
Beth got a BBQ chicken sandwich which we decided was good but had too much going on (overly sauced, too much chicken so the infrastructure was messy) so I'd skip that too.
We ran into a few friends who sampled the tuna (which sounded like it was mediumly good but I was still in Cuban sandwich heaven and didn't taste it) and something with thinly sliced grilled steak and a fried egg which looked SPLENDID.
I ordered the flan for dessert (which I would usually never order, but the owners told me they made it there and seemed to fully endorse it). It was flantastic and covered in creamy dulce de leche goodness. Yes, I just said flantastic.

So, prepare yourselves for me to suggest this destination for every meal we share in the next 4-6 months.

PS--Let's bring back flan! Who's with me?

Daughter of Pearl

2011-07-26T01:32:00.013+01:00

I was sitting in the middle of a work related training in Austin, TX when I got the call with the news that my Grandmother had passed away. I found a little corner of the over air conditioned building and cried with my mom on the other end of the phone. (In case this hasn't come up yet, I am a very good crier.)

Since then, I have done lots of thinking about what this post should include... or even if I should post at all. I kept coming back to one thing: my grandmother (Edith) was the daughter of Pearl (Pearl Gordon, my Great Grandmother). And what better place to remember Edith than on a blog named after her mom?

My favorite memories of my grandmother involve kugel, ice cream, and hot pink lipstick.

A Meal in Itself

Did you know that my sister and I hosted a kugel making competition (where we just happened to take home first prize--a golden kugel--using my grandmother's recipe) a few years ago? And my very ahead-of-the-times grandmother even had an email address. When it was time to choose a screen name she selected "kugel23@aol.com." Her famed kugel even inspired her online persona! My gram often referred to her kugel recipe as "a meal in itself" (mainly because it is filled with "wholesome" ingredients like Velveeta cheese and sour cream, why pair it with anything else)?

My grandmother's kugel recipe has been one of my favorites for several years, but will continue to be a staple in my Jewish comfort food repertoire. Here's the recipe:

First mixture:

1 lb. broad noodles
1 lb. creamed cottage cheese
1/4 lb. Velveeta cheese, cut up into small pieces (I always double this)
1 C. sour cream
1/4 lb. butter, melted
sugar, to taste

Cook noodles as directed. Mix together the other ingredients with noodles. Pour into 9 x 13 greased pyrex dish.

Second mixture:

4 eggs, mix and beat with:
1/2 cup sugar
1 and 3/4 C milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Pour over first mixture. Coat heavily with cinnamon and sugar. Bake 1 and 1/4 hours in 350 oven. Recipe serves about 12.

When you serve it, you have to tell people it is "a meal in itself" and use a New England accent for full effect.

Ice Cream

This is important for two reasons. Firstly, my grandparents spent the summers on Cape Cod in a beautiful house on a street covered with shells (it really was as beachy and wonderful as it sounds). They were huge fans of all things ice cream--especially a little shop not too far from the Cape Cod house called The Four Seas. Does it sound familiar? Perhaps you caught the behind the scenes footage at The Four Seas on Rick Sebak's An Ice Cream Show on PBS. It is that good.

Alas, a visit to The Cape wasn't complete without a visit (or several) to The Four Seas. So when my mom called to share the news of my grandmother's passing, the next call I made was to The Four Seas. As I type, there are four quarts of Four Seas ice cream being overnighted from Cape Cod to my parents' condo in Maryland. We'll serve it as we sit shiva tomorrow night. In my opinion, this is the only proper way to remember my grandmother.

The ice cream is important for another reason. My gram spent the last month in the Hebrew Home (where she moved to be closer to my family). She wasn't doing too much talking, eating, or moving around, but one thing she did want to do is eat ice cream. Specifically chocolate ice cream. So there, in her room on the 6th floor of the Hebrew Home (artfully covered in photographs of her family and potted orchids), my sister fed her little spoonfulls of chocolate ice cream. I queued up some Debbie Friedman on my iPhone and we spent some really nice moments together.

I won't soon forget this.

The Iconic Pink Lipstick

You know how everyone has a signature accessory? (Perhaps mine is a belted dress. Maybe yours is a festive scarf... or a specific pair of earnings?) So, my Gram's signature look was hot pink lipstick. We're not talking about a sheer pink gloss here. We're talking about shockingly bright hot pink lipstick. There were countless conversations facilitated by me and my sisters and my mom to suggest other lip colors. But my Gram wasn't having it, she was a fan of the strong pink lip. Specifically "Peachy Scene" by Maybelline.

Here's a little email from my mom:

When I went to collect Grandma's things from the Hebrew Home yesterday, I found four tubes of pink lipstick in her drawer. I'm giving one to each of you and keeping one for me. I plan to tuck mine away and think happy of thoughts of Grandma when I see it. What could be a better memorial?

So if you see me wearing an unusually bright lip color, it's just me paying homage to my gram and her love of this bold cosmetic choice.

On Saturday, I made my way from Austin to Boston (fun to say, right?), hopped in a rental car, and drove to Worcester, MA. The funeral itself was stunning. My sisters and I read a poem, my cousin read some remarks (with a shout out to The Four Seas, of course), and my uncle and mom also read prepared eulogies.

I know my mom had been working on what she'd say to the guests gathered at Perlman Funeral Home for some time. As soon as she took her place on the stage yesterday, I felt as if she stepped out of her role as mourner and into the most calm, poised speaker set before us to channel my Grandmother's energy into a splendid five minute recap of her life. My mom's command of the room and my grandmother's memory was artful. With my mom's permission, I've included the text of her eulogy here...

Good morning, and thank you all for coming.

What can I say about my mother? A child of Russian immigrants born here, a world away, in Worcester. But when we look at where she started, where the world was then and where we are now, the length and breadth of her life, the people she touched, and those who touched her, the scope is considerably larger.

My parents met when they were very young. Dad must have been very taken with this beautiful, innocent young woman. She stayed home; he went off to fight in World War II. How her spirit must have sustained him! When he came home to her, they married—a formal and glorious wedding at the Bancroft Hotel—Dad in his top hat, and Mom, radiant in her flowing bridal gown. We can only imagine what was in their hearts.

Like so many other couples, they started a family, bought a house, bought a summer house on Cape Cod, worked hard, and raised three children. Family was our mother’s priority. She was dedicated to her husband, her parents, but above all, her children, for whom she would move the world. Mom was always there to pick us up from school when it was raining, always had dinner on the table, always had just the right words when we were sad, and celebrated our little victories with exuberant joy. She loved the leaves in the Massachusetts autumns and the sunshine in the Florida winters. She loved embroidering tablecloths for her children, knitting scarves for her grandchildren, and could sit for hours admiring the glorious orchids on her porch. Maybe her happiest times were during the long, slow summers at the Cape, surrounded by the people she loved in the unhurried, relaxed rhythms of tennis and tides.

Mom’s family grew. Her children married and welcomed Susan, Peter, and Lynda to the Friedman fold. We had children of our own who represented a wonderful new chapter for her. She seemed absolutely born to the role of Grandma Edith. We will all remember her unrestrained adoration for her next generation. The lovely Tonia, the twins, Sarah and Rebecca, the first grandson Jesse Ross, Emily Pearl—after her beloved mother—and Matt, who traversed the eastern corridor to be here today. Then Tonia married Jeff and along came Ellie Rose and Alex, and Sarah and Erik presented Mom with Olivia Abigail. Her charm bracelet with all those shiny golden silhouettes tells it all.

I learned only recently that Mom taught her devoted aide, Flora, to knit. Mom was unable to finish her knitting project before she moved to Maryland, so Flora is going to finish it for her. Even better, Flora is teaching HER little daughter to knit now and carry on the generations-old Gordon/Friedman/Goodstein tradition of ensuring that nobody is EVER cold. Mom would also be so happy to know that many of her clothes, household items, and even her walker have gone to Haiti to help the family members of another of her aides. Even in death, Mom is practicing tzedakah and modeling the humanitarian spirit.

Edith Friedman was truly blessed. She lived a rich, long full life that spanned major events of the twentieth century, including the founding of Israel. In addition to guiding her family, Mom drew great inspiration from her faith and expressed this most eloquently when she became an adult Bat Mitzvah at the age of 83.

These last few weeks while my mother was in Maryland were very special to me. When I could no longer read to her or quietly hold her hand, I sang to her. Anything from the Sh’ma to Fiddler on the Roof to selections from Verdi’s Requiem. It didn’t matter what it was or whether her eyes were open. She tried to join in… at first with the words that were left over from some ancient memory, and then just with sounds that resonated from someplace deep in her spirit. It seemed as if we were meeting on some plane that couldn’t be seen or measured or touched. But it was as palpable as the kisses she tried to give me when I put my cheek to her lips every time I said good-bye.

