The Key

February 9, 2010 in Food | 3 comments

This is not the meal I ate tonight. This is the meal I ate last night. Sometimes I think the key to remembering a good meal is giving it some thought for a day, letting it nourish your system and still feeling it a day later.

What’s the key to making a good baked, stuffed chicken if it’s not super thick? Flattening it with a mallet and rolling it up with spinach and parmesan. Of course!

When it comes to rice, I’ve found the key to success in terms of overindulge: Make rice that is good enough that you want to eat it the next day, so you save some.

And also pair that rice with a vegetable side that is much, much better. You won’t care so much about the rice when you have asparagus cooked in olive oil, spices and a splash of wine.

But there’s a bigger key to a successful dinner than pairings or inventive cooking on the fly. Eating it with someone you enjoy – who will savor the meal as much as you. And talking about that meal (and the day) over good wine.

What’s the key to success when it comes to mealtimes at your place?

Snowstorm x 2

February 9, 2010 in Food, Oatmeal | Tags: Oatmeal | 18 comments

We’ve dug out the cars, we’ve broken up the ice and the street is finally [somewhat] usable again.

Some cars on the street may not be in their best condition, but they’re surviving – leading the pack to the final destination.

There are still some cars buried under the snow and ice, waiting to emerge – though no one has taken a shovel to them. Sometimes I wonder if those cars will just fall into a hole in the ground, never to be seen again.

So why am I at home instead of work? Why another snow day? Because they say another 20 inches is on its way today and tomorrow. All that work breaking up the ice will soon turn into this:

Two snowstorms in one week. Feels like a record. What do you think about it (whether you’re in one or not!)?

Me: As a Child

February 8, 2010 in 1 | 26 comments

Someone on the Ask Anything survey asked: what were you like as a child? Of course, I have my own opinions. I remember being slightly spoiled, a camera ham and overweight. I also remember having a lot of fun. But instead of relying on my own memories alone, I decided to go to my mom and dad. I sent them each an email asking the question.

My parents got divorced when I was young, so I thought they may have different memories of me. However, they both confirmed one thing: that I was a happy child. I was excited to see this response because I completely agree. Looking back, childhood was a very special and important time for me, and I couldn’t have asked for a better growing-up experience. It was different from many other children my own age, and I count that as a blessing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be me.

From Mom:

Before I begin, I did ask your stepdad to describe you as a child growing up and he said it with one word: ENTERTAINING. You were a happy little girl! Also, the word that comes to mind when I think of you growing up is determined. You didn’t give up easily, ie. basketball, cross country in high school, softball. . . you worked hard at everything were involved in.

Also, the creativity started to really blossom when you were probably 10 or so. . . ie. writing, reading, etc. You were always writing.

I would have to say you were definitely a tomboy also. This is not a bad thing. . . you had a short stint with Barbie dolls, but it was never really your thing. . .

You were also very inquisitive as a toddler! Thus, the photo of you examining the camera!

I will never forget putting you to sleep in your crib (supposedly) with the Santa Sleigh that Aunt Ethel made (with all the presents on the sleigh) sitting on the floor beside the crib. . . In the morning I found that you had unwrapped all the little presents! It’s amazing that you didn’t get hurt, as she used straight pins to pin all those little packages on that sleigh!

After a brief period of sibling jealousy, sorry, but you were a tad jealous of Justin. . . you blossomed into the most wonderful big sister anybody could ever want! That’s why I sent some photos of you and Justin. . . he absolutely adored you and still does!

Lastly, I would say you had an extremely active, busy childhood! You were involved in so many things. . . which was good! That business seems to have carried on into adulthood and I admire all that you do on a daily basis!

From Dad:

As a baby you were one of the best. From day 1 you had and still have a very pleasant disposition with a touch of a moody side. Usually in the morning.

I can remember taking you to church each Sunday and you behaved very well. That made your dad proud. One time, when you were about 4, I was in front of the church doing the readings and you came up on the altar and wrapped your arms around my leg as I was reading on. Dad was real cool then.

When you were about 7 we took our first trip to Disney. What I will never forget is when we were in the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon a huge wave carried you at least 100 feet. I thought that would be the end of you in the pool. You could not wait to go back for more. There was always a little daredevil in you.

Around the house you did most of what I asked of you especially when you were younger. You even made some meals, this was the first sign of a food blog to come.

You always had a mind of your own. That really escalated when you became a teenager. I wasn’t as cool then. Your 9th grade year may have been the biggest adjustment year of your life. You were quite social that year. I may have gave you too much space but you came out of it fine.

You could probably recite every episode of Saved by the Bell. This was a staple every morning while you were eating breakfast.

You spent many days on your grandparents’ farm. They really loved having you. There you learned how to play cards which, for them, was a rite of passage. You passed the test.

When it came to sports, you developed these interests on you own. You may not have been the most gifted athlete but you were second to none when it came to work ethic. As a result you had many many great sports moments/years.

What you did in cross country was very special. In 9th grade, we used a calander to track your time – as you were not very fast. By your senior year you earned multiple varsity letters and was a team co-captain. This did not happen by accident. You worked very hard at this and along the way you made lifetime friendships.

