Now that's what I call cheesecake

Alone

Growing up in a very large family, I was seldom alone. There was always a sister, brother, exchange student, friend, friendly stranger, etc. around to keep you company, and safe from the creaks and quirks of our old house in Denver. We were all together. And I was safe. And loved. And happy.

Then I left for DC, and waved to the friends, and house, and strangers, and exchange students from the airplane window. But I was not alone. I had my sister by my side, and more sisters, brothers, grandparents, friends, and friendly strangers waiting for me on the other end. And when we walked into our new apartment hand in hand, Two and I were together. And I was safe. And loved. And happy.

Then came Baltimore--by many accounts a scary old city. But Two came with me, and brother C soon joined us, and we met some of the friendliest strangers one could hope to meet. Our friendly strangers then became simply friends, and some of them lovers, or husbands, or wives. And the city wasn't so scary because we were together. And I was safe. And loved. And happy.

I have always had "us" or "we," and seldom just "me." And I love being together with the parties that be. But as I grow older I'm not so afraid of alone. I like to go out with just me and my mind. And meander about leaving the others behind. Instead of a hand, I'll hold a book, or a leaf, or a camera ready to shoot. And I'm with just me. And I am safe. And loved. And happy.












Confessions of a Serial eBay Shopper: How To Make eBay Work For You

Call it an obsession.  Call it a confession, but I can't help it.  I  love being in eBaytionships.  Sometimes, more than one a week.  There are just so many good options.  And just when it seems like all the good things are taken or out of your league  price range, you find it; Exactly what your looking for at a price you are happy to pay.  eBay puts the joy of the hunt back into shopping.  Not that "shopping" and "joy of the hunt" are anagrams... but I digress...   

How can a four letter word make me so crazy!? Maybe this is how.

My most recent aquisitions:

Never Worn Wool Cashmere Blend Sweater Dress from Anthropology: $15.

New with tags BCBG 100% Cashmere tunic: $16.50 (with shipping)

New with tags Cole Haan purse: $27.50

Lantern Style metal lamp: $4.99

21 bottles of brand-spankin'-new LIQUITEX professional acrylic paint: $31.11


You can get hurt in an eBayshionship.  But this holiday season, these five tips should help you navigating love's eBay's plentiful waters.

5. Read the fine print.  This is why (I get) people get burned.  Like that time (I got) this friend of mine got the "Egyptian comfort 1200tm sheets", which I they read as "Egyptian Cotton, 1200tc (thread count) sheets", but ended up being closer to thread bare, polyester garbage.*

4.  In that same spirit, Look at the bad or neutral reviews a seller has received.  If it says the clothes were wrinkled, there probably isn't a problem.  But if it says the merchandise was crap or inauthentic, find another seller.  Check reviews more thoroughly with international sales.  Because of quality and shipping (oh, and patriotism too. . . I guess), I have taken to buying almost exclusively from American vendors.

3. The Buy it now option can be an easier way to shop on eBay. Occasionally, it's a great deal.

2. Talk to the seller.  There are a lot of people who make their living selling things on eBay.  If you have a specific need and you find a seller who sells what you need, ask if you can arrange a Buy It Now option on eBay.  This is how I bought favors for my wedding reception.  I knew I wanted leatherman micras and vintage lacquered pins.  I found sellers who sold those products and they both gave me amazing deals that were protected through an eBay sale.

1.  Remember: Ebay is a lot like dating ... but with durable and non durable goods. What I'm trying to say is timing is everything.  Don't bid until the last minute (and when I say last minute, I mean last 5 seconds).  Bid for as much as you are willing to pay.  It will only charge you for as many incremental bids as it takes for you to win.**  Type in your bid with a minute to go and click on "place bid."  A screen will come up asking you to confirm your bid.  Wait til there are 5 seconds left on the timer, and then click confirm!

Happy bidding!

*Though they were closer to garbage, they were new garbage in the original packaging.  This blogger would not recommend buying bed linens unless they are new.