Our mother was a woman of compassion, generosity, strength, and valor who will be remembered as a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and a kind-hearted friend. Always thoughtful, caring, and—in the end—independent, she will be missed dearly by so many. Yes, our mom began life as a child of Russian immigrants who grew up in a city in New England, but her character, her faith, her love—and now—her memory will sustain us all. Today she returns to Worcester, where it all began, to be at rest next to Dad.

Welcome home, Mom.

I know my grandmother was looking down on us yesterday, shepping nachas.

Here's my Gram's official obituary (including a photograph I took on a visit to Florida a few years ago). I'm planning to remember her through "a meal in itself" kugel, hot pink lipstick, yiddush infused in everyday conversation, and lots of chocolate ice cream.

Contributions in her memory can be made to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund of Temple Shaarei Shalom or Montgomery Hospice.

My Name is Emily, and I Really Dislike Coffee

2011-07-17T08:17:00.003+01:00

I am not a coffee drinker. I have much to say about this traditional caffeinated beverage, most of which can be summed up in the following bullet points:

I don't need coffee to wake up (I do, however, require a full 9 hours of sleep a night).
In addition to coffee, I am not really so into most hot beverages. I have a fire in my belly already. (The exception is hot chocolate...)
I think coffee tastes like erasers. My worst nightmare is a morning flight sitting next to someone sipping cup after styrofoam cup of coffee. Not good for the earth or W and CP.
Don't try to fool me with coffee flavored ice cream or tiramisu or a mocha something. The coffee comes through loud and clear. (Rebecca G. and I have been having this conversation since I was 15... I give her points for persistence, though.)

Now that you know where I'm coming from, you can sympathize with the fact that I often have trouble ordering when "out for coffee." And most coffee shops that do coffee really well, often don't do much else well. Worse things have happened, of course. This isn't really a complaint, but rather a unique predicament I often find myself in.

I've come to terms with my dislike of morning joe, and apparently make this fact well known. I ran into a friend at Starbucks yesterday and she proclaimed, "Hey! So fun to see you... WAIT, what are you going to order? You hate coffee!" True that, Shannon S. And the answer: an iced green tea, that's what.

So when I tell you that I've found a coffee shop that I love, you will appreciate that this comes from a very unique perspective. I've never tried the coffee (nor will I ever), but I am told it isn't bad. Alas, I am judging Filter on other things...

Like the jaunty coffee cup shaped bike racks outside. And their savvy use of orange accents. And, most importantly, the simple syrup available for those of us that are looking to feed our sugar habits but don't usually drink hot bevs. (Have you ever run into this problem? You have an iced tea in your hand and want to sweeten it up a bit, but you'd rather not use something from a packet... so what's a gal to do? Simple syrup is the best answer but most coffee establishments never have it on the condiment bar.)

I fully embrace the fact that Filter is also trying to be cool. This would usually be a turnoff (as you know, I am so not cool). But for some reason, Filter makes it work. Sometimes I saunter there for a change of scenery when editing photos. Other times, I stop in for an iced tea or hot chocolate and sit in their little outside sitting area to people watch or put the finishing touches on my plan to become a local celebrity (you see, I am learning the art of nothing... and one thing I've learned is that it is easier to do nothing when you're not in your house).

Filter is located just North of DuPont Circle on a delightful little stretch of 20th street with not much else on it. Stop by, then let me know what you think. Don't forget to check out the bike racks.

Culinary Adventure, One Small Pastry Pocket at a Time

2011-07-16T00:24:00.012+01:00

I will go to extensive lengths for a high quality empanada.

For example, I once waited in a very long line of rowdy DuPont Circlians (while wearing a very uncomfortable pair of shoes, while up well past my bedtime) with my friend Jason D. for some Julia's Empanadas. We ate them outside on the curb while people who I assume regularly stay up that late passed by. It was tough a tough acquisition process, but in the end the slightly sweet empanada dough coupled with the salty and creamy spinach filling made the production well worth the it. (NOTE: the Julia's DuPont and Adams Morgan locations are open until 4AM on Friday and Saturdays, whoa!)

In a more dramatic turn of events, I once attempted to make my own empanadas. As I rolled out the dough, I scoured my kitchen for the perfect circular item to trace so I could produce evenly sized rounds of dough. I spotted a martini glass and pressed it into service immediately. Perhaps I pressed a little too hard, because the stem of the glass popped in two and took a hunk of my right index finger with it (I will happily show off the scars next time I see you).

Here's a photo of me, in full SuperFinger regalia, with my friends Rob L. and Hadar S.

I made my sister come over to clean up the blood/glass/empanada mixture all over my kitchen (it resembled a scene from Law and Order) as I headed to the ER for stitches (huge friend points to Elissa F. who met me there and didn't get grossed out by the t-shirt I had wrapped my finger in). The resulting SuperFinger-esque contraption made everyday activities only slightly difficult.

So fast forward to the day I met the DC Empanadas truck (about two months ago). I think it was just a regular weekday at my office and around 11:30 or so, the emails began flying about lunchtime. Who was eating where (when it is nice out, we sometimes camp out on our office building's roof and dine there), who was eating what (there aren't so many restaurants near our office, but we do have the honor of dining at food trucks when they grace us with their mobile lunch presence from time to time), and what time we would meet (we're busy gals with busy Outlook calendars, and sometimes our schedules are so crowded we don't even have 30 minutes in common for lunchtime merriment). The day that DC Empanadas was in the area, I had never heard of them (shanda) but my colleague, Sara H., alerted me to their presence.

So, we walked the three blocks to the "Little Triangle" (this would be food truck Twitter speak for the small triangle at 21st Street, New Hampshire Avenue, and M Street in the bizzaro world area near my office which is not Foggy Bottom or DuPont Circle)... and then we happened upon the sky blue mobile empanada dispensary known as @DCEmpanadas.

I immediately liked their DC pride... the DC Empanadas logo is a takeoff on the DC flag (and let's be real, DC needs all the "state" pride it can get since we're not really a state and people walk around making generalizations about our problematic lack of New York style pizza).

Then I made a very uninformed ordering decision... but all three of the empanadas I ended up purchasing that day were DELICIOUS. Then they became my favorite empanadas. And I'd say the truck is up there as possibly my most favorite food truck (tied, with the Red Hook Lobster Pound truck... but we've discussed that before). Here's what I remember from my inaugural DC Empanada adventure:

The first empanda I ordered was a traditional beef situation in a CORNMEAL dough. I haven't had this amazing combination since, but now that I am remembering that fateful day that I first met the DC Empanada community, it is all coming back to me. So, if you're listening, empanada menu decision makers, please bring that combination back.
I also ordered the Tio Shawn (black beans, rice, Monterrey Jack cheese, Chipotle peppers, and onions). Don't worry, oh readers without much tolerance for spicy food (myself included), the Tio Shawn is not spicy and it is a most delicious vegetarian option.
I believe I also ordered a Ropanada (Ropa Vieja style shredded beef with rice tossed in a tomato sauce) and it too, was fantastic.

Then, I met the empanada truck AGAIN at the DC Central Kitchen food truck soiree which we've discussed (I dined on El Greco (spinach, feta, and onions) and it was lovely). It was HERE that I told the Mistress of Empanadas (aka Anna) that I wanted to do a blog post about DCE. She was in--so in that we made a plan for me to bring my camera to work on a date almost two weeks in the future for a little empanada photo shoot (thus combining three things I love: food trucks, food photography, and advanced planning).

...and that's how a whole gang of five Convion gals ventured from our air conditioned offices earlier this week to purchase lunch from a blue truck distributing culinary adventure, one small pastry pocket at a time. On our last visit, I asked for some empanada related feedback for the purposes of this here post. There was consensus that the Speedy Gonzalez (queso blanco, Asadero cheese, and mozzarella cheese) was VERY cheesy... almost as cheesey as Sally H.'s sense of humor.

And don't think DCE is all empanada... they also have some very delicious empanada accouterments to round out your meal, including a tomato, cucumber, feta salad which I very much enjoy. And if you're looking for something a little sweet to balance out the savory, they have a wide selection of sandwich cookies in flavors almost as diverse as the empanada menu. AND, I just learned that DCE partnered with the new pastry chef ladies at Whisked! to develop a very special dessert which is only sold on the truck (it is a pina colada bar which was a very delicious reminder of a beverage I was sipping on the beach in Costa Rica exactly one week before my empanada adventure in DC).

