I was in Ohio for Christmas, staying with my sister Valerie. My Mom and Dad and Tina came too. One day we went to a town called Dublin to visit some old NJ friends. Tina is obsessed with knitting and asked them if they knew of a knitting store in Dublin. She figured since we were in farm country, there must be some local yarn around. They gave us directions to a place around the corner, but of course, we got lost and as we continued to drive around, we found this place. A new cupcake place to try! How perfect to find my obsession and Tina's obsession on the same block! So Tina and Mom went to check out the yarn, and Val and I went to check out the cupcakes.
We walked in and it smelled delicious and even though I had been eating non-stop for a few days, I got excited for a new cupcake adventure! We talked to the owner and found out that this was a new twist on cupcakes. You pick your bald cupcake (i.e. no frosting) then pick from several flavors of frosting that are sitting out and frost your own cupcake the way you want it, then pay by the ounce. Valerie loved this idea (she got Vanilla with half mint frosting and half raspberry frosting). That's too much work for me, so I chose one that was already frosted. (Vanilla/vanilla, of course.) I took one bite and realized immediately that it was MADE FROM A MIX!! I gave a bite to my mom, just to see what she thought and she agreed. I didn't even have to work very hard to figure it out because I had just eaten a piece of cake that my sister made for my nephew's birthday that tasted exactly the same. (Yes, from a mix, which is just the way I would have done it... but it's not acceptable when you are selling cupcakes for $2 each. Val decorated Thomas' cake and it was super cute... I'll add a picture of it later!)
After cupcakes, we walked down the block to the yarn store and Tina was also disappointed that she couldn't find local yarn, so she settled for Italian yarn. Typical! It was a bust all the way around. Except for the chocolate we bought at our friends' place, which was the real reason we went to Dublin in the first place.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Happy Hanukkah
For those of you who, like me, are going through Daily Show withdrawals, here's a little something to tide you over.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
30 Rock quote of the week -- Christmas episode
A great episode. It even had the requisite tender moments in the end between Jack and his mom, so that everyone knows that the Christmas spirit lives on! A notable quote from Kenneth:
I don't believe people would do that. This is a religious holiday. When has religion caused any trouble?
Another notable quote from Blond Actress after being told she would have to work on Christmas:
Christmas is a sacred time for me and my surrogate family. So if you are willing to look four 25 year old gay guys in the eyes and tell them we are not going to see New Kids on the Block at the Borgata, be my guest!
Yes, these two quotes show the normal cynicism of the show... but remember, there was this moment between Jack and his mom! All is forgiven.
I don't believe people would do that. This is a religious holiday. When has religion caused any trouble?
Another notable quote from Blond Actress after being told she would have to work on Christmas:
Christmas is a sacred time for me and my surrogate family. So if you are willing to look four 25 year old gay guys in the eyes and tell them we are not going to see New Kids on the Block at the Borgata, be my guest!
Yes, these two quotes show the normal cynicism of the show... but remember, there was this moment between Jack and his mom! All is forgiven.
The Office quote of the week -- Christmas episode
The quote from this week goes to Dwight. First of all, I love that he bought out all the dolls and sold them off for $200 each. Dwight is obviously an idiot.... but not as dumb as people that would pay $200 for some stupid doll. (Yes, I realize this is TV, but we all know it happens in real life.)
I also loved this:
The official quote of the week: In the Shrute family, we believe in a five-fingered intervention. Awareness, education, control, acceptance, and punching.
I also loved this:
The official quote of the week: In the Shrute family, we believe in a five-fingered intervention. Awareness, education, control, acceptance, and punching.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
What comes after the Finale?
you know how sometimes there are movies and then there's a sequel and more sequels and just when you think it's the end, Rocky 6 and a new Rambo movie are released in the same year?
Back in October, I reported that my tomato plant had yielded it's last piece of fruit, but guess what? I just picked one today on December 9!! I pulled the plant in off of my fire escape when it started to get cold and that thing is DEAD. But all of a sudden, a little green branch sprung up from the dead one, and then I noticed a flower on it. Although I was getting ready to get rid of the thing all together, I decided I should wait and see what happens. Well, this is what happened.
Then two weeks ago, I noticed another little green branch springing up. I don't even water this thing anymore. I would really like to get this eye sore out of my apartment, but isn't that biting the hand that feeds you?
Back in October, I reported that my tomato plant had yielded it's last piece of fruit, but guess what? I just picked one today on December 9!! I pulled the plant in off of my fire escape when it started to get cold and that thing is DEAD. But all of a sudden, a little green branch sprung up from the dead one, and then I noticed a flower on it. Although I was getting ready to get rid of the thing all together, I decided I should wait and see what happens. Well, this is what happened.Then two weeks ago, I noticed another little green branch springing up. I don't even water this thing anymore. I would really like to get this eye sore out of my apartment, but isn't that biting the hand that feeds you?
Sunday, December 7, 2008
The Office quote of the week -- 12/4
Hank, the security guy, said, "I like this chair. Offers good support. It is 'urkel-nomically' correct."
30 Rock quote of the week -- 12/4
Kenneth to Liz Lemon: Your landlord called. He said it's not the toilet. It's you.
Her response: His opinion.