Sports for you was 50% competition and 50% social. Watching you grow in sports were some of the best years of my life.

I remember the day you totaled my Dodge Dakota Extended Cab truck. You were really shook up and thought I would be very angry with you. As you found out, I wasn’t angry – just worried that you were ok and you were; thank god.

You never got in any big trouble. If you did, you did a great job of keeping it from me.

It was a blessing for me to be involved with you when you were a kid. There was a lot of fun along the way.

From Me:

Everything said above is true. I had a lot of fun in sports – learned determination and made a lot of great friends in the process. I was never really that girly – always wanted to get my hands dirty in some way. My mom was right – I was a super busy child, and that definitely transferred into my adult life.

These photos couldn’t help but remind me of how overweight I was at one point. It contributed to a lot of awkward middle school interactions:

I remember feeling pretty down during that time period. I got picked on a lot (especially when I transferred schools), and I could never find a boyfriend. Luckily, most of my friends never seemed to judge me and even stood up for me when I was picked on.

Sometimes I look at pictures like this and get a little discouraged. But then I remember what happened just a few years after that. I started running cross country and literally ran off the pounds. Not only that, it showed me that with determination and hard work, you can achieve what you want. This is something I’ve tried to carry with me. Sometimes I think that running contributed the most to my life – it taught me determination, good health and helped me meet some of my best friends in the world.

But even though sports, writing, etc. all contributed to my adult self, a big part of who I am today is because of my parents. My mom and dad (and stepfather and stepmother) have all loved me unconditionally and have shown me love, compassion and positivity. Without their love and support, I don’t know what kind of person I’d be. And I hope they realize how much they’ve impacted my life.

Thanks again, mom and dad, for taking the time to write down your thoughts and send them my way! Also, thanks to mom for sending the pictures!

I’m like a kid at the Super Bowl.

February 8, 2010 in Food, Fun | 12 comments

I’ve never been one for football. Just yesterday, my dad and I were watching the Penguins hockey game on TV in different states, talking about the game across phone lines. He said, “It always surprised me that you never took an interest in football, but you love hockey so much.” Then he screamed, “Goal!” and my TV didn’t show the goal until 4 seconds later.

I don’t know why I never really liked football, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy games for the social part. Maria and Brian invited us over to their place to watch the Superbowl last night, and we arrived to a table-full of goodies and a TV properly positioned.

I decided to have a Dogfish Head 60 minute. I haven’t really been in the mood for alcohol, but beer seemed appropriate for the football game.

I ate a sampling of everything, including the brisket that Brian had prepared. I don’t know why, but the word “brisket” makes me grimace. It was pretty good though – glad I took a chance. I brought some chocolate chip cookies along, and they seemed to go over well.

Maria had also made a brioche earlier that day, and I sampled a half piece. I don’t think I’ve ever had brioche, and it was delicious. Lucky me – she sent the rest of the loaf home with us.

I spent most of the game talking too much, coloring in a coloring book and being mesmerized by commercials. I’m like a small child. I even played dress up with Maria’s red hat; doesn’t it match my coat beautifully?

I don’t doubt Maria and Brian regretted inviting us over. Thanks again for having us, M & B! Come over to our place soon.

Q & A

Some questions are still coming in! I still have a bunch to answer. Ask me anything!

What was the first concert you went to? What is your all-time favorite concert? And who have you never seen live that you’d love to see?

1. My first concert was Kenny Chesney when I was 10 years old. He wasn’t popular, and I was still a kid so I got in for free. I went to the show with Becky (who I wrote about yesterday and made my name popular in public school) and her mom and aunt. I still remember the show because it was the first time I felt the ground vibrate. After that, I went through a pretty long country phrase from about 10-14. Lots of Garth Brooks. LOTS.

2. My all-time favorite concert was seeing Elvis Perkins in Dearland at Bonnaroo. They were playing on a side stage, few people were around and we just stumbled upon them. This was before I knew them well. In the beginning of the show, they got off the stage and played right in the crowd with large brass instruments. I could see everything, almost touch them in fact, and their music was phenomenal.

3. I would have loved to see The Smiths play. I still want to see Bob Dylan even though it’d be quite different. And there are some other more current favorites like Santigold and Yeasayer (who I might actually see). When asked this question before, I used to always say Phish, but luckily – I lived that dream last summer

Stay tuned for a special post answering the question: “What were you like as a child?” I dug up some old photos + researched a bit. Coming this afternoon!

Power Outage

February 7, 2010 in Art, Food, Fun | 17 comments

The snowstorm was definitely pretty once it stopped snowing.

The power went out in our apartment building yesterday around 1 p.m. and wasn’t back until we woke up this morning. We decided to make the most of the day with walks in the wonderland and creative projects indoors.

We went for our walk at the perfect time – the sun was setting, and everything just looked beautiful. I still can’t believe we got more than two feet of snow!

Bill and I ordered a pizza on Friday, and I had a remaining slice for lunch + a salad. This was at the point when I could still literally see the food I was eating. Later, we ate chicken patties by candlelight.