So get out there, empanada loving Washingtonians, and buy lunch from the DC Empanada truck (thus saving yourself the need to stay up late or risking a trip to the emergency room due to an empanada related finger injury).

Signing off,
Em(panada)

My Culinary Resort Vacation

2011-07-10T13:21:00.006+01:00

Let's talk about Vermont for a second. I recently ventured to the Green Mountain State for my friend Meaghan P.'s wedding festivities. While there, I crammed in a trip to the Skinny Pancake, a little tour of downtown Burlington, a massage, and a photo shoot on Lake Champlain. Here's a recap.

DCA to BTV
My friend and former colleague, Beth S., picked me up at the airport. And when I say "airport," I mean the most adorable and welcoming little airport ever. The carpeting is so bright and the people are so friendly--I felt more like I had just landed at preschool as opposed to the gateway to Northern New England. I was kind of disappointed when nobody greeted me at the gate with apple juice and animal crackers (if this had happened, I would have not been surprised) alas... Beth was waiting for me INSIDE the airport. Yes, that's right. She parked and came in. THIS NEVER HAPPENS and it is one of my favorite things.

The Skinny Pancake
I worked with Beth for three years and can safely say her restaurant recommendations are well up there with W and CP standards. So, I did no food research for this trip. None at all. As soon as Beth suggested we venture to the Skinny Pancake, I was on board. We drove into downtown Burlington and strolled by the bar where Phish started. Then we parked on the most adorable street right on the water and I reveled in the reality of zero humidity.

Then we got to the Skinny Pancake, ordered, and SAT OUTSIDE. This is a unheard of activity in DC in the summer but in Vermont, it is the thing to do.

Don't let the name of the establishment fool you--the Skinny Pancake traffics in crepes. They are actually SKINNY pancakes, not the fluffy breakfast-y variety you may be thinking of. I ordered something filled with chev and beets, Beth got something with sweet potatoes in it. I washed down my crepe masterpiece with a locally sourced Vermont chocolate milk. It was almost as good as the Magic Hat on tap served at the wedding... but more on that later.

Buying in Multiples
Then we strolled through downtown Burlington. And Beth suggested we stop into this little boutique to look around and possible make some purchases. My first instinct was no way, Jose, especially since I am an almost exclusively online shopper. Something about browsing and trying on in a real life store with other people standing around just isn't fun. But I figured I could leave the comfort of my online shopping lifestyle for a few minutes (and I was loving Vermont so much, I wanted to do all that I could to support their progressive health care and marriage for all government). So, we hopped in and... I found the best pair of shoes ever.

I have been looking for a pair of nude summer shoes FOREVER (or since the last pair I owned needed to be retired back in 2007). I had to travel all the way to Burlington to meet my new nude footwear friends, but it didn't take long for me to decide they were a much needed addition to my shoe wardrobe. (Classic Lois G. quote, "a nude shoe for summer liberates your wardrobe.")

This is all to say, you should buy these too. I also got 'em in forest green at Beth's encouragement and have been very pleased with both purchases ever since. (This buying two at a time thing is always a gutsy move, but how many times have you loved a specific shoe and worn it so much without being able to replace it? I am trying to avoid that by buying in multiples. I'll let you know if it works out or if I get sick of them.)

Vermont Culinary Resort
I ventured from Burlington to "The Essex" in Essex, VT. The URL of The Essex is http://www.vtculinaryresort.com. Yes, it is a CULINARY RESORT. Why I do not travel exclusively to culinary resorts is unclear. Alas, if you are planning a jaunt to Vermont you need to stay at The Essex. Mostly because you will be greeted, as I was, with freshly made crepes (I guess Vermont loves crepes) filled with warm mascarpone and honey. And if you choose to get married there, your guests will delight that the meal served at your wedding is flavorful, beautiful, and delicious.

The Essex also has a lovely spa which we took full advantage of (massages, reading magazines in fluffy robes, eating post massage trail mix and drinking water with cucumber slices in it). I think all the friends should celebrate Meaghan's anniversary with a spa weekend at The Essex every year!

American Flatbread
I have been hearing about American Flatbread pizza for about ten years, mostly from my sister who claims Vermont as her favorite state, when she experienced American Flatbread for the first time. Like all food related recommendations she makes, I was on a mission to try it. Lucky me, Meaghan had booked American Flatbread as the caterers for her rehearsal dinner.

The crew from AF arrived at the venue and set up their wood burning oven right there on the shore of Lake Champlain. Katie P.R. (sister of the bride/one of my best friends from college) fully endorsed the nitrate free pepperoni. I was really into the gigantic salad full of locally grown greens and a really splendid dressing. And the dudes running the pizza oven were all about having their photos taken which made me love them and their pizza even more.

When you try to recreate Meaghan and Pat's wedding, remember to call American Flatbread. And ask them to set up their signature prayer flag decorations at your rehearsal dinner location--that really completes the look.

NOTE: You can buy American Flatbread pizza in the frozen section of Whole Foods but I advise against this. It is the wood-burning oven that really makes American Flatbread stand out... so avoid the disappointment and wait to dine on one of these pleasing pies in the VT.

Impromptu Champlain Photo Sesh
Meaghan and Pat let me snap a bunch of photos of them in the midst of their rehearsal dinner right on Lake Champlain. It was a stunning backdrop as the sun set... and as you look at these photos, just imagine the entire wedding party standing on a balcony behind me yelling and laughing. I couldn't have asked for better behind the camera clowns to keep M and P smiling.

Marvelous Madge
Katie is one of those people who makes nicknames for everyone. So when we first met in 2001, I remember hearing about her sister called Madge. I believe I thought Madge's name was actually Made for the first few years of college. (Her name is actually Meaghan but obviously we call her Madge because Katie does.)

I had celebrated Katie's wedding to the fabulous Alex R. a few years ago--and it was clear from that shindig that Katie and her family are a very celebratory people. I actually knew this well before the weddings since I had attended a gathering at the family's lake house in New Hampshire where they hosted a gathering for the entire staff of the ski patrol on the mountain where they spend the Winters. Alas, the planned wedding after party organized by Katie's parents at her wedding further proved this point.

Madge's wedding was just as fabulous! There were so many fun details (kicky straws, local beer, for the road candy bar) that made it tons of fun to photograph... not to mention the band which was perhaps the best wedding band I have ever experienced. I actually put my camera down as soon as the dancing began. (OH! And, we were seated at the same table as this family composed entirely of WEDDING DANCING PROFESSIONALS. I am actually convinced that in a past life, this family worked as Bar Mitzvah party motivators. They were so hard core--I learned tons of new moves. I hope you meet them at a wedding in your future, because they are a rare breed and dancing next to them was certainly a highlight of my time in VT.)

A huge congrats to Made and Pat! Thanks for including me in your wedding weekend. I can't wait to celebrate your anniversary back at The Essex next year...

Noteworthy Breakfast Sandwich
My departure from Vermont was somewhat dramatic--US Air decided to cancel my flight home and call me at 7:00 AM to notify me (thanks for notifying me, no thanks for canceling my flight). Needless to say, I was a little frazzled when I finally did make my way to the airport to board a different flight (into Dulles, ack) a full four hours before I was scheduled to depart. BUT, the silver lining of this flight saga is that I had breakfast at the airport.

Gross, I am sure you're proclaiming as you read this lengthy post. Airport breakfasts are guaranteed to be made of rubbery eggs and tasteless cheese. BUT NOT IN VERMONT! Vermont really prides itself on eating locally--and this doesn't end at the airport. My breakfast sandwich featured bacon from a farm outside of Burlington, extra sharp Cabot cheese, and farm fresh eggs too. I was shocked after the first bite. I wasn't sure if my taste buds were fooling me so I took another bite... but no, it was really as good as the first one if not better.

Then I settled in to dine on what was by far the best meal I have ever consumed in an airport. Not apple juice and animal crackers brought to me as I deplaned, but almost as fun...

So in conclusion, Vermont is great and you should go there. I think my new plan will be to Summer in Vermont, Winter in Austin, and weekend in DC. Who's with me?

Pura Vida

2011-07-02T21:23:00.005+01:00

Hello blog bugs--

Greetings from Costa Rica. Yes, that's right. I'm on vacation. And I am loving every second of it. Today, the following things have happened:

1) Woke up to monkeys and birds chirping around 5:00 AM and took some fun jungle photos.

2) Decided to wear a dress and Chacos because there are really no other options. (It is SO humid here--just as humid as you'd imagine it being in the jungle.)