**For example, let's say the current bid is 9.99 but I am willing to pay 27 dollars. Unless someone else bids more than $27, it will only increase my bid by a dollar fifty or whatever the incremental bid is.  But if other people are bidding, it will allow me to bid upto the limit of what I want to pay automatically.

Places to Spend Thanksgiving*

*other than the kitchen

We woke up Thanksgiving morning in a charming B+B in Moab, Utah, enjoyed our buckwheat pancakes, fresh berries and sausages, and went out to enjoy some scenery.

We toured through Arches National Park, hiked a bit, and helped Princess H get certified as a Junior Park Ranger. She got a badge.


Yes, the dogs came.




One of many photos "directed" by Princess H. She has very strong opinions about what makes a good picture; Usually Princess H in an odd pose.

I feel pretty confident that we didn't get a holiday card picture out of this trip...
Our plan was to stop somewhere for dinner on the way to Nanny and Grandpa's (who had plans to eat earlier in the day). But options ended up being pretty bleak.  We decided to press on to the Salt Lake suburbs, where we indulged in the offerings of a magical little French chalet, situated at the intersection of classy and kitch, where so many great holiday memories are made. Well worth the delayed gratification.


Another winning family picture.

The gardens around the restaurant were so charming. They reminded us of Keukenhof, with Christmas lights instead of tulips!
The rest of the weekend was lovely. We passed a few short days with Nanny and Grandpa, I saw exactly two friends, experienced my inaugural excursion to the lights at Temple Square, and scored a pair of $2 Ralph Lauren corduroys for Princess H at D.I. All in all, a really wonderful set of reminders of the things in my life for which I'm so profoundly grateful.

Five is Popping!

Five is popping up all over the place this weekend!  Find more pictures of the wedding at La Petite Coquin, a new editorial for the Huffington Post, lots of pictures of our food on FoodEpix and Four's exquisite Cheddar Galette on Tastespotting!

We hope you're having a wonderful holiday weekend.  Stay tuned for more recipes, stories and holiday crafts right here on Five!

Sometimes I do things just to make you jealous. . . I'm sorry.


The Dessert Table
(needless to say, we made/I ate these first)

Pumkin Pie with Rummed Hazelnut Cream : Salted Pecan Pie : Ginger Snap and Coconut Pumpkin Tart : Apple Cheddar Galette : Apple Praline Pie : Pumpkin Pie : Parmesan Pumpkin Pine-nut Focaccia (not dessert, but color coordinated)
*Not pictured: Spiced Cheesecake : Pear Cakelettes

The Prelude
(worth the tummy space?)

French Brie : Aged White Cheddar : Smoked Gouda : Cranberry Stilton

.
The Main Event
(my belly still hurts)

Mashed Potatoes : Vegetable Gravy : Cornbread and Yam Shepard's Pie : Salsa Colorado : Red Wine Braised Brussel Sprouts : Carrot Souffle : Creamed Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecan Crust : Stuffing : Cilantro and Rocket Salad : Cranberry Sauce : Salt-Seared Tofu with Cloudberry (yes, cloudberry) Reduction : Kale : Roasted Beets with Balsamic Butter and Chevre : Hard-crusted Nut Bread
*Not pictured: Root Beer Braised Turkey








.
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Leftovers, anyone?

If I could invent my own holiday

If I could invent my own holiday, I think it would be a lot like Thanksgiving--except instead of eating turkey, a magical little bird would deliver gifts to all of the grateful girls and boys, football would be replaced with nice long walks, and the evening would culminate in a spectacular firework display. Also, everyone would have to dress up in Rococo inspired garb, there would be Thanksgiving music (I'm thinking a mixture between Yelle, Donkeyboy, the soundtrack to Jesus Christ Superstar and the Muppet Christmas Carol...) and people would carry lit sparklers around. all. day. Yep, other than those little tweaks, it would be just like Thanksgiving because I adore this holiday! Family, good food, and gratitude are kind of at the crux of everything that makes life worth living.
 I love that we have a holiday devoted to these simple--yet superlative--pleasures.




       +

=
Winning

Happy Thanksgiving!

