Gingerale

How does my garden grow?

2009-07-09T16:13:00.004-04:00

I promised I'd tell you about my garden and I'm not one to break a promise! I'm here to dish the dirt (hee hee)...

My little plot of earth is part of a community garden, located in a small city park in my neighborhood. It's a lovely spot. There's a swing. And birdhouses. And picnic tables with built-in checkerboards. It's a little piece of heaven in an otherwise concrete jungle.

I've enjoyed the process of gardening, although I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. I haven't grown so much as a pea shoot in a cup before this. I'm surprised at myself for not taking up gardening sooner. I'm a bit of a foodie and enjoy cooking with (and eating) the freshest ingredients I can get my hands on. But, I've mostly stuck with store-bought veggies...occasionally picking up a zucchini or pepper at the farmer's market. There's something so refreshing about eating something straight from the ground (or wooden box filled with dirt, in my case). There's an earthiness to it. No chemicals or pesticides. No glossy film on the tomatoes. Just pure, unadulterated goodness.

It all feels so magical. Planting tiny seeds into the ground. Watering them and caring for them. Training peas up a trellis or piling soil around the base of an oregano plant. Just sunshine and water and little bit of TLC do the trick. Oh, and patience. You must have patience.

When you do, the most beautiful things occur. Grape-size tomatoes start to form and marigolds burst open and rosemary smells delicious. It's such a calming, wonderful place to be.

My garden.

P.S. Don't forget to sign up for my "Pay It Forward" giveaway! Accepting entries until Sunday, July 12th, 9:00pm EST.

Halfway Point

2009-07-08T22:26:00.001-04:00

Since we're halfway through 2009 (can you believe it?), I thought I'd check in with myself and see how I'm doing on my resolutions. Let's see...

01) Get back into blogging (I've been such a slacker since summer '08): I feel like I've done a fairly decent job at this. Maybe not in quantity of posts, but definitely in quality. I've been working on making the blog more my own. Something I'd want to read. It's still a work in progress, but it's getting there.

02) Save money for laptop and iPhone: iPhone purchased (and loved)? Check! Still saving up for a laptop, but it's within reach.

03) Sew, sew, then sew some more: I've officially expanded this resolution to include all crafts...not just sewing. See some of my '09 projects here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Phew!

04) Get to work on time (why am I always 3 minutes late?): Oh brother...can we forget I ever said I'd work on this? Maybe in 2010.

05) Plant a vegetable garden: Yup. It's growing as we speak (or should I say, as I type). Stay tuned for an upcoming 'how-does-my-garden-grow' post.

06) Play with Sniffles and Olly more: This one's been easy. My two kitties are always in the mood for a game of 'chase the laser pointer light' or 'fetch the play mouse.' Those two...boy, I love 'em lots!

07) Discover new music to listen to: I'm overwhelmed with the amount of incredible artists out there...just waiting to be discovered. I'm currently digging: Jenny Lewis, Lisa Hannigan, Sondre Lechre, St. Vincent, Angus & Julia Stone, Beirut, Castledoor, Chairlift, Andrew Bird, Greg Laswell, Kira Willey, Landon Pigg, Lenka, M.I.A., Mirah, Supergrass, MGMT, The Bird and the Bee, The Boy Least Likely To, and about a million others. If you know of anyone else that I must listen to, please let me know!

08) Plan more dates with Tyler (picnic in the park, anyone?): Meh...I've kinda-sorta been good at this and kinda-sorta not. It's easy to get into a routine of eat dinner/watch TV/go to bed/repeat. But we do have a date planned for this Saturday night (Hatch Shell+ The Temptations +picnic dinner = romance).

09) Read every book for Book Club: Yikes. Another one I'd like to take back. I've finished a few, skimmed a few, and didn't even bother to buy a few. I give myself a C+.

and most importantly...

10) Take care of myself (physically, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, all-ally): I'm very proud that I have totally rocked when it comes to this resolution! The biggest part of this was finally taking care of my body (which, in turn, takes care of my mind and spirit). Through Weight Watchers and working out, I've taken off 30 pounds over the last six months. It hasn't always been easy (or tasty), but all in all, I feel like a much healthier (and happier) person. Go me!