3) Ate tons of fruit, good cheese, and mango juice for breakfast.
4) Met with the wedding planners. (Oh, perhaps I neglected to mention this... I'm in Costa Rica to photograph my friends Kacee and Jeremy's wedding! So this is a kind of working vacation, in the best way possible.)

5) Took a nap. Or a second sleep, as Amber W. would say since it was well before noon.
6) Edited and uploaded a few preview photos.

Soon, I will eat some lunch and then maybe have a pina colada. And then I will photograph the rehearsal dinner (complete with salsa lessons).

Stay tuned for other vacation induced posts (now that I have some free time and a laptop) about my adventures to Vermont, Old Soul Farm, and many other lovely destinations.

Pura Vida!
W & CP

The Best Day of My Life

2011-05-23T21:47:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was the best day of my life. Specifically, between the hours of 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM.

Let me back up a few days. In the middle of last week, my new-to-DC-friend, Sam L., invited me to attend a fundraiser for the DC Central Kitchen. If you don't know about DCCK, here's the skinny:

DC Central Kitchen turns leftover food into millions of meals for thousands of at-risk individuals while offering nationally recognized culinary job training to once homeless and hungry adults. Our mission is to use food as a tool to strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities. Our programs provide a comprehensive continuum of care to the people we serve.

So, when Sam first proposed attending the event I was on the fence. I knew DCCK was a fantastic organization that I wanted to support, but I also knew DC is heating up (really, temperatures are in the high 80s as of late) and as we've discussed before, I do not do well in the heat (my sister hibernates from April to October because she despises the DC heat so much). And my priority recently has been napping (I don't think I've spent enough time napping in the past 28 years and I am trying to make it more of a central part of my schedule this year). Alas, the prospect of an event with music and food all in the name of a good cause won me over and I purchased a ticket.

Allow me to underscore the following point: I knew almost nothing about the event. Here's a summary of what I understood about the DCCK SoundBites event at the time of my ticket purchase:

Tickets were $40 and could be purchased online
The event was set to take place on Sunday, May 22 at 5:00 (which fit well with my early to bedtime)
The venue was the 9:30 Club (which we've discussed before)
There would be food and music

So, as you can see, this was not a very well researched decision. But I went for it. And let me just say, I have never made a better unresearched decision in. my. life.

The DC Central Kitchen SoundBites event was by far the best fundraiser I have ever attended.

It was so amazing I would like to recreate the model of the event for all future special occasions and celebrations I am associated with. As I forced my colleagues to listen to me rave about the event over lunch today, I tried to hone in on why it was so enjoyable. Here's a recap:

I walked up to the 9:30 Club and waited in a short line to pick up my ticket at will call. As I approached the font of the line, my camera was confiscated (this was the only not ideal part of the day--but the good people at 9:30 kept it safely in their office until I was ready to pick it up). Allow me to also say that the whole lack of camera thing kept me from taking too many photos of the festivities, but I did have my trusty iPhone so I am breaking my own rule and posting photos taken with a PHONE here on W and CP. Please don't judge. The event was too good not to blog about just because I don't have quality photos.

Okay so after I was de-cameraed, I found my way into a block of street that had been closed off. (cue amazing event recreation lesson number one: BLOCK PARTIES ARE AMAZING. How can a block party not be fun? There is something so liberating about walking in the middle of a street that is usually filled with cars and pedestrians while munching on a pork belly slider.)

On both sides of the street were food trucks and restaurant tents dolling out one bite and two bite sized portions of delicious things to eat. There was PLENTY of space in the middle of the street for strolling, dining, and people watching. It was hot, but not too hot. And the professional photographers got several lovely photos of me and Sam L. enjoying paella, oysters, and sea salt gelato.

Okay, now let me tell you about the menu. There is no possible way I could have sampled every item that was being served (cue amazing event recreation lesson number two: there were no tickets or money exchanged... the $40 charge was it and the rest was all you can eat. This really made the whole experience so much more enjoyable since you could just eat what you wanted and not worry about any strategy other than room in your stomach. I did spend lots of time thinking about stomach space conservation strategy, but that is less stressful than ticket strategy AND stomach space strategy.)

The SoundBites website has a list of the restaurants and food trucks that were at the event. Here's a recap of what I experienced:

Canadian Sweets & Treats (For the US Eh?) -- the mini chocolate cupcakes were fine but kind of disappointing
Dangerously Delicious Pies -- I think I've told you how I feel about DDP before, but in case you haven't been present for this rant I will recap it here... I think DDP is great in the savory pie department but their sweet pies are nothingg special. I didn't think I'd ever meet a chocolate/peanut butter pie I didn't love, but I have
DC Empanadas -- I will write a blog post totally devoted to these delicious empanadas someday soon, but for now I can tell you I went back to this truck three times while at yesterday's event. The empanada flavors are unique, the pastry is flaky, and the staff are fun! Gold star for DC Empanadas!
Dolcezza Artisanal Gelato -- I sampled the peanut butter gelato and the sea salt gelato. The peanut butter was creamy and delicious, and the sea salt was trendy, unique, and refreshing. I highly recommend both flavors.
Evening Star Café -- Oh Evening Star Cafe. ESC is part of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the same folks who brought us Birch and Barley and ChurchKey. Their food is dependably good. At SoundBites, they were serving Israeli couscous with scallops and it was out of this world. I wish I'd gone back for another bite while I had the chance.
Harry's Smokehouse -- I had a pulled pork slider and it was lovely. This is the BBQ-centric cousin of Harry's Taproom and really knows what it is doing.
Jackie's -- Jackie's was dishing out soft pretzels with a truffle oil cheese sauce. There could never be anything about this combination.
Jaleo -- Sam sampled the paella from THIS giant vat. He said it was pretty rich but delicious. I give Jaeleo for the spectacle that was the paella presentation.
Kushi -- Sam had some sushi from this spot (and he knows lots about sushi since he lived in Japan for a long while) and fully endorsed the experience.
Rappahannock River Oysters -- Oysters. Fresh and cold and salty! Being shucked right there on the street in front of the 9:30 Club. I didn't think this would ever be possible but it happened and it was good. Really good.
Sabor'a Street -- This was the best unknown item of the whole event. I'd never heard of this food truck (shanda) but their vegetarian polenta bites with pickled radish and carrots were refreshing and amazing. Follow them on twitter to experience this refreshing bite of amazing for yourself!
Taylor Gourmet -- These folks were dolling out pork belly sliders. Sam had one and it looked amazing. I was drawn to the pulled pork deliciousness at the tent next door.

I know this is an impressive list, but there were a good number of restaurants we didn't even make it to. If ever I had wished for a second stomach, it was yesterday.

In addition to the plentiful and very delicious food, the music was pretty amazing too. The Joe Herrera Trio (composed of four dudes, yes four, playing a mix Bob Marley covers and other things) was set up outside while we were wandering and eating... then we caught the first few sets of The Pietasters ("DC's ska darlings") inside where it was very air conditioned and once again, not crowded.

At one point I found myself sitting on the sidewalk outside the 9:30 Club with the aforementioned new-to-DC-friend Sam L., my Har Shalom Nursery School classmate, Becky E., Becky's boyfriend, and one of Becky's colleagues talking about the merits of paella cooked in a big vat, which gelato flavor was better, and who had the most delicious pulled pork sliders while listening to a Bob Marley cover. I think it was a moment of summertime self actualization.

I was also really impressed with the way DCCK organized the event. Their VERY friendly staff was on hand to keep things tidy and moving along, and there was a table with literature about the organization and the great work they do. But that is all. They were well aware of the fact that people were attending the event to dine and groove, and maybe not sit through a fundraising pitch. (Donning my online fundraiser hat for a moment, I hope there is a follow-up email sent in the next day or two thanking me for attending and adding me to the monthly DCCK mailing list.) My hypothetical blogger hat goes off to you, DCCK staff, for putting together such an enjoyable, understated, celebratory, and lovely fundraiser.

I hope the "9:30" stamp never fades from my hand because it, and the three photos posted here, are the only tangible memories of what will go down as one of the best, if not the best, day of my life.

Lois G. Guide to Life

2011-05-08T08:27:00.001+01:00

Today is both my birthday AND Mother's Day (and for cosmic sky/star positioning purposes, I was actually born on Mother's Day, too) meaning there is much to celebrate! In an effort to distract myself from commenting on EVERY 80s prom photo already posted on Facebook, I've created this little Lois G. guide to life (another installment in my prized Guide to Life series). So if you weren't lucky to do the Electric Slide next to us at the prom last night, here are are a few wise words from the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) herself:

What is your favorite font? I like Garamond in blue, 12 points.

