So hard to be creative...

Well, today I'm taking my own advice.  I tell my students that when they can't think of what to write, they should be writing I can't think of what to write.

Over the past few years I've found that it is so hard to be creative when work is intense and exhausting.  Even when I feel energetic and up for doing something creative, my brain just laughs at me! That has been part of my blogging problem...  most days I'm pooped and just can't think of anything to write!

But aha my advice is working, and I will add this, since I haven't already:

My new fashion muse, Janie Cai.

I'm tempted to call in lesbian-chic, but maybe it's more women-looking-better-than-men-in-men's-clothes.

I have been given 2 blazers that I plan to wear as soon as it is cool enough (this is happening far too rapidly for my taste) and they are washed (I tried to wear one the other day before washing it and I was in sneezeville all morning).

Is this really happening?

Next week I am turning 29!  Yikes!

School has started

And it is kicking my ass!  But, I love it.

So far the year is going well, even though I am tired and mentally and emotionally overloaded (just a touch... most of the time).  Luckily, my coworkers are fun and awesome, my class is great, and I still find driving to work in the new car really cool.

I have had a hard time these last few weeks keeping up with personal stuff (email, phone calls, craft projects, and oh yeah... this blog), but I have maintained some social hanging out and been able to sleepily wave hello to Chris when he comes home after work. I don't think I've cooked dinner in a month, so that's a little goal to work toward...

Funny Photo

"How Genetics Work" by Rene Maltete. hehe.

Goat cheese cracker spread

Last night we had some people over for a beer tasting bonanza.  It was more beer tasting and less bonanza, but a good time none the less.

I put out 3 kinds of cheese to have with the beer: chevre (goat cheese), taleggio (love love love), and smoked gouda.

I left the taleggio and smoked gouda alone, but I made the chevre into a dip.  It was a hit!
Here are the ingredients:
Chevre
A little milk to make it creamier
Chopped dates
Chopped pecans
Chopped Basil

That's it!  I just mixed it all together and we ate it on crackers.  It was easy and a great combo of sweet&savory. mmm!

Road Trip Restaurants

We just got back from a roadtrip, and we ate at 4 awesome restaurants:

For a light lunch, we stopped at Madhatter's Bakeshop and Cafe in Durham.

I had a delish chicken salad sandwich, and the seasonal side was a cucumber salad that was super tasty and fresh. It's so nice to stop on the road and have something healthy for a change.

In Old Town Alexandria we had lunch at Fontaine Caffe and Creperie. 

We started with a cheese plate, then split an Italian crepe with mozzerella, eggplant, and tomato. Scrumptious! The decor was delightful...  the walls are a slightly shimmery almost-dark blue, the furniture is rich brown wood, the light fixtures have mini lamp shades with all different patterns, and the dark wood bar was beautiful.  Somehow fancy and sweet all at once.We finished off the meal with a soft and sweet and mouth-watering mascarpone and dark cherry crepe.  I'm drooling just thinking about it.

Another great spot we found is Pupatella Pizzeria and Friggitoria in Arlington.  Boy was this some incredible pizza.  It was fun to watch the guys make the pizza and then cook it for just one minute in the burning hot wood fire oven!

Their pizza is the real deal, with Italian flour, San Marzano tomato sauce, olive oil, and buffalo mozerella. YUMmmmm!

The last great restaurant we hit up was Ettamae's Cafe in Richmond. This place is soooo cute.  It's  small but has multiple floors and an outdoor patio.  We ate inside, which is painted pink and decorated with cute and kitschy old school items.  Each table has a unique matching set of salt and pepper shakers that I'm sure were found at Goodwill, and the walls have old china plates and blown up black and white photos on them. Super cute.

Since we hadn't had breakfast and it was pretty much lunch time, we started with a cup of coffee and a peach butter tart.  Umm hello delicious.  It came with raspberry sauce and whipped cream. Love.  Then I had a sweet and savory salad of arugula, peaches, pecans, and bleu cheese with juicy grilled chicken. So good!  It was dressed lightly with a raspberry vinaigrette.  I am definitely going to attempt to make this salad at home while peaches are season.  

PS: I looked up "friggitoria" and I still don't know what the hell it is!

Skinny Dip Falls!

I wonder how Mother Nature feels about the scandalous name given to such a lovely place...

Now that we have a car, it is much easier to get out and appreciate the beauty of Western North Carolina (or as the characters in The Likeness call it, Arsefuck, North Carolina). We hiked down from the Blue Ridge Parkway to this awesome area with several "pools" and mini waterfalls.  The water was freezing, but we both got in.  Chris bravely chose the ease-your-way-in method, while I opted for the do-a-flip-off-a-rock-and-there's-no-looking-back method. Lesson for next time: bring dry clothes for the hour-long car ride home. Brrr!

I love summer!

And one of my favorite things about summer is WATERMELON!

(sorry cantaloupe... you're pretty good too.)

Everything looks fun and fabulous on these cute plaid plates my friend Lindsey gave us as a wedding gift. It's like every meal is a picnic! (and the summery table cloth is from our wedding!)

When we have a car we can...