With Love, From A Storm Drain: A Story of Gratitude

Mr. Two and I drove about 7 hours from Cleveland to DC tonight.  We got home about an hour and a half ago.  It was rainy and cold the whole way, but we made it.  When we did, the parking spaces were full, so we pulled up at the end of the block.  As Mr. Two remembers it, he was about to open the door of the car and noticed the sewage drain was right behind him.

"Hmmm..." he thought to himself, "I hope nothing falls out of the car door."  With that, he opened the door.  Why, I still don't know.

Sure enough, a $500 piece of medical equipment tumbled out of the car and down the sewage drain.  No joke.  I had no idea what happened, but when he gave me an extremely cute and sheepish look, I knew it couldn't be good.

But Mr. Two was undeterred.  He stuck his two fingers inside of the very heavy covering to the the man hole, opened it up, found a pole, attached a hanger to it and though it took close to an hour, fished the little suitcase filled with my medical machine out.  With some bleach, it should be good as new.

  

A Not-at-all Exhaustive Catalogue of Things for Which I Am Deeply, Wildly, Profoundly Grateful*

*This week
Friends with whom I can be myself without editing or apology

Glorious afternoon walks

Brothers, in general

Z, in particular 

Inspirational strangers

Perspective

Sisters
(but that goes without saying...)

A good vet

That extra seat on the plane from Philly to Denver

Jet lag that makes me feel like a morning person

Every awesome bit of my children 

Colorado tap water (oh, delicious bliss!)

24-hour Christmas music playing inappropriately early, coinciding with and dramatically mitigating a Bad Mood Day

My handsome, hardworking, hilarious husband

The Denver Children's Museum

Neglected loved ones who love me anyway

Seeing Princess H sing (sort of) in church two consecutive Sundays with kids of dear friends from three decades

Happy memories in my parents' big white house

Momo

Good advice

Unimaginable abundance

Speaking of abundance -- check out this edible art created by one of my favorite people. It's seriously as big as Tiny... and nearly as delicious!

A Colorado Adventure, Part II

By popular demand...

I LOVE my home state, and there are so many things people don't know about. If I wanted to cram as many of them into a week-long stay as I could, here's how I'd do it:

Spend a day or two eating and looking around Denver-- visit the Denver Art Museum, catch a show at DPAC, get dinner in Larimer Square, visit the 16th Street Mall, the Highlands, and some of the eateries from my earlier post.



Next, drive down to Colorado Springs through the Garden of the Gods and visit our boys in blue at the US Air Force Academy. For a grande finale to your day, treat yourself to a night at the Flying W Ranch-- with singing cowboys, dirt roads, spurs and horses, the West doesn't get much more Western than this; the show is funny, the food is good, and the place -- well -- it's just a bit of magic.  It doesn't have the best vegetarian options, but it never disappoints.


Stay at the Broadmoor Hotel and Resort (not to be confused with infamous the mental institute). Circa 1891, it was built by the extremely wealthy brother of Senator Penrose after he amassed a mining fortune in Cripple Creek Colorado. With skiing, skating, (it's where the U.S. Hockey team and figure skating teams train), Olympic sized pools, a spa, golf, shows, etc., you're sure to be entertained. When we were kids, they had a family deal around the holidays and all of us would cram into one or two rooms. We got high tea every day and a visit with Santa Clause. Considering there were 11 kids, it was an extraordinarily reasonable though squished mini vacation. Try to sucker them into letting you stay in the old hotel. But where ever you stay, it is a wonderful treat.


Within Colorado's Rocky Mountains are over a dozen different mountain ranges.  Situated in the Wet Mountain Range is Bishop's Castle, monumental deathtrap if one ever existed but one worth seeing. Next to Crazy Horse in South Dakota, it is the largest monument or structure made by a single man in the United States.  Jim Bishop is known to be quite the character, so be forewarned

For lunch, take a picnic with you to Le Veta Pass. You can pack one before or pick up fixings at the market on main street in down town Le Veta. A few days a week, there is a fantastic bakery open too, but the days change, so ask around. While you're in town, check out some of the galleries. The art is beautiful. The people are friendly. It's like Aspen, 50 years ago.