Why? From Wikipedia: "Garamond’s letterforms convey a sense of fluidity and consistency. Some unique characteristics in the letters are the small bowl of the a and the small eye of the e. Long extenders and top serifs have a downward slope. Garamond is considered to be among the most legible and readable serif typefaces for use in print (offline) applications. It has also been noted to be one of the most eco-friendly major fonts when it comes to ink usage." Who wouldn't love Garamond for their signature font?

Other than dishwasher detergent, what are three products you only ever buy using a brand name?

Bardolino Folonari red wine (I wish I could tell you about the nose or the legs or some other body part, but I just like it in a big balloon glass. It's great chilled, with or without food.)
L'Air du Temps cologne by Nina Ricci (I've never worn anything else; it reminds me of flowers.)
Cape Cod potato chips (They take me back to my summers as a child on Craigville Beach.)

What's your favorite Washington, DC-esque outing? I love taking walking tours of neighborhoods in DC. I have a little guidebook that tells about the architecture and history of the buildings. I think it's really fun to learn about the buildings I go by every day that I don't even notice and then learn about the beautiful scrollwork on the roof. Then it's like looking at a whole new building. I also love picnics on the Capitol Mall and visiting the tulip library near the tidal basin.

Which typo do you see most often? I often see two spaces between sentences, a vestige of the way people were taught to type on their old manual Royals.

Which typo bothers you most? It bothers me when people take the wrong option as suggested by SpellCheck, like the "tenants of a religion" (instead of "tenets") or "the angels of the polygon" (instead of "angles").

Explain why you think best with a well sharpened pencil in your hand. I'm a visual learner. I make lists, take notes while I'm talking to someone on the phone, and jot things down constantly in my trusty, old-fashioned DayRunner. Having a sharp pencil in my hand enables me to, say, add Cape Cod potato chips to my grocery list at a moment's notice.

You have so many extracurricular activities. Which two do you like best? I am a second alto with the National Philharmonic Chorale. We sing at Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda, and I love it. I still feel blessed to be able to step out on that stage (with my 165 fellow singers) and be even a small part of making that beautiful music. I also love tap dancing, which I've been doing since the age of 4. One of my prized possessions are my Savion Glover tap shoes, which make my triple timesteps sound really clear.

I know you're loyal to Clinique products. Why? I think I was one of the first consumers of Clinique products back in the '70s. I've always liked the fact that there is no scent in Clinique makeup and that their advertisements feature the product, not a person. The price point is good, and I love the color palette. Seems like makeup for real people, and I like that.

Where do you turn for creative inspiration? My children, definitely. I'm inspired to do better and be a better person every day because of you all.

What is your ideal breakfast? Timing, temperature, and presentation are essential when it comes to breakfast. I like to eat soon after I wake up. I love freshly squeezed orange juice, which I'll have whenever I can get it. Usually, I have bite-sized shredded wheat with skim milk and fresh blueberries and tons of steaming coffee in one of my wonderful new mugs from Anthropologie. (I switch to decaf after the first huge mugful.) Other days, I love a great plain bagel toasted, with extra butter (still with the OJ and coffee). For really special treats, I love french toast made with plump french bread with pure maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar served on a wicker breakfast tray with fresh flowers and a cloth paisley napkin. The ideal breakfast indeed!

Happy Mother's Day! Thanks for bringing me into this world 28 years ago... and for being the best cheerleader, kugel-maker, interior designer, proofreader, inspiration, carpool driver, and eye makeup consult ever.

Get Out Your Crimper...

2011-04-27T01:49:00.005+01:00

Here's the short ask:

On May 7, Planned Parenthood is sponsoring an 80s themed prom. Tickets are $40 and are on sale now. You should buy one. Now.

Here's the full scoop:

In my past life (read: my last job at the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice) I worked to ensure access to reproductive health services for women from 9 to 5 and beyond. I advocated for comprehensive sexuality education in public schools and funding to make contraceptives affordable for everyone. I feel pretty strongly about several core themes that inspired this work:

Women, men, and teens should be equipped with the services and education needed to make informed reproductive health decisions.
Sex and sexuality are sacred and should be treated that way (not treated as something dirty or off limits, rather respected and valued).
Our bodies are our own, and the government shouldn't be entitled to make decisions about what we do with them (we should make those decisions for ourselves, with the advice of medical professionals and other experts).
Women and children fare better when pregnancies are planned.
The prevention of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections through comprehensive (meaning evidence based, factual) sex education is a crucial part of achieving reproductive justice, economic justice, and environmental justice world wide.

To get these points across, I coordinated campaigns, I lobbied, I held up signs, I trained the trainers... and lots of other very fun stuff! And now that I have a new job (that, for the record, I love!), I sometimes miss the reproductive justice part of previous gig--but luckily, I serve on the board of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington and get a chance to exercise some of my activist muscles on a pretty regular basis.

One of my most favorite things that PPMW does, is to support a group of younger donors and activists through the PPMW Young Professionals group, of which I am also a part. And we're gearing up for our annual fundraiser--the Planned Parenthood 80s Prom on May 7! There are two very important things you need to know about the event: all proceeds will benefit PPMW and the event is (obviously) 80s themed (meaning people WILL have crimped hair). In case you're wondering what "benefiting PPMW" means, I can tell you that PPMW will use your prom ticket dollars to provide high quality, affordable reproductive health care; promote education programs that empower all individuals to make informed and responsible reproductive choices; and to protect the right to make those choices. What more could you want?

A balloon arch and an open bar (featuring a signature beverage)? Well, we'll have that too! When I tell you that participants of last year's event told me the evening was "one of the best, if not the best night" of their lives, I am not exaggerating. And the tickets are only $40! Should I save room on my dance card to Electric Slide with you?

So get out your credit card and click here to purchase a ticket... or purchase a few because 80s promming is more fun with friends. And if you have any questions about the prom ticket purchase process, need a costuming consult, or are really interested in helping to publicize the prom, just let me know!

See you on the dance floor,
Em

PS -- I can't waste this opportunity to tell you all about how YOU can help us publicize the prom. Here are ten quick and easy ideas to help us spread the word...

Call five friends and invite them to prom with you! Do it tonight! And use a fun accent to keep things interesting.
Put a link to the prom ticket purchase page in your Facebook status and Twitter feed. Use this fancy Google short link to save space: goo.gl/neeHt. (OR, photograph key pieces of your outfit and post them one at a time to build suspense.)
If you attended the prom last year, change your Facebook photo to one taken at the prom to create a buzz.
Invite your mom! Mine is coming and she is a mean Electric Slider (I had to learn somewhere...).
Send an e-mail out to your colleagues inviting them to the prom with you (but if this isn't kosh in your office, don't do this... I always ask my colleague Amber W. if things are socially acceptable and I'm sure she wouldn't mind getting your questions on social norms too).
Join the other Young Professionals group members to phone bank on Thursday night! We'll be calling folks that came to the prom last year but haven't purchased a ticket.
If you are my friend who happens to be an editor at the DC City Paper (name rhymes with Lon Wisher), perhaps you can run an article about the prom in an issue soon?
Change your gchat status to something prom-eqsque (don't forget the link! goo.gl/neeHt). And if you don't use gmail, you should.
Make a donation to PPMW if you can't attend the prom.
Buy your own ticket! Do it nooooow.

Clubbing

2011-04-09T17:04:00.017+01:00

Nope, I'm not talking about the kind of clubbing that happens at night and involves uncomfortable shoes (have we met?)... I'm talking about secret underground fancy vegetarian Indian food supper clubs and office springy cheerful flower clubs. I've recently experienced two very fabulous clubs that still allow me to go to sleep early AND wear sensible (yet stylish) shoes. Here's the skinny:

I don't think we've discussed my office much, but it is a very bight and lovely place. It is teeming with productive people and the walls are colorful. We recently incorporated some DC centric art onto the walls and I've spotted these really delicious Trader Joe's granola bars in the kitchen.

In addition to those fabulous things, we've also just launched the DC Convio office flower club. Although it doesn't involve poring over seed catalogs during lunchtime or discussing the merits of raised beds, it DOES involve a few colleagues alternating bringing in a bunch of seasonal flowers for the other club members to display at their desks. The flower club is only one of the most fabulous things to grace office culture and I really think it has the potential to catch on.

I've created a list of flower club best practices in case you, courageous W and CP readers, are interested in recreating this new splendid office tradition in your own places of employment.