Go camping
Visit Nashville!
Visit Greenville
Visit home
Eat pizza at Marcos
Eat pizza at Ritrovo Update:  We hate this place.
Hangout in West Asheville (but we should bike there)
Dine in Biltmore Village
Buy watermelons
Go to box stores (for better or worse...)
Buy big pots and soil
Drive to work (my work!)
Go hiking
Listen to music on the radio (and NPR of course!)
Rock bumper stickers
Go to IKEA
Explore!!!!

New Car!

We are going to buy a Kia Soul!  At least, that's the plan! 

Fingers crossed...

I don't heart chores!

Laundry, dishes, putting things away...

I could do without chores.

fritattas

Pretty much any left overs can be made into a frittata. Thank goodness I caught Giada making a frittata once and was inspired to make one on my own.  Now, we use leftovers and doggy bags to make awesome frittata breakfasts. Mmmmm!

It's a quiche with no crust!

2 new great places!

Last night we went to 2 new great bars. I love finding new places that are awesome!

First, we played ping pong at Asheville City Billiards (article), then we had delish sandwiches and beer at the new One Stop Deli Bar.

Sweet!

Spray Paint Art

Recently I was walking around downtown and stumbled upon something super awesome:  Spray pain artist Scott O'Dell.  I couldn't believe the magic he worked with spray paint, pieces of paper, tin cans, and card board!

Here's a video I found of him doing his thing:

I was joking with Chris afterwards that you don't need friends in Asheville if the street performers are out.  In that same walk, I heard great live music, and saw some awesome tap dancers tapping away to old school hip hop. Awesome!

Hooray Produce!

I feel so lucky to have the nearby "Fresh Quarter" produce market. The last 2 times I've gone, I've gotten amazing peaches!  I'm so excited that summer produce is coming into season.

Also, tomatoes are getting better and better! Yessss.  I love me a good tomato!

PS: Some little tomatoes are growing in the balcony garden!  Yippeee!!  =]

Love Birds

I've been making some paper love birds lately to get my brains warmed up for love bird cake topper ideas:

It's way harder than I thought it would be!  The fun and funky images in my mind just won't come out of my hands!  Oh well, these guys are still pretty cute.

Fancy Pants!

Katie visited for a week, and one night Chris brought home some bubbly to celebrate... well, nothing!  We're big believers in celebrating everyday life. =]

We decided to go fancy and use the Waterford crystal flutes we received as a very generous wedding present:

Fancy pants!

I heart advertisements painted on brick

Here's just one example in Asheville.

Lucky

I know this is so self-centered, but I think this guy was hanging out on our apartment stairwell steps just to raise my blood-pressure. We called him Lucky, because god only knows how he survived for so long when everyday or every few hours he decided to chill on a different step, blending in as his predecessors ensured he would, waiting to be stepped on.  I consider this a major adaptation-backfire.  Walking up and down the apartment stairs became a game of "Where's Lucky?! Is he still alive?  Should we feed him some bugs?  How is he eating in here?  Where the hell is he?  He was on this step when we left. I think we should spray paint him orange.  Do you think the neighbors know to look out for him!? There he is.  Damn it, Lucky!"    Exhausting.

Lucky disappeared one day and he hasn't been seen since.  Maybe he realized this was Asheville and not Nashville, or maybe he finally got that call from his baby mama wanting him back. We'll probably never know.

Reading the Hunger Games!

And some of the movie is being filmed in Asheville! :o

I hate deodorant!

But, it's a necessary evil.  I've been on the search for a natural deodorant that actually works.  

I've tried several products, including a big round rock of salt.  The natural stuff just doesn't work!

Or so I thought.

My fabulous sister-in-law told me about a deodorant she likes, and I just bought it. So far, so awesome!  

It's powdery fresh, and best of all it washes right off in the shower. Thanks, Tatiana!

coffee with dessert

is delicious.  It's one of my favorite things, and I think I inherited this taste from my mother.

   

Baby gifts

I'm working on crocheting a baby blanket for my soon-to-be-born nephew.  My excitement level for crocheting comes in waves, and waves within those waves.  Right now I'm in the "I love to crochet once I actually get myself to start" part of the "I love to crochet!" wave.

I don't have a pic, so here's a picture of the teddy bear I made my niece when she was a newborn:

Just hangin' out with Chip-n-Dale, another little creature I made.

Hello, Summer. I love you.

tomatoes are getting better and better!

lettuce and basil from the mini garden =]

lovely sunsets

I cannot make steak!

I have a track record of cooking steak terribly.  What is my problem!?  I like to think that if we had a grill I could do it, but for now, pan or griddle, it's not good.  =[

GHETTO
Last night I tried to make flat iron steak... let's just say that when you had originally planned to use the left-overs in steak-and-eggs the next morning, but after looking at the end product you both decide you don't want to look at it again for several days, there's a problem.

GOURMET
Luckily, to balance out last night's steak debacle, we had side dishes of very yummy chipotle sweet potato fries and a lovely tomato salad.  And, of course, some of the pieces of steak were edible.

Tattoos and Henna

I'm more of a fake tattoo girl myself, but I do think some tattoos are really beautiful and/or cool.
  
These are all pretty cool.
This is sort of gross, but it is pretty awesome.

I love henna.