I would continue down Highway 160. It is a little treacherous, but one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Stay in Pagosa Springs that night. Oprah loves it and you will too.  They have everything from super decked out spas to low end hotels, all with access to their hot springs.  The next morning, continue to Mesa Verde State Park. You will find elaborate cliff dwellings. Very rightfully a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most amazing things you will ever see.

From http://www.wayfaring.info

Next, go skiing! Telluride, Silverton and Durango Mountain will be some of your closer options. It will take a whole day to drive to Aspen, Vail, Crested Butte, Winter Park/Mary Jane, Steamboat (the BEST snow), Arapaho Basin, Copper Mountain (one of my family's go-to spots) or some of the hills further North. But we will save skiing and other mountain adventures for Part III. For now, you have something to chew on. 
The Art of Subtle Communication





Full tutorial here.

Murmuration

Wait for it.


Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Murmuration is a rare event that takes place when certain kinds of starlings nest.  Hundreds and thousands of birds descend on the same place and put on a show that looks like something straight out of Harry Potter. My grandmother sent this along for Z's birthday and I thought you might enjoy it.  

Five of my favorite things.

Autumn. Little brothers. Nieces. Nephews. Barracks Row.

How to host a totally stress-free birthday party!

Seriously! It was amazing!

My number one tip is this: decide you're throwing the thing less than 24 hours in advance. If you don't plan anything, there's no pressure! Whatever works out is great! I seriously checked the weather report and dashed off a note to friends while the kids played at the park, inviting folks to meet us there the following afternoon. Doing it at the park means there is no preparation for the venue beforehand, and only very minimal clean-up afterwards. Plus the kids are totally entertained with virtually no effort on your part. On party day, all I did was pull together some snacks from the pantry and grab the quilt we keep in the back of the car for impromptu picnics. Basically a playdate with benefit :-)

Here are a few tips for packing a party:

-There are so many amazing places to buy cupcakes, you really don't need to bake or prepare anything!

-That said, on this occasion, Princess H was keen to spend a morning baking, so bake we did. (Sort of -- I know some of my sisters would call what we did blasphemy: mix 1 box cake mix according to package directions, subbing a can of pumpkin for the water, and Greek yogurt for the oil. The work/festive-yumminess ratio is amazing! AND we made awesome cinnamon cream cheese frosting from scratch, so that counts for something, right? Right...?) Anyway, if you DO bake your own treats, toss the naked little buggers in a Tupperware and put your frosting in a Ziploc bag. Snip a little corner off the bag, and then put that entire thing inside another baggie. When you get to the park or wherever, pull out your custom pastry bag and frost in situ. So much easier than transporting already-assembled cakelets!

-For years I've kept a "party box" full of fun paper products, decorations, hats, etc. Most of that stuff is in storage, but my mini version had an ample supply of cute little plates and napkins, cupcake toppers and a package of party poppers which I brought and forgot to pull out -- apparently it doesn't take much more than good company and a few snacks to make things feel festive!

-We brought a big cooler full of cold juice boxes, still and sparkling waters and soda. I might not have done quite as robust a collection if Z hadn't been around to lug the thing, but I'm glad I did.

-We grabbed a basket of apples and pears from the kitchen, and snipped up lots of little bunches of grapes. A small knife and cutting board made it really easy to slice fruit for little people who didn't want an entire pear.

-Other snacks included a big bowl of popcorn, some mixed nuts, and cookies Princess H picked out at the store and bought with $5 a cute little granny gave her completely out of the blue (How sweet is that? I love our neighborhood...).

That's it! Our impromptu gathering couldn't have been simpler or more fun. The weather was so glorious and the company so grand that we stayed at the park for nearly three hours! The real reason I loved this little party is that lots of dear friends indulged us and stopped by. The kids ran wild, and the moms sat around the picnic table munching and catching up. I had such a lovely time, and I honestly don't think Princess H could have been happier if I'd stressed for weeks, planned meticulously and spent a fortune on a petting zoo and moonbounce.

But I might try that next year, so I'll let you know....