Outlook
My colleague, Danielle S., is really the brains behind the flower club. To kick it off, she sent a little all staff e-mail out announcing the club and asking people to join. THEN, she created little Outlook reminders so folks knew which week they were responsible for bringing in flowers. So far, the system is working flawlessly and according to Danielle, that was about it in terms of set-up.

Stick Your Neck Out

Or, just bring in a vase with a very narrow neck. I've been using this Gordon's Cottage Cheese jar (Pearl, as in Wild and Crazy... or my great grandmother, Pearl Gordon, owned a dairy delivery business) and let me tell you, it is not ideal. The best flower club desk vases have narrow necks and can really let the one or three stems of the week's flower shine. But I love the throwback jar (and the very intense contrast between my high tech/computery workplace and Pearl's which involved reusable jars filled with cottage cheese), so I'm still trying to make it work.

(Related: how cute is this polka dotted vase I just found on Etsy? It would be a perfect flower club vase for YOUR desk. I also love repurposing bottles from memorable beverages for flower displaying purposes... like the Perrier bottle with the White House seal on it that my parents took from the presidential box at the Kennedy Center about 20 years ago. Yes, Parents W and CP are that cool.)

E-mail Alias
Danielle also had a special email alias (ps--I still feel so funny typing email as email as opposed to e-mail) set up for flower club members. So, each week, when the flowers are brought in and ready for distribution, we can just send a quick e-mail out to the alias without having to worry about remembering all the club members' names. This past week was MY week. I brought in daffodils from the Dupont farmers market and they were a hit (and yes, I kind of felt like the lucky 2nd grader who got to take the class pet hamster home for the weekend). Oh, the joy associated with sending my Monday morning "flowers are here" e-mail out!

And that's that, piglets. If you have a flower club in your office, I'd love to hear about it! And if you're going to start one, I want to hear about that too. In the meantime, I will be convincing my flower club colleagues that we need to get monogrammed jackets like the Pink Ladies from Grease.

So, onto this supper clubbing situation. My good friend Amy B. just celebrated a big birthday, so her lovely husband organized an outing to the Hush Supper Club. The entire experience was cloaked in tons of mystery... and I actually can't even tell you WHERE the supper club happened since Queen Hush, Geeta, asked us to keep everything a secret. (In addition to the location being a secret, Geeta's identity is also a secret. In fact, she asked me not to photograph her unless she was wearing a mask... and even though I tried to find her last initial, I wasn't able to. So she'll just break W and CP tradition and only be known as Geeta.)

The evening prep unfolded with a series of emails (or, e-mails) from Geeta about the secret password (I am not kidding) and a little bit about what to expect from the evening ("Ladies, please no stilettos. Be kind to my wood floors..."). I really had NO idea what to expect, except for the fact that Hush is BYOB so I arrived with several bottles of wine and a collection of good beer in a unassuming Trader Joe's bag. I also had a snack in advance since I had heard the evening would be long and the main course wasn't served until the end of the "spice tour." How long does a spice tour usually last? I didn't know.

I arrived at the secret location (HINT: Hush takes place in a beautiful house in DC's U Street neighborhood) and was greeted by Geeta's chef assistant chap... I forget his name but he was deliciously awkward and I really wanted to interview him and walk away with his entire life story. I did manage to learn that he, too, grew up in the DC 'burbs (yet he was completely unimpressed that I was also from this area). Disappointing. He handed me this amazing cocktail which was a gin and tonic and saffron. I wished I was wearing a belted '50s inspired dress.

Geeta's house is stunning (actually, I am unsure if Geeta actually lives in the house where we dined, but for the purposes of this post we'll just assume that she did). She tried to tell us to forget that we were in DC, but my eyes were immediately drawn to the GIGANTIC Obama print framed on the wall. In addition to the art on the walls (map of India, aforementioned Obama-rama), the walls themselves were painted the best colors. They would look terrible on me as clothes, but looked amazing on Geeta's walls. I wondered where all the mail and keys and hair things were, though.

Speaking of Geeta, she is very striking. She changed her shoes about 20 minutes after we arrived. She was wearing a sweater dress, some really fabulous jewelry, and a great scarf wrap situation. I was inspired to wear more scarves and alternative rings after our evening at Hush. I also wanted to find out more about HER life story, but was too busy photographing our evening and conversing with the two people at our Hush experience that weren't part of Amy's birthday spectacular (she was a jewelry artist in Baltimore, the husband was a radiologist).

The meal itself was delicious. The appetizers and main courses were separated by the spice tour (I now know this involves a spice box and a map) we had heard about in the prep emails, which took place back in Geeta's living room. The spice tour ended with sugar in a form I have never experienced before (called jaggery). And if you've ever read W and CP before, you know this is a rare occurrence. It kind of has the salty/sweet flavor profile of caramel with sea salt, but is even more delicious (is that at all possible?).

There was some significant discussion of Geeta's Jain upbringing but I was composing this blog post in my head at that time and therefore don't remember too many of the details. (Except for the fact that there was some audience participation during which Elissa F. answered a tricky question using her theological expertise. Well done, friend.)

Our meal concluded with the first mango lassis of the season! Shehecheyanu! And they were spectacular.

So I'm now all about supper clubs. And I really like the word "supper" and will try to use it more. If I opened my own supper club in a secret location (my apartment), I think it would be serving lots of chocolate matzah and potato kugel this week.

Words with Friends

2011-04-09T16:47:00.002+01:00

I have a running collection of words and phrases that I think we should all make an effort to use more. Why use a mundane word describe something, when another word means the same thing yet is so much more fun? (Synonyms = fun!) Just like with breakfast, shoes, fonts, and lip color... I go through phases about what I prefer in terms of word choice.

Here are a few of my recent faves:

noun \ˈmäk-sē\
Definition of MOXIE: energy, pep; courage, determination; know-how

I like to use moxie in professional settings when it is kind of unexpected, yet still work appropriate. Watch out, Convions!

kid·do \ noun \ˈki-(ˌ)dō\
plural kiddos
Definition of KIDDO: used as a familiar form of address; child, kid

I try to have as many non gendered words for "y'all" up my sleeve at any one time. I think I'm sick of using "kids" and am now going to move to "kiddos" but haven't incorporated it completely yet.

splen·did \ adj \ˈsplen-dəd\
Definition of SPLENDID: possessing or displaying splendor: as a : shining, brilliant b : marked by showy magnificence; illustrious, grand

I attended a conference in 2003 which featured a speaker who referred to a period of her life as being "generally fabulous." It was at that time that I decided to incorporate the word fabulous into my everyday speech. But that was several years ago, so last year I decided to mix it up a bit and sprinkle in splendid in place of fabulous.

sub·lime \ adj \sə-ˈblīm\
Definition of SUBLIME: lofty, grand, or exalted in thought, expression, or manner; of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth; tending to inspire awe usually because of elevated quality (as of beauty, nobility, or grandeur) or transcendent excellence

I wrote a blog post about a year ago about a really great (bland adjective used on purpose) meal. When I reread the post, I'd used the words fabulous and delicious about 10 times each. SO, I actively looked for new words to describe meals that truly inspired awe. (ALSO: My best friend Elissa F. used the word sublime to describe an Indigo Girls concert we attended over the summer. It truly was.)

noun \ˈgal\
Definition of GAL: girl, woman

I know this word is dated. I actually used to really dislike it... but I recently decided to use it more. I am trying to reclaim it. My first image of the word "gals" conjures up polyester pants in unflattering colors and overly teased hair. But since I've started blogging, I've found the word useful when I'm craving a little variety. And who doesn't love a gendered throwback noun now and then?

noun \ˈklüj\
Definition of KLUDGE: a system and especially a computer system made up of poorly matched components

I first heard this word about three months into my time at Convio and couldn't get over it. Then I forgot about it until it recently resurfaced in my life during a conversation this past week. Although it usually lives in computery lands, I think we should take it beyond the shadows of the tech landscape and introduce it to the masses. Shall we?

adj \ˈshī-nē\
Definition of SHINY: having a smooth glossy surface; bright with the rays of the sun, sunshiny; filled with light

This word is just so useful. Consider throwing it into conversation at slightly inappropriate times.

adj \ˈki-kē\
Definition of KICKY: providing a kick or thrill, exciting; also excitingly fashionable

I have my colleague, Cynthia B., to thank for this one! Her most fantastic blog, I am So Not Cool, featured this word in a post about a recent episode of Glee. I'd heard it before, but never really thought of it as a word I'd add to my collection of favorites until that very moment. Thanks Cynthia!

grace·ful \ adj \ˈgrās-fəl\
Definition of GRACEFUL: displaying grace in form or action; pleasing or attractive in line, proportion, or movement

I think this word is far underused. I would also like to be more graceful in general, so sprinkling this word into my everyday speech is a helpful reminder. AND! I love the name Grace for a little girl.

