On Cooking.

Participants:
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Seshie , Tony

Messages:
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Tony: Back in the city... Wanna do dinner? KBeau and Tommy are down...
Sesh : Of course!
Tony: Do you have a wisk?
Sesh : I have a mini bottle of evan williams

File IMG00447-20100531-1803.jpg has been sent to Tony.

Tony: That doesn't help me...
Tony: You need to find me a wisk...
Sesh : Oooh the cooking item!!!
Sesh: I think I do hold. On
Tony: hahahahaha
Tony: Yeah
Sesh : I thought you were saying "wisk" like "whiskey"
File IMG00448-20100531-1806.jpg has been sent to Anthony Cianci.

Tony: Hahaha
Sesh : Omg dying
Tony: Yeeesssssss
Sesh: I'll bring it
Sesh: And.... Like. clearly I don't cook. When you said 'wisk' I thought "cleaning detergent? Uhhh whiskey the alcohol? Cooking utensil.... Ahhh
Tony: Hahahaha

Atlantic City Getaway.

So my parents came up to New Jersey for a conference that my dad was attending, and E and I decided to go and stay a couple days. It was the perfect post-finals getaway/mothers day trip. We stayed at Harrah's in AC, which was surprisingly nice. They had a great seafood restaurant in the hotel which we ate at twice (see me and daddy in our bibs before eating crab legs).

The thing about me and gambling is that I freakin love it. Scratch-off, powerballs, and slots--- yes please. The slots got me excited in Vegas so I was determined to teach E and my mom how play the $.25 slots. I'm the most unlucky person that I know, so I didn't do any actual playing, and my dad is sort of the same (picture of him below, gambling for the first time--- he lost it all) However, E has a magic touch! and walked away with a sweet lil win. (we split it, duh). 

I imagine there will be at least one more trip to AC in my future... It wasn't quite Jersey Shore, but all of Jersey isn't that bad.

Food-to-Go.

Living in New York is awesome, but, being car-less and on foot all the time leads to some crap-hole situations---one of those is grocery shopping. So, I guess one of my favorite things on earth is this grocery delivery service, Fresh Direct. I ordered groceries on my lunch break last Friday and they were delivered on Saturday Morning. Its nice because they always have fresh produce, tons of organic stuff, vegan shit for my sister, and the junk that I love (pickles, pudding, pink lemonade!)
We went from a sad, empty fridge, full of over-ripe veggies and condiments to a packed fridge in a few minutes, and I love that. Now, if only I could have someone cook me some dank meals...

Vegan Fail.

Bacon ordered at Tom's Restaurant. 3:00am

Week In Review

11-- Ego Waffles w/ honey eaten this week.

7-- hours the banker and I spent at our favorite restaurant.

15-- minutes I was late to class on Thursday

2-- days that I wore my new glasses (I went with frames #1, btw)

89-- cost of monthly unlimited metro card.

27,332--- Chase bank rewards points I had accrued--- renewed the for $60 worth of Sephora gift cards. Treat!

4--- hours spent at a harm reduction training. Now I'm able to administer anti OD meds to anyone overdosing on opiates... And am a participant in the needle exchange program (swapping used needles for clean ones, disposing them properly, supplying 'safe use' kits... For IV drug users.)

Vegan Fail

Burger. Beef burger. With cheddar cheese.

And salad.

Divine.

Sans Microwave.

I've had a few people inquire about how I manage without using a Microwave. I manage just fine! Haha.

No, for real. I stopped using a microwave over a year ago because at thanksgiving 08. My brother told some story about an experiment where these rats were injected with water or blood or something that had been in the microwave---and then the rats promptly died. Or some scary shit like that. But then you know, my family was discussing how weird it is that like, for example: you re-heat pizza in the microwave and it tastes crazy and the bread is all gummy... That is not normal!

So, I traded the microwave for a saucepan and the stove. (Or the oven and a pyrex dish.)

I find that it doesn't take that long, and the food is delicious. Another plus? My microwave is the perfect storage for dish rags and towels. No, seriously. Its strictly storage unless we have a microwave using guest over.

So, what you do,
- place your food in the pan and put the heat on medium or low. (If you've got something like pasta or rice add a little bit of water. Like a tiny splash).
-Cover with a lid so it gets all steamy and delicious.
-check it in like 5 min. Maybe a little stirring or shifting if you feel so inclined/its burning or sticking (if it is burning or sticking, turn the heat down. Duh)
-enjoy.

Resolution #1

I really love to eat, and overall enjoy food. However, cooking is sometimes a challenge. I have always enjoyed it, and am not really bad at it, but I think I have a complex in the kitchen.

I'm left-handed. For right-handed people, you just don't understand the trials we (I) have been through with this left hand! Never mind the whole issue of my hand writing in 1st grade, and how my teachers were treating me like I was one slanted writing assignment away from being classified as special needs. My kitchen trauma goes back to summers at my Grandma's house.

Like most grandma's, mine is the quintessential amazing cook. So, of course I always wanted to help out, learn to make biscuits as good as hers, you know? I think the fact that what she showed me (in terms of cutting, mixing, egg cracking) was always backwards when she observed me was a little stressful for her. My allowed jobs were dwindled down to mixing. Even my shaky hands pouring opposite of her made her nervous! So, thus grew my whole "meh, I can't really cook" attitude.

When I was home over holiday I did a good amount of cooking and with much positive praise, to my surprise! So I decided to make that a resolution: Cook more.

The obvious benefits:
-healthier
-cheaper
-skill building

The added challenge/fun of it is that my sister is a Vegan---who eats fish. I'm a Vegan--- who eats fish (and any other meat when I'm too hungry to figure out the meatless option). She's a vegan for the health benefits, I'm. A 'fegan' (fake vegan) for the fact that a) my house hold is. b) I have the most insanely fickle stomach on earth and c) Skinny Bitch (read it, you'll see.)