Birthday Treats

Princess H enjoyed a slow-burning week of birthday delights. An afternoon with Momo at our quirky new neighborhood children's museum, fancy lunch and a box of very grown-up macarons with Mimo, a delightful little party with friends at the park (more on that later!), lovely and thoughtful gifts from beloved admirers near and far, bicycle-riding lessons with Daddy and the Tweed Ride crowd, a big band concert on the West steps of the Capitol... it was almost enough to make me forget how much I hate my kids' birthdays.

Princess H also received her very first special delivery: a bouquet of fruit from our fairy godmother. It was perhaps the perfect gift for a precocious three-year-old. She started glowing as soon as she realized the doorbell was for her, and it just got better from there. The unwrapping, the admiring, the gleeful selecting of berry or grapes or chocolate-dipped pineapple flowers -- the juicy little basket provided seemingly endless enjoyment for the birthday girl and the many lucky people with whom she happily shared the largess.

But, alas, it wasn't actually endless. And by the next evening, when Three and Dr. P came by to pick up their newly-three-year-old date for a celebratory milkshake, the once-lush arrangement had been reduced to a beleaguered mess of kale-covered foam and naked bamboo skewers. Three, the Dr. and I were discussing what a great present it was, and how much Princess H loved it. "Too bad it's all gone," I said. 

"No!" cried a small, excited little voice. "No, no! I still have one!" The Princess, who had appeared totally immersed in a book on the other side of the room, sprang up like a little bunny and scampered across the floor with even more than her typical exuberance. She ran to the denuded basket, thrust her chubby little fingers into its pillaged depths and retrieved a rather forlorn wedge of honeydew. With glittering eyes, she proudly offered the slightly dessicated prize to her visitors. "It's still good! You can share it!" Dr. P, always quick on his feet, suggested she have the first bite. "But it's for you!" she countered. When the good Doctor insisted, she consented to a microscopic nibble just big enough to inform her heartfelt endorsement, "it's so SO delicious!" She then gave it to Three and P with a million watt smile that made it clear she was done negotiating.

As favorite moments often do, this one crept up quietly. It wasn't anything flashy, and even if we'd had a camera we couldn't have captured the magic of those words and her smile and the wilted melon and the pure joy that filled her eyes and the whole room as she learned for herself -- and reminded the rest of us -- what happens when you share something special.

Repeat

In honor of 11/11/11, I share with you one of the more enjoyable (grammatically licit!) and gloriously repetitive sentences in the English language:
Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo.
Here'a a little glossary of terms:
Buffalo (proper noun): A city in New York
buffalo (noun): any of several large wild oxen of the family Bovidae.
buffalo (verb): to confuse


I'll leave you to puzzle this out (but you can hit the jump if you get too frustrated).



The Language of Love

When I was a teenager, I found a book lying around called The 5 Languages of Love. I never read the book, but I did read the back cover, and the basic premise is that people show and interpret love in different ways. For some love means taking out the trash on a rainy night, to others it's a squeeze of the hand before heading in to a scary interview, and still others just like to hear the words uttered every once in a while.

I get this. I think most people get this. But what the book then goes on to say (again, I'm assuming this, seeing as I have never read it), is that love fluency doesn't necessarily intersect, and devotion can get lost in translation. So Jack might be trying to tell Jill he loves her by giving her something sparkly, but doesn't mean  the message hits home. Maybe what she needs to reaffirm his affection is just a back rub at the end of a long day.

I have deduced that I am mono-lingual in the love-language of food. When I want to tell you I like you, it's more likely than not that I'll whip up a massive batch of cookies (just ask Dr. P). If I'm sorry for something I've done wrong I'll drop off a loaf of bread. And if I just want to say "Hey! Isn't it great that we have each other?!" I'll pick up a treat to share.

I cupcake you!!
A LOT!!!
You maki me happy!!
I can't get you out of my noodle!
Perhaps I'm milking this pun thing too much...

But you know what? Honey Badger don't care! p.s. that baked good really is called a honey badger. it's awesome

ha HA! I threw that last pic in to SHAKE things up!
Because that's the other thing about love, it throws you curve balls, and weirdos (see above), but if you're on the same wavelength, you get it.