P.S. Don't forget to sign up for my "Pay It Forward" giveaway! Accepting entries until Sunday, July 12th, 9:00pm EST.

Pay It Forward Giveaway

2009-07-07T16:50:00.003-04:00

A few months ago, the super-talented and always inspiring Rachel of Heart of Light hosted a giveaway of sorts. I say of sorts because in order to enter the giveaway, you had to be willing to "pay it forward" by offering a giveaway on your blog (and so on and so on). Well, boy, was I willing! I entered on a whim and, whaddyaknow, I was one of the 5 lucky winners!

I received my lovely little package in the mail and was tickled pink to peruse my goodies: a magnetic notepad for the fridge, four hand-stamped notecards, and one of Rachel's super-girly, yet ultra-hip headbands. I think I actually squealed when I opened the package...what a delightful surprise!

And so now, my friends out there in Bloggyland, it's my turn. I am offering a Pay It Forward Giveaway. Sign up through the comments (post any comment...doesn't matter what you say as long as you play nice) by Sunday, July 12th, at 9:00pm EST. I'll pick five (count 'em, five) winners to receive a special handmade item (or two) from me. I won't say what it is exactly, but I have a feeling you'll like it. The only hitch is that if you win, you have to be willing to send five people a small gift (handmade or not). No worries if you don't have a blog. You can still sign up. You can just randomly select friends/family/strangers to send gifts to.

I'm so excited for this...good luck everyone. And thank you Rachel. I love my gift!

Sweet: Boston

2009-07-06T15:38:00.001-04:00

The weather in Boston this past month has been downright crummy. Cold. Rainy. Windy. Dark. Dreary. Awful. Just awful. So, when it finally perked up today (read: actual sun in the sky), I knew I had to take my lunch break outside. No more reading blogs during my lunch hour (although I do enjoy that quite a bit). While I was out and about, I spotted this adorable-looking cupcake shop called Sweet. Camera in tow and mouth salivating, I dodged the taxis and made my way over to get a closer look.

I stepped inside, a big smile on my face. This must be what heaven is like, I thought...

...light-as-air cupcakes with mounds of frosting dolloped on top

...a pink banquette to lounge on

...jars of gumballs and caramels

...stacks of boxes, waiting to hold their sweet friends

...and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" on repeat.

This being my first time in heaven, I treated myself to the sweetest cupcake they make: a vanilla bean cupcake filled with berry bash jam and topped with homemade vanilla buttercream and sprinkles. The girl at the counter asked me if I wanted the cupcake in a box or a bag. Box, please. And would I like it tied up with ribbon? Oh yes...an orange ribbon would be lovely.

I left the shop clutching my cupcake and grinning. It was a very good day for a cupcake.

(P.S. I feel so very much like Kathryn or Naomi...cupcake-lovers, unite!)

Blue Skies

2009-07-06T14:27:00.001-04:00

It's finally summer in Boston. Beautiful!

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-05T11:45:00.003-04:00

Hot dogs. T-shirts. Fireworks. Patriotism. Hamburgers. Bug spray. Macaroni salad. Flip-flops. Boston Pops. America. Baked beans. Watermelon. Friends. Sunglasses. Crowds. Cold beer. Flags. Sunshine. Italian ice. Shorts. Deviled eggs. Neil Diamond. Freedom. Red, white, and blue. Ice cream. Charles River. Independence. Scotcharoos.

It was a very good 4th.

(Video of the Boston Fireworks finale...amazing!)

The Keys To Success

2009-06-26T10:44:00.001-04:00

When you join Weight Watchers, your first goal is usually to lose 10% of your weight (i.e. the first two digits of your starting weight). Losing 10% of your weight can lower your cholesterol, reduce your blood pressure, lower your risk for diabetes, relieve pain and inflammation in your joints, reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea, and increase your energy level...not to mention that it means fitting into a smaller clothing size, looking better, and feeling more confident.

And I've done just that. At last night's meeting, I surpassed my 10% goal. As a token of my accomplishment, the meeting leader gave me this keychain (see the 10?) to remind me of how far I've come. The keychain holds the "25-lb. weight" that I received a few months back; more charms will be headed my way as I achieve my goals.

It's a small thing, but it means so much to know that I'm doing something so good for my health, my body, my future.