This is especially relevant to me this week. On the Friday after Thanksgiving, I made a Thanksgiving dinner for about 5 people. I was washing dishes all day with no problem. Then after everyone left, I had about 3 more pans and all the serving dishes to do and about halfway through, the sink just stopped draining. I was determined to fix the problem myself and not call the super, but my attempts did not work and I had to call the super the next day. He did not get back to me until my second call on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he came up and tried the things I had already tried, and when that did not work, he called the plumber, who could not come until Friday. So that's a full week without a kitchen sink. Annoying, yes, but there are many worse problems in the world than washing dishes in the bathroom sink. However, when I came home from work/other things on Friday night, there was a note saying that I could still not use the kitchen sink. Whatever had plugged up my sink got pushed down to the first floor and now the other sinks in the building were backing up and he had to call the plumber in on a Saturday to fix the problem. When I ran into the super in the hallway Saturday afternoon, he said the problem was now fixed after laying a ton of guilt on me for ruining the pipes in the whole building. His assessment was that it was turkey grease. Okay, I said, I guess I'm guilty then.
Today, however, he just came to tell me that now the fourth floor is backing up and we can't use the sink again until the plumber can come back on Tuesday. Now, I really have to wonder. Could all of this be the problem of one 9 pound turkey? Especially when the pan I used to cook it in was one of those disposable ones that I disposed of instead of washing, as I have been known to do?
He said that 99% of the plumbing problems will be in the bathroom and then said, "You really have to be a genius to do this to a kitchen sink." Does this mean I'm a genius??
Her response: His opinion.
This is especially relevant to me this week. On the Friday after Thanksgiving, I made a Thanksgiving dinner for about 5 people. I was washing dishes all day with no problem. Then after everyone left, I had about 3 more pans and all the serving dishes to do and about halfway through, the sink just stopped draining. I was determined to fix the problem myself and not call the super, but my attempts did not work and I had to call the super the next day. He did not get back to me until my second call on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he came up and tried the things I had already tried, and when that did not work, he called the plumber, who could not come until Friday. So that's a full week without a kitchen sink. Annoying, yes, but there are many worse problems in the world than washing dishes in the bathroom sink. However, when I came home from work/other things on Friday night, there was a note saying that I could still not use the kitchen sink. Whatever had plugged up my sink got pushed down to the first floor and now the other sinks in the building were backing up and he had to call the plumber in on a Saturday to fix the problem. When I ran into the super in the hallway Saturday afternoon, he said the problem was now fixed after laying a ton of guilt on me for ruining the pipes in the whole building. His assessment was that it was turkey grease. Okay, I said, I guess I'm guilty then.
Today, however, he just came to tell me that now the fourth floor is backing up and we can't use the sink again until the plumber can come back on Tuesday. Now, I really have to wonder. Could all of this be the problem of one 9 pound turkey? Especially when the pan I used to cook it in was one of those disposable ones that I disposed of instead of washing, as I have been known to do?
He said that 99% of the plumbing problems will be in the bathroom and then said, "You really have to be a genius to do this to a kitchen sink." Does this mean I'm a genius??
Thursday, December 4, 2008
movie reviews
I have seen three movies in the past week, so I thought I'd review them. (No, Twilight is not one of them.)
Australia was okay, but pretty disappointing on the whole. I think some people might see it just because they like Hugh Jackman. I've never really been on board with that one, although I do understand why people like him. So if that's all you care about, go see it because he looks great. I think that Baz Luhrman was going for something here, but he tried too hard and missed the mark. If you like shots of Hugh Jackman standing, the wind in his hair, swelling music and dramatic Australian desert in the background, this is the movie for you. If you like similar shots of Nicole Kidman, again, this movie is for you.
Slumdog Millionaire was very good. A little too violent for my taste, but not your usual Hollywood cliche. Plus, poor orphans in India. Right up my alley. There was also a preview for The Wrestler, which I have to admit, I might actually see.
Four Christmases. I am not always a fan of holiday movies but I was expecting to like this movie, but I looooved it! It was the perfect vehicle for Vince Vaughn. I like him a lot, but I refuse to see him in anything co-starring Owen Wilson, so I don't get to see very many of his movies. I'm going to quote Owen Gleiberman from EW:
It's a pleasure to see Vaughn play an actual character — a nervous motormouth who speaks in loop-the-loop sentences he uses to talk himself into things.
Also, you'd think that celebrating Christmas four times would get old and tired for the viewer, but finally here is a movie that does it right! It is exactly an hour and a half, which is what comedies should be. I thought it was hilarious and can even recommend it to my mom.
Australia was okay, but pretty disappointing on the whole. I think some people might see it just because they like Hugh Jackman. I've never really been on board with that one, although I do understand why people like him. So if that's all you care about, go see it because he looks great. I think that Baz Luhrman was going for something here, but he tried too hard and missed the mark. If you like shots of Hugh Jackman standing, the wind in his hair, swelling music and dramatic Australian desert in the background, this is the movie for you. If you like similar shots of Nicole Kidman, again, this movie is for you.
Slumdog Millionaire was very good. A little too violent for my taste, but not your usual Hollywood cliche. Plus, poor orphans in India. Right up my alley. There was also a preview for The Wrestler, which I have to admit, I might actually see.
Four Christmases. I am not always a fan of holiday movies but I was expecting to like this movie, but I looooved it! It was the perfect vehicle for Vince Vaughn. I like him a lot, but I refuse to see him in anything co-starring Owen Wilson, so I don't get to see very many of his movies. I'm going to quote Owen Gleiberman from EW:
It's a pleasure to see Vaughn play an actual character — a nervous motormouth who speaks in loop-the-loop sentences he uses to talk himself into things.
Also, you'd think that celebrating Christmas four times would get old and tired for the viewer, but finally here is a movie that does it right! It is exactly an hour and a half, which is what comedies should be. I thought it was hilarious and can even recommend it to my mom.
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