cappuccino maker

Cappuccino Maker   |kæpʊˈtʃinoʊ ˈmeɪkər|

1.a household appliance used for making cappuccino, an Italian coffee drink made with espresso and milk

 2. having exceptional sexual skill; term derived from Golden Girls S04E14 “Love Me Tender” which can be seen here

usage-Leah was not impressed with his dancing skills, but very impressed with his cappuccino maker.  

haunted house

haunted house |ˈhɔntɪd haʊs| 

1. inhabited or frequented by ghosts

2. an individual preoccupied with memories of a past romantic relationship; a person plagued by feelings of regret, remorse or intense longing with regards to a former lover

3. an undateable man or woman


usage-After reading his email on how he couldn't go down the path of a relationship due to residual feelings for his ex, Leah breathed a sigh of relief; she narrowly escaped moving into a haunted house.  

recipe

Thanks to an obscenely expensive study called Britain's Understanding Society Project, we can all sleep a little easier tonight knowing that the solution to our relationship woes is a very simple ratio of youth, education and birth control.

According to the data gathered so far, happiness with one's partner declines with the duration of the union and with a person's age. Marriages are happier than cohabiting unions, a trend that rises for better-educated people. In turn, children are happier with their family situation if their parents are happy.

The happiest relationships are those less than five years in duration, between two people educated to degree level, who have no children and where the man is employed.

The decline in happiness is steeper for women than men. Overall, older people are less happy in their relationships.

Among men, unemployment brings with it lower levels of happiness with their partner, although income appears to be unrelated to relationship happiness among men and is only mildly important for women.

Wait, you're trying to tell me 20 years of research concluded that young, wealthy, newlyweds with no children are the happiest? That $80 million was worth every penny. Well done Britain, truly.

returnism

I'm back from the southern hemisphere with a new numerical age (though not a new mental or emotional age) ready to start a lot of new beginnings.

I ended my affair with the guy mentioned in this post. We got along better sans les vêtements, c'est le vie. Unfortunate because I thought we might have had "something" but then I realized that I could never devote myself to someone who refrained from doing what felt good because he was too concerned with what looked good. Cuz I don't give a damn about my bad reputation. Plus none of my friends liked him. Not. A. Single. One. Love is blind, but bystanders usually aren't. Food for thought.

Interestingly enough all the produce in the Dutch Antilles is shipped in from the US so I was basically eating the same things I'd be eating here which was a disappointing. I did pick up a Caribbean cookbook however and if anyone knows where I can buy iguana meat let me know. It's not sold at Trader Joe's.

A few photo highlights.

the end of the earth

a bird in hand is worth 2 in a birdcage

proof i was actually there

One side of the island was white sand and calm seas the other side crashing waves against lava rock cliffs, the dichotomy is not lost on me. It's not too late for me to change the location of the bakery. Dessert for thought.

escapism

I've never been more ready for a change of scenery in my life.

"I love you New York, but you're bringing me down..." LCD Soundsystem

A trip to Aruba is probably the best birthday gift I've ever received. But this comes pretty close...




Professional grade, with all the attachments, and I literally squealed with delight upon it delivery to me. Its big enough to mix bread dough for 3 loaves! Bigger is totally better. Yeah, I went there.

In an unrelated note-if you ever find yourself drunk at a bar sitting between your current lover and a former lover with whom you have a very sordid past, run. Nothing good will come from this situation. Nothing.

I should have run.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

these strange days

I have fallen off the wagon.

I have fallen off the wagon in every possible capacity. I'm out of focus. I'm not writing about the things I should be writing about; the string of awkward dates, my mastery of gingerbread making, how excited I am about everyone wearing capes instead of coats (I totally have one) and how I met a marvelous boy last week who managed to snatch my attention from the things that need it and focus it on him, like sunlight through a magnifying glass. Sometimes I feel as if I might burst into flames. I feel too much - I feel too much and it's absolutely terrifying. Broody eyes and crooked dimples are bringing me to my knees. He cups my chin and I'm melting into his palm.

She falls, she's fallen, she fell.

I spent the last 3 days playing victim to the blizzard, making cups of darjeeling, roasting salmon in tinfoil, and sauntering around wearing little.

It was the first time he'd ever seen snow. That kind of enthusiasm is contagious and I've never seen Clinton St look so lovely. I did finally go home to my apartment today, bittersweetly. Tonight is the second night we've slept apart. I met him 10 days ago.

well they say can't please everyone

but i'm stuck on a winning streak

well today's there's clarity

and tonight i see tomorrow

all at one the winter's here

all the lochs are frozen over

-the walkmen--while i shovel the snow

So what does a girl do to pass the day away? When life gives you lemons what do you do with them? Gossip, hum along to Madeleine Peyroux, bake.

I spent the day making little Russian Tea Cakes, Hermes wrapped around my head, video chatting with my bookend. I tweaked the ratios causing them literally melt on your tongue. You're left with a little mouthful of buttery sugar and the scent of almonds. Tiny luxuries, like tiny victories, are the the biggest joys.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup toasted and ground almonds (or hazelnuts, whatev)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven 325, if you have parchment paper laying around, line your pan with it. If you don't, it's not a big deal, butter your pan just a little.

Combine butter and granulted sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium speed with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes. Add almonds and mix on low speed until blended. Add the dry ingredients and beat until the dough forms crumbly looking little clumps. Don't worry if it doesn't look like normal cookie dough, it's not supposed to.

To form each cookie, roll a tablespoon's worth of crumbly dough between your palms into a 1 inch ball. It will sort of melt together and take shape. Set them down on your pan firmly so the bottom flatten a bit.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned and the tops are barely colored. Let them cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cook completely.

Once cool, gently roll the cookies in confectioner's sugar to coat them. If you do this while they are still too warm, the sugar will melt and form a hard glaze instead of a powedery jacket. (I've done this) They keep for about 4 days in an airtight container, though they are usually long gone by them. Enjoy.

scenes seen

Leah to Grace via text "this date is like Millionare Matchmaker Long Island edition. At least the drinks are paid for...are you still in the village?"

Grace to Leah "Yay free drinks! I'm on my way home, outta money and outta sobriety."