Daddy's Girl

2009-06-21T08:51:00.003-04:00

Yes, I'm a daddy's girl. But he's one pretty awesome guy. You would be, too, if you had him as your papa. Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you very much!

Maggie: Days Five and Six

2009-06-21T08:12:00.000-04:00

Tyler and I must've worn poor Maggie out because we ended up not doing anything of note yesterday at all. Slept in. Had a leisurely breakfast. Took the bus to Target and picked up a few necessities. Watched TV. Read. Played with our iPhones. Took naps. Went to the mall. Ordered a pizza for dinner. Watched an old movie. It was a pretty uneventful day, but we had fun just hanging out with one another.

And early this morning, Maggie headed back to Pennsylvania to spend Father's Day with Bill, Tyler's stepdad. We were sad to see her go. We had such a wonderful time with you, Maggie...as usual. Please come back soon!

(Sorry, no pics this post. I guess I wore myself out, too, by taking so many photos the last few days.)

Maggie: Day Four

2009-06-20T15:47:00.001-04:00

Friday morning, Tyler and I woke up super-early (well, super-early for us) at 6:30am, threw on some clothes, and ran over to the AT&T store to pick up our pre-ordered iPhones. We were second in line and within 20 minutes, we were out the door with our brand-spankin' new toys! Even though we were exhausted from the night before, we played around with the iPhones for awhile, then decided we still needed sleep and went back to bed.

When we got up (eventually), we nixed our original plan of heading to Providence, Rhode Island for the day. It was rainy once again and not exactly the nicest day to explore a new city. Instead, we took Maggie to the New England Aquarium. Tyler and I have both been there before, but it's always fun to re-explore. The penguins were adorable. The sharks scared the crap out of me (thank goodness they were in an enclosed tank), and the coral reefs were just stunning. But my favorite part of the aquarium had to be the jellyfish exhibit. So graceful and beautiful. Here are a few pics from our afternoon:

Maggie on the subway...such a city girl, huh?

The outside of the New England Aquarium. Despite the crummy weather, the place was packed.

I had a free pass, so no ticket for me! Yea!

Aforementioned adorable penguin.

Duh nuh.........Duh nuh.........Duh nuh, duh nuh, duh nuh.........

So many cool fish to look at.

While I was photographing the sea anemones, a giant rush of water came down the front of the tank and I nearly pissed my pants! I squealed and the people around me all had a good chuckle at my expense. I blame my jumpiness on the sharks.

More sea anemones.

Oh hello, Mr. Seahorse. How are things?

Some of the creatures looked like they came straight out of a science fiction movie. Brain anyone?

The beautiful colors of the sea.

The jellyfish were so gorgeous. I could've watched them all day.

After walking around the aquarium for a few hours, we were famished. We headed over to the North End for dinner.

More rain. Big surprise.

Boston's Little Italy: my favorite neighborhood.

Mother and son at La Summa. The place was practically empty (probably because we were there kinda early) and we had the waitress' full attention. Frank Sinatra in the background and wine on the table. What could be better?

My fabulous veal parmesan. Mmm, mmm, mmm. So good. We also had the best stuffed figs. Wrapped with prosciutto and filled with goat cheese. Heaven.

No trip to the North End is complete without a trip to Mike's.

The old-fashioned candy looked so pretty in these apothecary jars, but we stuck with chocolate mochas, cupcakes, and caramel turtles.

Which way to Cambridge?

After a short T ride home, we relaxed for an hour or so, then headed to Harvard Square to The Comedy Studio, located above a Chinese restaurant.

No, really. It is above a Chinese restaurant.

The stage is set.

Tyler and I after one too many beers/scorpion bowls, respectively. Out of the dozen comics that night, about half were very funny, 3 were so-so, and 3 should find a new day job. But we had a great time hanging out and doing something different for a change.

Another fun day!

Maggie: Days Two and Three

2009-06-19T23:19:00.000-04:00

Tyler and Maggie had a great time touring the Boston Harbor Islands...even if they did get a little sunburnt. Ouch! It's amazing that neither Tyler nor I have ever been on a Harbor Island tour. I guess the great part about having out-of-town guests visit is that we get to play tourists in our own city! After the tour, the two of them went to Sculler's for a jazz show, while I stayed home, ate leftovers, and watched my favorite summer show, "So You Think You Can Dance." (Gosh, I wish I could dance like them...uhh-mazing!)

