Down and Up



 I'm sure you've noticed I've been MIA--a blantant violation of my blog resolutions. I apologize, but I had a rough week. It invovled rejection e-mails, a migraine, and a poodle with pink eye--yeah, dogs can get pink eye, who knew?! So needless to say, I was in no condition to blog. Fast forward to the weekend, and I was in full recovery.  I got "over it" and I baked brownies for my Etsy shop (Thanks DFig & Maddy!), made waffles,  cleaned my apartment, caught up on my blogs, and was feeling like myself again. I was all ready to write up my Meatless Monday post Sunday evening, that is of course, until I watched my beloved Army Wives. If you don't watch this show, you should! If you do watch the show, then I'm sure you, too, were boohooing your eyes out for 60 consecutive minutes, just as I was. And when I say boohooing, I mean, BOOHOOING--like sobbing into my glass of wine! It's moments like these that I'm glad I live alone, because it was a bit embarrassing--except it wasn't, because even though the characters on the show are fictional, the storyline portrays the hard reality of our country's military families with powerful accuracy, and that in itself is worth a few tears. So it should come as no suprise that I was exhuasted from all the crying and the drinking wine with tears in it, and just couldn't get it together to write my blog post. I thought I could get up this morning and do it--but those of you who know me well are probably laughing at that notion--morning person I am NOT.

But what goes down must come up, and today I'm feeling better, and I owe that to a few special people out there.

Baltimore Restaurant Week!

I love dinner parties. I think they're the bees knees, largely because they represent the amalgamation of many things I cherish in life (good company, good food, bountiful booze). I often find myself conjuring up delusions of grandeur day dreaming of hosting amazing dinner parties in the fabulous house that I bought while appearing on House Hunters International on HGTV.  But then reality sets in, and that fantasy goes out the window when I realize that by the time I have the house and the big kitchen, I'll probably be too busy with a husband, a crumb snatcher or two, the poodle, and a job to even want to host a dinner party, let alone have the energy to do so. So to compensate for the fact that hosting my own amazing dinner parties isn't currently feasible, and its future feasibility is questionable, I let restaurants do the work for me, which is why I love Baltimore Restaurant Week. It provides the perfect opportunity to get together with friends and family and enjoy a fabulous 3 course meal for $35.11 (booze not included).

This year, the girls and I finally got our acts together, and made our way to Baltimore Winter Restaurant Week (and didn't get snowed out like last year). We went to Sascha's, a "Creative American Fare" restaurant with strong Mediterranean influences. I had been dying to eat there for ages, because it's just a few blocks from my apartment, and I'm glad I finally did. We had an amazing time! The food was fantastic, and the service was amazing, and the drinks were good enough to make me ignore their price tag. I personally can't wait to go this place again, and as soon as I free up some cash (post Spain), I will certainly be joining them for happy hour. Most of the pictures are courtesy of Keeley, as she is now part of "the girls", cuz she's awesome like that.  And with warmer weather on the way, more girls get togethers are in the cards for the "bloggers are awesome" crew :)
 *Pictures are couretsy of Keeley's way awesome camera

Keeley's caipirinha



My ginger martini

 

Hillary and Alihah order the pink panther martini.
And Toya is growing a baby, so water for her (not pictured)



The art inside was really cool, but not kitchy.



  

Alihah, Toya, and Hillary

  



Me and Keeley



Keeley and I ordered the Shrimp and Grits for our first course



And the rest of the girls order the scallops for their first course



I ordered the lamb shank with broccoli and mashed potatoes. Divine!



Keeley ordered the diver scallops with parsnip puree and baby carrots

Hillary's filet mignon with potato terrine



I don't remember who ordered this, but it was chocolate something that looked amazing



Chocolate Mousse Cake

Baltimore's Best Carrot Cake.
 I wish I had order this, it was out of this world

My creme brulee with Kahlua

It was a fabulous meal and a fantastic evening, can't wait for Summer Restaurant Week

Onion Tart+Bloggers=LEGEN..(wait for it)...DARY!

I'm sure you're wondering exactly how the combination of an onion tart and bloggers could be so legen...(wait for it)...dary!