All that means is that I get to try some exciting things, and have fun. This week I made (as pictured)

-salmon patties, rice w/goya black beans, and okra

-vegan tacos of corn tortillas w/ vegan cheese, spring greens, cherry tomatoes.

I'll try to post as I go. Hopefully I'll stick to this resolution!

Holiday Party...

Oh hey y'all. I just finished finals! I'm like, real happy. My family just got to town, got new clients at my internship....so things are exciting and busy.

On Wednesday night my agency had their office holiday potluck for all the case workers. Fun right? Well, my supervisor insisted on me bringing my parents. Here I am, that freakin intern with her parents at the office party.

Well it went real well! Haha my parents took the train to the bronx with me, and met everyone. They absolutely loved Doug and I mean, duh...I love doug so it worked out perfectly haha.

My family is still up here, and my bro is staying w/ me and E. Tonight I plan to get him into some real crazy shit with his buddy patrick. Hopin to get blacked out like a freshman... Its winter break, dammit!!

Oh, and that's what I wore to the x-mas dinner. It was sort of a big deal because usually I wear like, baggy-ish jeans, my nike air max sneakers or clarks, and a tee-shirt +zip or cardigan. Nothing cute but like, I work in a boys club with homeless people so cute stuff is like, really not appropriate.

Needless to say I was excited to get a lil dressed up.

Ok. I'm rambling to avoid the real story. So I'm at a potluck dinner and its like, the food? Its bangin. I hadn't had a legit meal in like 4 days because of finals and all the mess with the banker. I'm like, "Self, you know how sensitive you are to everything. Don't spaz in here, eating whatever the fuck you wanna"

Obviously I didn't follow my own advice. The downfall was this lasagna that my co-worker brought. It was just TOO much flavor. With each bite my stomach was screaming back "please. No more" but some how I decided to ignore it's pleas.

Then here comes Doug: "I signed up for dessert because I wanted to bring everyone my favorite cheesecake in the world from this spot over by where I stay."

Well. Hell. Someone brings me an inappropriately large slice. 3 bites in and it was a wrap.

Y'all, I don't even really eat dairy like that. Why would I eat this hunk of cheesecake concentrate?

To make matters more awkward/uncomfortable, during the "I appreciate my staff" speak Doug gave.... I escape. Where I proceed to die a low death in the bathroom. I know, huge TMI, but whatever, it's my blog and I mean--- I'm going there.

So the more I panic about how er--shitty the situation is, the more um...shitty the situation becomes.

Moral of the story: some times you gotta man up, suck it up, and rejoin the party. And friends, that's what I did. But that's my last pot luck. They will get you killed.

Outfit:
Jeans---Joe's
Cardigan-- H&M
Tee-- American Apparel
Boots-- Michael Kors

The Long and Winding Road: Fails and Victories.

Ya'll I am just trying to get home for thanksgiving. That plan just got its balls chopped off after a series of unfortunate events:

Go catch the M60 bus at 7:00pm. It was supposed to take 40min, getting me to LGA a good hour before my flight, 8:45pm. Right?

Fail#1 M60 didn't come at 7:00. It came at 7:22pm
Fail#2 the bus was creepin over some M-Fin bridge. Pulls up to LGA at 8:30pm
Fail#3 I run to counter, and the guy promptly plays my face on some "girrlll you ain't gettin on THAT plane" and I'm all "diva bitch, don't make this worse than it is."
Victory#1 Some Boss Bitch pipes in that my flights delayed and that I CAN get on it. Ballin
Fail#4 so hungry, but I decide on chex mix because I was plannin to Eat Like A BEAST when I got home.
Fail#5 I get on plane. Pass out. Wake up and, Oh! Hey Girl! We haven't moved. Fuck.
Fail#6 we depart at 10:10pm. I was supposed to board in Philly at 10:15pm.
Fail#7 watching my flight to RDU pull off. Without me on it.
Victory#2 they put us up me up in some hotel, new flight at the crack of ass o'clock in the morning.
Fail#8 I walked into the hotel at 12:02am. The bar and grille closed at 12:00am. Hence my Raisinets dinner.

Despite it all, I am SO ready to be where my family is. Tomorrow can't come soon enough.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

You're not 19 anymore.

I've been thinking a lot about growing up lately. I suppose its because that's where I am in life now. My friends are getting married, others are in grad school, you know, grown up stuff. Sure, 23 is close to 19 than it is to 30, but the shit you could do at 19 does not work anymore.

Today's example: at 23 years old I have a real respect for breakfast. It must be eaten to function.

In my youth breakfast was reserved for hangovers, weekends, and special occasions. I regularly went through my high school day on nothing but the slushie I got at wilco when I skipped spanish. And I'd eat lunch of course, but at like 2:00. That is some young girl behavior. I was thinking of the many convos I've had with RSJ and SM about the old days. Effortlessly thinner, and we still went to the gym all the time. I remember undergraduate days of skipping dinner to drink all night, or how we'd eat late night on the reg (like that's even acceptable.)
I'm def. To old for that mess now.

Now, if I don't eat everything breaks down. Can't think, can't work, bitchassness, the whole deal. Its so not worth it.

What I've learned now is that breakfast is where its at. That's a picture of my typical 5:30am meal. Sure, it looks like a meal for a 3rd grader, but I'm on a break from Special K red berries, and Fruit Loops are my second fav. I haven't mastered the art of 3-square meals and I still eat too much junk, but I'm workin on it.... All in due time I suppose.


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