Yesterday, I worked a half day while Tyler and Maggie hung out. I came home, we watched "Milk" (sooo good), then primped for our big surprise for Maggie: A dinner/dance cruise on the Boston Harbor! The only clue that Tyler gave his mom was to bring dress clothes with her to Boston. Something formal. She was so curious and even though I may have accidentally said something like, '...when we go on the cruise...,' she was none the wiser. She was so surprised when we showed up at the boat dock! Unfortunately, the weather was absolutely horrendous. Pouring down rain. Windy. Ugh. Not exactly great for a cruise, but we ended up having a wonderful time. It was such an elegant evening, complete with delicious food, good wine, dancing, a live band, and great views of the city. We came home with tired feet, full bellies, and wet hair, but none of that mattered. We had such a special night. Here are a few pics from the evening:

Maggie and Tyler walking to the boat dock. Maggie still had no idea where we were headed!

The amazing Odyssey boat. Four levels, holds 850 guests, beautiful. If only the weather had been nicer.

Candles, candles everywhere. It seemed that most of the people were on the boat to celebrate special occasions...engagements, anniversaries, birthdays. The boat crew made everyone feel so special. A magical night.

The yummy dinner menu. The price of the ticket included an appetizer, entree, and dessert. We all got our fill, believe you me!

Maggie and I on the boat. Such a special person in my life. Truly one of my best friends.

My appetizer: Argentinean scallops. I don't really know what made them Argentinean, but they were tasty nonetheless.

My dashing boyfriend. The one who threw this whole thing together for the two special ladies in his life. Sigh. It was so wonderful slow-dancing with Tyler on the dance floor. I felt like it was prom all over again.

And last but not least...red wine. Who could live without it?

Stay tuned for more family fun...

It's here...

2009-06-19T23:05:00.000-04:00

Huge grin on my face. All day long for this. :o)

Happy Birthday Big Red EP

2009-06-18T14:32:00.000-04:00

Ellen loved the canvas I painted her for her birthday!

(P.S. I basically copied something I saw online and I don't remember where I saw it or I'd give credit where credit was due. Turned out cute, no?)

Maggie's Here!

2009-06-17T13:51:00.002-04:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, Tyler's mom Maggie is here to visit us for the week. We couldn't be more thrilled! She's a super-easy guest to have (even helps with the dishes...bonus) and is grateful just to spend time with us. No fancy-schmancy itineraries required.

She flew in last night and while Tyler went to band practice, she and I chatted. I might've been a tad overly ambitious when it came to dinner (homemade cornbread, pasta salad, and grilled beef and veggie kabobs...all after working a full day, going to the gym, tending my garden, and straightening up the house), but it was great to spend a few hours catching up while I chopped and diced and marinated and stirred.

The two of us ate (she loved the meal), did dishes (see, I told you she's a dream guest), changed into our PJs, then plopped on the couch for two hours of "Law & Order: SVU." We're both addicted to the show and were not happy when one of the episodes didn't tie everything up in a nice bow for us at the end. Umm, that's the draw of L&O!

Tyler came home around 10:30pm, but Maggie and I were pretty pooped from the day (her traveling, me doing the above). We both kissed him goodnight and went to bed. Sorry sweetie, but we were so tired!

Tyler's taking his mom on a Boston Harbor Islands tour today, then to a jazz show at Sculler's tonight. I'm working today, then spending the evening at home, letting the two of them have a mother/son date. But tomorrow's a half day for me at work and I took Friday off as well, so be on the lookout for some photos of family fun!

Weekend Recap

2009-06-15T17:01:00.004-04:00

Had a full, but fun weekend. Started off with a trip to one of my favorite spots, Paper Source. Browsed the the stacks of sorbet-colored envelopes and cards. Took a look at the stamps/embossing/ink pads, but didn't spend much time there. I'm not much of a stamper. Fell in love with so many new patterned papers. Left with six letterpress cards because I just couldn't resist. Could you?