Onions are really quite smelly, especially when you sauté three pounds of them for over an hour in your small, poorly ventilated apartment. It doesn't matter that you opened the window in the kitchen, and closed all the doors in said apartment. The smell is so pervasive, it penetrates every space inside and sticks to any soft surface, including the clothes in your closet, your kind of brand new loveseat, your bedding, your hair, and even your miniature poodle! And all you can hope for is that your awesome friends for which you cooked these onions and hand made dough for the delicious tart in preparation for your  blogger meet up spectacular in Delaware are more polite than you, and don't exclaim, "Your hair smells like onions!" when they greet you with a hug.

Well my friends, that's exactly how the combination of and onion tart an bloggers could be so damn awesome, that I stayed in in Delaware for ten hours knowing I had to go to work the next morning!

Just after Christmas, my lovely friends Maddy, Latoya, and Chavonne, met up at Keeley's house for hours of fun, food, and foolishness. Since Keeley and Maddy already blogged about the details of our get together, I'll just give you a brief outline:

• Keeley did all of the cooking (sans onion tart). The food was bombdiggity! Probably not what I needed right after the caloric shit storm that is the holiday season, but whatevs, no regrets!
• I made an onion tart. It was cumbersome. It was worth it!
• Two of Keeley's friends also came, one of whom also has a really awesome travel blog, Atlas in Her Hand, that makes me realize I need to get my travel game UP!
• There was wine, and booze, and I was the bartender. Good thing we're all 'sponsible bloggers who know when stop drinking.
• Chavonne and Maddy totally brought gifts, and I got The Bartenders Black Book! Score! Thanks ladies <3
• We played Michael Jackson: The Experience on Wii. If I didn't know myself better, I would totally get a Wii. But I know myself very well, and know that my playstation and sega genesis are collecting dust somewhere in my sister's basement. Smh...
• It was Legen.dary. No further explanation needed. I think the next trip will be to Jersey!
• I totally looked and felt like a zombie at work the next day, ouch!

So I FAILED at taking pictures. But Keeley and Maddy have better cameras anyway, so check out their blogs!

Onion Tart with Mustard and Fennel Seed

I got this recipe from the Smitten Kitchen blog. Since I didn't stray from the recipe at all (shocking I know!) you can read the recipe here.

3 pounds=9 onions!
It took almost 2 weeks for the smell to clear entirely from my apartment

that's 12:07am, I'm such a night owl

*high five to those who know where the legendary reference is from
*I've noticed I've got some new readers, Welcome!!

Home to Roost

It's Oprah and Gail's BIG ADVENTURE! Except instead of Oprah and Gail, it's me, Hillary of The Sweet Maple Life, Latoya of the Quarter Life Chronicles, and Keeley from My Life on a Plate! That's right y'all, it's another blogger meet up spectacular. You may remember from this post, that I realized that Keeley is an alumni of my Alma mater, University of Delaware. You may also recall that on several occasions, I've waxed poetic about wanting to invite myself over for dinner at Keeley's. Well my friends, two weeks ago during homecoming weekend, that dream became a reality and then some!

When I realized that the four of us all went to UD and suggested we meet up at homecoming, Keeley was the 'sponsible one who sent out a coordinating email. We decided to meet up at the alumni bar crawl event on Friday night, which netted us alumni scarves, a free drink to start off, wristbands for discounts at all the participating bars, and a waffle breakfast after it all. Booze, food, & bloggers=AWESOME. Meeting Keeley and her husband E was great and the five of us hit it off fabulously. We then proceeded to hit several bars for blue hen themed libations, sliders, wine and more blue booze. We had such a good time, in fact, that naturally I have no pictures from Friday night. FAIL. Buuuut, Keeley, whose a 'sponsible blogger and posted about our little get together in a timely fashion has pics here!

But what about dinner at Keeley's? Glad you asked.

Naturally, during our boozin' and cruisin [on foot] Friday night, the topic of food was discussed, which then led to a discourse about bacon [and my undying love for it] which then segued to a conversation about Keeley's epic bacon mac n' cheese. Or at least I think that's what happened, but honestly can't remember for sure, because I was boozin' hard [I'd had a rough day earlier]. Regardless of the details, the pertinent facts were that an invitation to Keeley's home with her husband and dogs was extended and accepted. Speak it. Live it. Luv it!