Jew·ess \ noun \ˈjü-əs\
Definition of JEWESS: a Jewish girl or woman

I love the caveat that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary provides for this word: "sometimes offensive." Ha! I'm into Jewess because it describes a mildly offensive Jewish woman. Just like me. (And in the same category as "gals," I'm also into reclaiming this word. To me in screams strong and proud. A big thanks to Jewess With an Attitude for helping me bring this word into vogue again.)

adj \ˈswaŋ-kē\
Definition of SWANK: characterized by showy display, ostentatious, fashionably elegant, smart

This word comes in handy time and time again. I mostly use it because very few things I do are actually swanky, so it is always kind of hilarious in the context of my life. But then again, swanky is in the eye of the beholder... right?

Definition of JONES: to have a strong desire or craving for something

My good friends at Merriam-Webster seem to think this is slang. I don't agree... so I see this as more of a challenge to get jonesing incorporated fully into mainstream American vernacular. Speaking of which, I'm really jonesing for a lobster roll right about now.

he·ro·ic \ adj \hi-ˈrō-ik also her-ˈō- or hē-ˈrō-\
Definition of HEROIC: of, relating to, resembling, or suggesting heroes especially of antiquity, exhibiting or marked by courage and daring; supremely noble or self-sacrificing; of impressive size, power, extent, or effect

I find myself using this word often, and most recently, it fits perfectly with my (not so) secret agenda to do more with superhero capes. Why don't we give people capes as opposed to awards when they win things? And why don't people dress up as superheros more often? This is really a untapped area of creative energy and costuming possibility.

Hill Country BBQ Three Ways

2011-04-06T02:00:00.006+01:00

I love the beginning of This American Life when Ira Glass sums up the theme for the show in a few pithy sentences. I tried to do that with this post and I came up with three distinct frames that really didn’t flow… and when I ran them by Michelle W., Amy B., and Julie F. last night, they suggested I go with all three! So, here are three little intros to welcome you to today’s blog post about BBQ.

Frame One: Side Dish Symphony
When I was growing up, there was this very delicious roasted chicken place in the shopping center near my house. Once and awhile, we’d go there for dinner as a family. I can clearly remember Rebecca G. proclaiming she was “in it for the sides” and ordering what looked like the most delicious meal: three sides arranged on a plate in a symphony of side dish glory.

We’ve discussed my love of the side dish before, and I think I have Rebecca G. to thank for this. Sure, I won’t turn down a really well executed protein experience… but when it comes to evaluating a BBQ or another meat-centric restaurant experience, most of my energy will be spent on the sides (and the dessert and beverage selections, too). After all, how can you call yourself an authentic BBQ establishment if your corn pudding is mediocre?

Frame Two: Ideas Man
Julie F. willingly allows me to call her “my ideas man.” She is not really a man, but she does have LOTS of ideas. Many of which I like to take, make a few changes (or not), and run with. In fact, Many W and CP posts are the products of ideas hashed out over conversation with Julie. So, when Miss F. forwarded an e-mail from Daily Candy about the new Hill Country BBQ hot spot opening in DC’s not very China-esque Chinatown about two weeks ago, I knew we needed to try it. Several e-mails were exchanged and excitement brewed about the possibility of a visit in the very near future.

Fast forward to Saturday. I had just completed a head shot photo shoot with the one and only Janet S. (keep your eyes peeled for her name in lights on Broadway one day soon) and Michelle W. (keep your eyes peeled for her name in Times New Roman in a micro lending publication soon) and we were hungry. It was decided we would venture to Hill Country. As I sat down with my plate of scrumptious looking brisket and sides, I was struck that I was supposed to try Hill Country with Julie F. This was HER idea. So I called her… and after about 30 seconds on the phone I learned that Julie had ALREADY BEEN to Hill Country. Ha! Quote from Julie, “the good news is, we can go again... together!”

Frame Three: Brisket Hands
You may have noticed I spend a good amount of my time away from DC in Austin, TX. In addition to being a very food centric city (see: Where Restaurant Recommendations Flow Like Water), people in Austin are particularly serious about BBQ (as they should be). And this Hill Country BBQ spot is inspired by the capital of the Lone Star state… so I felt a little extra judgey during my Hill County experience because of my affinity for the ATX (and all those Austin residents who I know read W and CP -- you're my fourth most popular city in Google analytics land).

I think my Austintatious friend Louis O.’s recent sentiment during the debrief of an Austin BBQ experience (about three hours after the meal had been consumed) puts him in the non side dish centric/extra serious about BBQ Austinite camp… “I can still smell the brisket on my hands and I don't want to wash them… though eventually I will be forced to do so.” See what I’m talking about now?

BBQ Scenesters
So now that you know about my personal agenda when it comes to BBQ evaluation, I feel I can now fully explain my recent experience at DC’s newest BBQ concept restaurant. I chose the word concept carefully there, as Hill Country BBQ owns the fact that it is trying to be like a little piece of Austin, TX in DC. In fact, upon arrival to Hill Country, one is greeted by a big sign that says “Honoring the BBQ and Live Music Capital of Texas.”

This immediately made me suspicious. Don’t try to be something you’re not… I almost prefer the more understated Capital Q BBQ place around the corner that admits to the fact it is not in Texas and is not trying to be Texan. (On a related note, I feel like dessert items should stick to what they are and not try to get too complicated or be something their not—for example key lime pie flavored pudding—I’d rather just eat normal key lime pie. Can I get an amen here?) Alas, I was hungry and had wanted to try this place since it opened (there has been lots of hype and friends who have tried the NYC sister spot only had good things to say) so I went in.

The first thing I noticed is that Hill Country is HUGE and was CROWDED. There were easily 10 people waiting to put their names down to wait for a table, tons of strollers, and lots of people who… how do I say this tastefully… maybe don’t live in DC and were just visiting? (This is not a negative statement about the lovely people who come to DC to visit during Cherry Blossom season, rather information shared to illustrate the energy inside Hill Country the day I was there. Also, I love Hill interns.)

Casseroles and Corn
We opted to sit at the bar to avoid the 20 minute wait on a Saturday afternoon. I had a few pieces of brisket and two sides (there is some fancy name for this combination involved in an overly intricate meal ticketing system, but I was too focused on the plethora of sweet tea in mason jars and the prospect of green bean casserole). The brisket was fine, but the BBQ chicken I tasted off of Janet’s plate was better. But more importantly, let me tell you about the sides!

I ordered coleslaw and green bean casserole. The coleslaw was uninspired…in fact, it was kind of dry. BUT the green bean casserole was GOOD. And the crispy onions on top were just that—crunchy and salty and oh so good. I also asked for a taste of the warm German potato salad, which was DELICIOUS. I am so sorry I didn’t swap this for the coleslaw (which I had already ordered and was on my tray). Don’t make the same mistake I did – get the warm German potato salad.

The corn bread was dry—as was the sliced white bread that came with the brisket. This is what actually bothered me most. Sliced white bread is so easy to keep fresh—and I am fine with the fact that it obviously isn’t made there. But keep it fresh, okay Hill County kiddos? The corn bread came with this mystery sweet butter, which I didn’t try, but Michelle W. and Janet S. were intrigued by it.

The great part about dining with two zany gals like Michelle and Janet is that you can share their sides. And when I say share, I mean… just eat directly out of the serving containers because we’re all friends here. (They didn’t mind, really.) They opted for the mac and cheese (GOLD STAR) and the corn pudding (DOUBLE GOLD STAR). How could either of those items be bad? Oh they can be… let me tell you that I have (shockingly) met way too many mac and cheeses that I didn’t love (usually the pasta is overcooked, the sauce is bland, or the proportion of sauce/cheese to pasta is off). This mac and cheese committed none of those offenses and was thoroughly enjoyable. And the corn pudding was mellow and splendid. These items are NOT to be missed. And don’t miss the German Potato salad either. Have I mentioned that?

The dessert selection was overwhelming (I specifically remember a peanut butter and jelly filled cupcake—for some reason this makes me feel kind of grossed out so I obviously didn’t order it. See above: key lime pie pudding). I didn’t get any dessert but I will try the very tall and many layered red velvet cake next time I’m there. The sweet tea was plentiful and as I mentioned above, is served in mason jars. This really completed the experience for me.