A friend of Tyler's from his BU days, Ted, took the train from NYC to visit us for the weekend. Watched "Jeopardy" when he arrived. Ted skunked us both because, well, he's a smarty-pants. Went to the Apple store, then AT&T to pre-order our iPhones. Yea! I cannot wait until I've got that puppy in my hot little hands. Capturing video, then editing on the spot. Jamming to tunes, taking a phone call, then back to jamming. Sigh. I know one shouldn't be so materialistic, but one does still want to be too cool for school with her new iPhone, doesn't one?

Ventured over to my old stomping grounds, The Fenway, to catch the movie "Up" with Melanie. So so good. Laugh-out-loud funny, but with just the right amount of tender moments. Definitely worth seeing. You just might want to avoid the Fenway theaters where it cost us $14.50 (yikes) a ticket, then the lady beside me decided to text the first half of the movie. Ugh. I just maybe-kinda-sorta had it out with her because, well, I paid $14.50 to see this movie and to me, that's no drop in the bucket. She was pleasant enough about it, though, and the second half of the movie continued without the clicking of keys or the lighting up of her screen.

After the movie, Melanie and I headed over to one of my other favorite spots, India Quality. Lord have mercy, how I miss India Quality. When Tyler and I lived in The Fenway, we used to eat there at least 3 times a month. The owner knew us and what we liked (even how spicy...mild for me, medium for Tyler). They have, hands down, the best vegetable pakora in the city. And don't get me started on their Royal Naan (honey + shredded coconut + golden raisins = yum). I brought the leftovers home to Tyler because (a) I'm an awesome girlfriend and (b) Tyler would not have been happy if he knew I went all the way over to Fenway, ate at India Quality, and hadn't brought him back even one piece of chicken tikka masala. Luckily, he thanked me for the leftovers and gave me a big kiss with his spicy lips (ouchie)!

The rest of the weekend was spent doing the normal weekendy-stuff. Laundry. Grocery shopping. Lifetime movies (so bad, but so good). Phone calls to Mom and Dad and Brian. Some crafting (be on the lookout for pictures later this week). Straightening up the bedroom. Checkbook-balancing. E-mails. Reading blogs. Dishes. Playing with kitties. Making plans for Tyler's mom's visit tomorrow night (she's here all week, folks).

I love a good weekend.

P.S. The photo above is just to remind myself that we actually had one day in the last 3 weeks where it was sunny in Boston. And not 50 degrees. Summer, I know you're out there, just waiting for an invitation. Well, sister, come on down. We're all waitin' on ya!

Siblings

2009-06-10T18:07:00.004-04:00

(l:r Dana, me, Brian)

I'm sorry, but we're about the cutest things on the planet!

(At least we were in 1982.)

Ciao Bella!

2009-06-07T17:12:00.002-04:00

Not having seen my good friend Maria in awhile, I was very excited for our "date" last night in Boston's North End (aka "Little Italy"). Maria has lived in Boston for a number of years (although she's a native Colombian), but had never ventured into the North End. Crazy, right?

We met at Antico Forno and had a lovely meal. I had the rigatoni salsiccia e ricotta, while Maria opted for the napoletano pizza. (Don't you love the way Italian just rolls off the tongue? I wish I spoke it fluently. It's so lovely-sounding.) We washed everything down with chianti and crusty bread and caught up on each other's lives (you know, boy talk). Afterwards, we walked around the neighborhood, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. It was an absolutely perfect night, weather-wise, and the streets were swarmed with tourists and Bostonians alike.

It was fun to show Maria around. I, of course, took lots of pictures, but Maria didn't seem to mind stopping every two feet for me to adjust my camera settings. We stopped by St. Leonard's Peace Garden, took a peek inside the church (so pretty), visited the Old North Church and Paul Revere statue, and snuck into a few cute boutiques along Hanover Street.

Of course, no trip to the North End would be complete without Italian pastries from Mike's. I know there are folks out there who prefer Modern, but I say it's Mike's all the way! Maria and I stood in the massively crowded line to pay for our cannolis, cupcakes, and cookies (say that 3 times fast), then headed to the Rose Kennedy Greenway to enjoy our dessert and watch the crowds before heading home.

It was a fun night, Maria. Let's do it again!