Saturday came, and after what used to be an obligatory appearance at the Center for Black Culture's BBQ, but is now totally wack and has been usurped by the tailgate,  we piled in the cars and headed to Keeley's for lunch. We would've gone for dinner, but Hill, Alihah, and I had tickets for Kathy Griffin in Philly that evening. When we got Keeley's, we were greeted by our gracious hosts, her uber cute dogs Milo and Zelda, and wine, cheese and crackers. But this is Keeley I'm talking about here, so you know it was good wine, french cheese, and those good water crackers. And then came the bacon mac n cheese. Y'all know how I love bacon, but I haven't discussed my love of mac n cheese on this blog, largely because I only eat it twice a year when my mom makes it for the holidays. Well, the holidays came early this year, because that mac n cheese was a.ma.zing! It was creamy and cheesy and bacony and glorious. It was so good, I honestly believe that Oprah could give it away on an "Oprah's Favorite Things" episode. YOU GET A PLATE! AND YOU GET A PLATE! AND YOU GET A PLATE TOO OF KEELEY'S BACON MAC N' CHEESE!! The audience would go ape shit, and rest assured I would too.

In addition to the mind blowingly good food, we talked, we laughed, we drank more wine, I learned that I really need to get a Costco membership...it was grand. Before we knew it, it was time for Hillary and I to leave to get ready for our show, and we literally had to drag ourselves out the front door. I considered stealing one of Keeley's dogs, Zelda. She was just sooo cute! But I realized that if I stole her dog, she probably wouldn't be my friend anymore, and that Kona would be having none of that sharing the spotlight with another dog, so I decided against it.

Yet another fabulous blogger meet up. I'm 3 for 3, I like this trend. Keeley and E, I can't wait to do it again!

Oh and btw, Kathy Griffin was hi-larious! She literally has ADD and never finished telling her Oprah story, lol.

Go Blue and Gold!

Bloggers are Even More Awesome in Person!

If you would've told me back in February when I started this blog, that I would make and meet new friends through it, I would've laughed at you and likely given you the "weirdo" side-eye.  When I got into this whole blogging thing, it was mostly to distract myself from the misery of my current occupation, and help better prepare me for my pending career switch from health education to health policy [speaking of, I need to get off my ass and get a policy post together, I'm going to need something to talk about in detail in my interviews for the new job I've decided that I'm getting in October]. But on my blogging journey, I have in fact made new friends, and as of last weekend, I got to meet two of them in person!  Every summer I make at least 1 trip to New York City to visit my college roommate Liz and my other college friend Tifanni. Since two of my favorite bloggers, Ellen from Fired n' Fabulous and Maddy from The Maddy Chronicles live in or near NYC, I decided to make it a mega weekend of awesomeness [read booze, food, and tomfoolery] and meet up with them while I was in town.

Maddy met me and Liz in Chelsea Friday night for dinner, drinks, and of course, conversation about EVERYTHING. Yeah, we ladies like to chat it up.  I've previously said that upon first reading Maddy's blog, that immediately I felt we would be friends in real life, and I was so right! Meeting up with her was so cool, yet so comfortable because I felt like I already knew her [well cuz I did, duh]. After dinner, we hit up Son Cubano, a great little Cuban spot that Maddy blogged about a few weeks ago. Their mojitos were good, the music was good, and even though I was totally the girl in the "club" in chucks and shorts, I didn't really feel out of place. Maddy, I had a great time, and can't wait to do it again!  <3

Me and Maddy! We're awesome

Liz & Maddy
two of my favorites <3

The fantastic Maddy!

Shoe game is HOT FIYAH!

Sunday morning, Liz and I met up with Ellen for a boozy brunch, and that too was awesome. First off, Ellen picked a great restaurant for brunch, Essex, on the lower east side, that offers great eatings and 3 drinks included with your meal. Ellen was so awesome, we talked about blogs, boys, and jobs, it was great! After brunch we went to another bar for another drink, and talked about jobs and boys some more and family--it turns out that Ellen is a triplet--LOVE IT and....I don't remember what else, I was four drinks in, lol.  I'm pretty sure I dropped some profanity by the boatload, but Ellen knew what she was getting into.  Oh and how I could I forget, I totally got to meet her blog elusive boyfriend! Cuz I'm cool like that, son, ha! Ellen, next time I'm in the city, I'm thinking nigh time boozin'! Oh yeah!

Me and the Fabulous Ellen!

The CEO. Yeah, son!

mimosa number ??

a caiphirhina sounded like a good idea at the time
being drunk on the bolt bus, not so great

Fabulous end to a fabulous weekend

So yeah, I'm totally glad that I decided to get into this whole blogging thing, best decision of 2010 (because Spain and Morocco had already been decided on in 2009).

And Liz, Tifi, & Asha, the weekend was awesome. Can't wait till the next time, ladies!

<3