Wild and Crazy
The cherry atop our Austin-esque BBQ experience was the very helpful Hill Country staffer who showed me around the downstairs of Hill Country (it is also HUGE—possible Bat Mitzvah venue?) as I searched the restaurant for their Wild and Crazy Pearl signage. So to that gentleman, I raise my sweet tea to you.

In short, I’d go back to Hill Country BBQ in the near future. I would order the German potato salad, the green bean casserole, and the corn pudding. I'd make Julie drive me, and actually order the BBQ chicken as opposed to stealing it off of someone else's plate.

Wild and Crazy Right Now

2011-03-27T14:18:00.003+01:00

Hey Buckaroos!

Just another installment of one of my favorite W and CP features, Wild and Crazy Right now (this is a series of posts where I give you a small window into what I'm eating, listening to, hoarding, coveting... right now). Because I know you really want to know, right?

So, here's my late March/Sunday morning/I've been traveling edition.

Sleeping in:

This may not sound like such a big deal, but the last few weeks have included lots of nights on the road. In fact, I have visited seven airports in the month of March. I really love traveling and especially love discovering new delicious places to dine, reconnecting with my friends across the country, and signing the gospel of online organizing at conferences--but I also love sleeping in my own bed. And I am currently luxuriating in the fact that I get to sleep in my very own bed for many, many nights in a row.

Listening to:

I was gchatting with the one and only Rebecca G. a few weeks ago when I mentioned I was looking for some new tunes. She forwarded an e-mail from a friend recommending The Tallest Man on Earth. I did a little iTunes research and decided to purchase an entire album (daring!) which turned out to be one of the best plane soundtrack decisions I've ever made. People are saying he sounds like Bob Dylan and I agree...

Appreciating:

I happened upon the daffodil display at Trader Joe's the other day... I was lured in by the promise of Spring and lingered because they smelled SO good. I decided to purchase three bunches which look great in this Ball canning jar on my bed side table. Although you'd never know it by DC's 40 degree temps of late, I am hopeful Spring will be here sooner or later and am just getting the celebration started a little early.

Photographing:

That's right, you're looking at a pelvic model and a scarf used by queen doula, Penny Simkin, during a little doula conference I photographed yesterday. I happened upon these two items on a folding chair in the middle of a crowded room of doulas and natural birth advocates and just thought the arrangement summed up the day so well. A big thanks to Michele P. for including me in the day and allowing me to photograph the festivities.

Like It, Like It

2011-02-24T00:20:00.005Z

Chicakdees--

I am very excited about this here post. I got the idea to keep a list of things I like from my sister, the fabulous Rebecca G. She carries a list of things she enjoys (including weeping willow trees and small towns) with her at all times. I have been in her presence when she's added new items. It is thrilling.

The title was inspired by my tiny niece Livvy. A few months ago, Liv learned how to tell us when she wanted more of something or was really into what was going on by loudly proclaiming the words "LIKE IT" (and sometimes repeating this sentence in the sweetest way, multiple times). I love Livvy's zeal for the things she enjoys and am trying to pay more attention to my own "like it" list.

So today, in honor of my 186th post here on W and CP, I've decided to share a list of 186 things I like. This list is certainly not exhaustive. And it is in no particular order (in fact, I used a special formula in Excel to sort the list randomly). And no, it did not take me long to write. The hard part was narrowing it down to 186 because, as we both know, there are lots of things I like.

Happy reading,
Em

factory tours
depth of field
house guests
Mrs. Grossman's stickers (notably the very small solid butterflies)
art or photographs framed with thick white mats or in shadow boxes
waking up early
pigtails (on little people without much hair, on adults)
graduations
well formatted PowerPoint presentations
the L2 bus
1980s inspired hair, music, movies, and themed proms
flat knee high boots
giving personalized gifts
agendas
songs I know by heart
karaoke
macro photography
high tea
dirty vodka martinis with three olives
generously sized serving platters
books for children with progressive political messages
decorative scissors
meat loaf
oldies
fan clubs
mashed potatoes
birth story photography
local advocacy
NPR
people who google me before meeting me and admit it
conferences
colorful backsplashes
college a capella groups
Planned Parenthood
owning it (the TV network, and in the "wave your freak flag" kind of way)
meeting new people (see also: talking to people I don't know)
festive stamps
high ceilings
strong handshakes
effective meeting facilitators
unpretentious yoga classes
bearded men and bow ties
bulleted lists
call and response (I used to use "I say Barack, you say Obama" when I was organizing volunteers during the DNC and it was highly effective)
porches
going to sleep early
fairs and festivals
logistics
paperless offices
public speaking
multiple bangle bracelets worn at one time
sunshine (on my face and used well in photographs)
eyelashes
diners
double stick tape
Christmas lights used year-round
supporting small, locally owned businesses
handmade rally signs
GPS technology
orange
crowd sourcing
really cold water in big glasses with crushed ice
things that are small and colorful (confetti, sprinkles, and glitter)
water aerobics
handwriting (sending and receiving hand written notes, jaunty handwriting that doesn't jive with its owner)
nail services
underdogs
talking to people I don't know (see also: meeting new people)
chart paper
well seasoned cast iron pans
jigsaw puzzles
Dreft laundry detergent
conditioner
wish lists
movies about social justice that are fun to watch and action inspiring
dancing (especially at weddings, and more specifically, doing the electric slide at weddings)
pictures of shadows, especially at the beach
urban sneakers
creatively wrapped gifts
high tech meets low tech
old chairs with bold patterns
sugar (in the form of Levain Bakery cookies, or in any other form)
high fives
merry-go-rounds
personalized high quality stationery on thick card stock
clear or sparkly lip gloss
grassroots organizing
exposed brick
care packages
the Chesapeake bay (specifically sailing on, singing the song, and eating things with Old Bay seasoning)
strategically placed exclamation points
cover bands
hobbies
greens (beet greens, kale, and rainbow chard)
enthusiasm
candy (most notably Cadburry Creme Eggs, Habro "blackberries," and chocolate covered Peeps)
palak paneer
gorilla and chimpanzee moms with their babies
themed parties
flowers (specifically big bunches of monochromatic peonies, stargazer lilies, and gerber daisies)
leg warmers
product recommendations
children wearing costumes at inappropriate times
brooches
collectors
tone on tone color combinations
jazz leaps
ice breakers
documentation
sweet tea
file folders in kicky patterns
locally sourced produce, dairy (especially raw milk cheese)
good cries
big sunglasses
balloon arches
food trucks
craft projects (specifically crafting with friends in the afternoon… or crafternoons)
women drinking hot beverages (I find this hilarious, especially when it is really cold out. I will do an imitation of the specific posture I find amusing next time I see you. I promise.)
parenthetical statements
aisle seats
emotional intelligence
acrostic poems (very useful for celebrating birthdays on Facebook)
the #7, #24, and #104 Wilton icing tips
talking about home towns and high school jobs
Excel
community gardens
Mr. Sketch magic markers and most broad, chisel tip markers
sandwiches with lots of very thinly shredded lettuce
overuse of screen shots
throwback photos
decoupage
documentaries
Honest tea
cowboy boots
social media
breakfast (breakfast tacos, breakfast sandwiches, going out for breakfast, breakfast in bed)
pattered tights
roadside attractions
prominent patterns paired with subtle ones
fried chicken
boldly colored eye liner
learning, tweeting about, and using new words, regional sayings, and colloquial expressions
stroopwaffel
hooded sweatshirts
eleven o'clock AM
parents holding hands, especially in public
puffy painted t-shirts
playing Jewish geography (especially with the assistance of Facebook)
picnics (anywhere, but hopefully in the winter and/or at the beach)
internet shopping
tiny tiny baby feet
serendipity
naps
restaurant recommendations
synonyms
fonts (my heart belongs to sans serif fonts, but serfis do have their place in the font world)
record players
short, bright nails
shoulder seasons
polka dots
Spanx
local celebrities
farmers markets
wrap dresses
repurposing the word beshert and the Shehecheyanu
large open work surfaces (example: the big counter in Amy B.'s kitchen)
ellipses
reclaiming traditions
doctor's offices with good magazine selections
voting
well groomed eyebrows
after school activities
Almay eye makeup remover pads
story tellers
fancy restaurants
personal fashion statements
celebrations (especially for non-traditional or mundane purposes)
down comforters
sweatpants
baby bellies
large quantities of unused craft and office supplies
teaching commonly used Yiddush words
green glass vases
the 1950s (when informing bathing suit styles, eye liner, and menu planning)
malted milk shakes
snail mail
uniquely patterned socks