A Baseball Checklist

2009-06-06T11:23:00.003-04:00

-Scoring two tickets in the left field grandstand at Fenway (check)

-Wearing the official Red Sox uniform: "B" hats plus logo shirts, jeans, and hoodies to fend off the chill (check)

-Snacking on salted, roasted peanuts (check)

-Singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" with the crowd (check)

-Doing 'the wave' (check)

-Cheering for our faves: Big Papi and Youk (check)

-Scarfing down Fenway franks with spicy mustard (check)

-Singing "Sweet Caroline" at the top of our lungs (check)

-Having a great date night (check)

MIT Commencement 2009

2009-06-05T17:22:00.002-04:00

still kickin'

2009-06-02T16:46:00.002-04:00

tap, tap, tap

is this thing on?

yes, i'm still here. alive and well. just very busy. but i miss blogging terribly. hoping to be back up and running as soon as i can. until then...

xoxo,

diana

how to turn a bad day around

2009-05-21T16:16:00.004-04:00

you...

01) leave work right on time (not a minute too early, not a minute too late)

02) sweat it out on the elliptical

03) giggle at "30 rock" episodes

04) take the long way home and enjoy the beautiful weather

05) sing along to your new favorite song ("falling in love at a coffee shop" by landon pigg)

06) dig around in your garden...water the tomatoes, deadhead the marigolds, chat with fellow gardeners

07) eat a baked sweet potato for dinner...drizzled in honey and sour cream, of course

08) squeal when it's finally announced that kris is the winner of "american idol" (yea!)

09) read "real simple" cover to cover

10) fall asleep with the windows open, a slight breeze, kitties at your feet, and the promise of a new day ahead

congratulations

2009-05-20T22:15:00.005-04:00

i was so thrilled to receive a phone call the other night from one of my best friends in the world, jess. she got engaged...hip hip hooray! her boyfriend (well, i guess now he's technically a fiancee) did it up right (a b&b, champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, asking her father's permission, a gorgeous ring) and, of course, she said 'yes.' i'm so happy for the two of them and can't wait to celebrate with them on their special day.

congratulations jess and brett!

(p.s. aren't they the most photogenic couple you've ever seen? gosh, i'm so jealous!)

i heart etsy

2009-05-12T16:07:00.005-04:00

i love my new earrings from bijou bazaar.

handmade rocks!

to my mama

2009-05-10T15:54:00.001-04:00

dear mom,

what can i say to the woman who gave birth to me, raised me, bandaged my scraped knees, let me crawl into bed with her when i had a bad dream, let me lick the beaters, taught me how to cook, cheered me on at basketball games (even when i wasn't that good), inspired me to read and write as much as i could, taught me the importance of giving to those less fortunate, took me out for strictly mother/daughter shopping trips, bought me chik-fil-a sandwiches and cokes at the drive-thru, encouraged me to sing as much as possible (even if i drove her crazy with my show tunes), brought me orange sherbert and 7-up when i was sick, gave me my love for babies and children, taught me how to play double-solitaire, snuck notes into my lunchbox, and was there every time i needed her to be?

what can i say but...i love you!

xoxo,
diana

11th anniversary

2009-05-09T23:53:00.001-04:00

wow! 11 years already. it feels like just yesterday that tyler was picking me up for our first date, our senior prom. and now, we're almost 30 (yikes) and i still feel the same spark. just deeper and stronger. i'm so happy to have had him by my side these last 11 years. he is truly the most remarkable person i know. so patient and kind. level-headed and loving. thoughtful and funny. and smart. boy, is he smart! i feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have him.

we celebrated our anniversary by going out for a fancy-schmancy dinner. (i say fancy because last night, we had hot dogs and potato salad for dinner. hee hee. we're easy to please.) upstairs on the square was lovely. very eclectic decor. delicious food. we shared the lobster ravioli and a bottle of cabernet. we both decided on the steak entree and looked quizzically at one another when our roquefort custard came in an egg shell. 'how do we eat this?' he asked. 'i'm not sure,' i laughed. we're definitely not fancy people. but we enjoyed it just the same. stopped off at the north end for cupcakes from mike's. got caught in the rain. it was all very romantic. came home, put on our pjs and watched a movie, which wasn't great, but the company was. exchanged cards and snuggled. felt so blessed to have him in my life.

here's to another 11, hon. love you!