The power being out was kind of a nice reminder to try out different forms of fun. We took a hint from a Joe and Betsy project and decided to put my crateful of scrap paper to good use. Every time I make a book, I keep the scraps in case they can be used for anything else. Today was the day!

We decided to make snowflakes. Almost all of Bill’s flakes were massive in size and looked like masks.

Looking at the aftermath was quite fun. Scone certainly enjoyed playing in the paper.

All our pretty snowflakes! All the small ones? Those are mine. All the big ones? Bill’s.

It was a fun afternoon project!

I spent the rest of the day reading, and we ended up watching a movie on what was left of the battery power on Bill’s laptop. Then I called it an early night on a Saturday – 11 p.m. – and woke up to a functioning apartment. Hooray!

Questions and Answers

What is your favorite quote (inspirational or otherwise)?

The quote I live by right now is this: “You don’t find yourself. You create yourself.”

Why do you go by Rose insead of your first name? (And is it Breanne?)

When I switched from Catholic school to public school in 7th grade, I had a friend there named Becky. We had known each other since we were kids, as her mom babysat me and some other kids in the neighborhood. Becky immediately took to calling me “Rosie” at public school, and it caught on. From that point on, I went by Rose. Anyone from Catholic school would still call me by my first name (which is not Breanne), along with my mom and her side of the family. I’ll answer to whatever name I’m called; I’ve just taken a particular liking to Rose over the years. I especially like using “B. Rose” as a name in a professional setting and as a writer because it always gives you something to talk about up front.

Where would you like to “settle down?”

A place where I can do what I love and be close to family and friends. Also a place where I have room for a garden and back porch.

Feel free to ask me more questions!

Scone’s First Snowball

February 6, 2010 in Fun | 19 comments

Last night, Bill and I went outside to play in the snow. When we came back inside, we gave Scone his first snowball.

He had no idea what it was and was unimpressed. He did enjoy having an ice ball rubbed on his head, which surprised me.

This morning, he took a more engaged interest in the outside. Maybe because it looks like this:

DC has already received two feet of snow, and another foot is expected. Let’s do the math: I’m 5′0”, we already have 2′0” and we’re about to get another 1′0”. That’s officially more than HALF OF MY BODY. For Scone, the snow is probably 3 times bigger than him.

I’m not sure he knows what’s happening, but he’s pretty into window watching today.

If you’re friends with me on Facebook, you may already know about my “Faces of Scone” album. Some people post pictures of their kids; I post pictures of a magical cat. Such is life.

And so this isn’t all about Scone, here’s my breakfast treat for the morning:

Here’s to a day of creative projects, delicious food, napping, movie watching and – of course – homework. Good thing school is fun! I may even get outside a little later and roll down the snowy hill for good measure.

Are you snowed in? What are you doing?

Q & A

Don’t forget you can ask me anything! I plan on answering in themed posts. For example:

Does Scone ever try to chew on your hair? My cat does and it’s weird! I love him, but he does this when I’m trying to sleep or if I just took my ponytail out … Of course, I stop him…

No, Scone has never tried to chew on my hair. Though I’ve heard of other cats doing that. I mean, I’m not sure what he’s doing while I’m sleeping, but I’ve never woken up to him eating my head, thankfully.

DIY: Personalized Valentines

February 5, 2010 in Art | 13 comments

Looking for a project while you’re snowed in? How about a homemade valentine?

I created this valentine using simple odds and ends. I’ve had 100 paper bags since Christmas that were hiding in a drawer and decided today to put them to good use. I’m also obsessed with my new stamping kit and perfecting inky letters.

I spent the first hour coming up with different expressions of what love is. This is just one of several examples. After untying the valentine, the recipient will see their personalized message. (Note: I wrote the messages and then decided who I would send to – I didn’t have people in mind from the get-go. I thought this would be a more fun creative process).

What’s that little white paper poking through the top? It’s a card from me. I figured the recipients could keep the card somewhere special, and then maybe frame the valentine or hang it on a wall/refrigerator as art.

Package it all up, tie it with a bow and put in an envelope to ship.

If you’re interested, I’ve written step-by-step instructions and my creative process.

How do you express your love on Valentine’s Day?

Typefaces

February 5, 2010 in Art | 10 comments

I’m sure the last thing you want to read is a post all about fonts. Truthfully, it’s the last thing I want to be learning in my last semester in graduate school. But as a creative writer and book artist, it’s something we all need to learn in the program. Our thesis is not traditional. Not only do we write it, we also produce it. And either way, we have to know something about fonts and how to use them strategically and effectively.

This semester, I’m taking a class called Typographic Form & Function. It’s a required course for my degree. Our first assignment was tracing fonts. The instructor told us that, ideally, we should spent one hour per font. We had five to draw. First thought: “I’m editing my thesis! I don’t have five hours to draw!” And although the process was slightly painful (lots of back-hunched-over nights), it was worthwhile. The following photos are in order of when these fonts were created historically.

The first in Jenson, which was created sometime in the 1400s. This is one of the oldest fonts we have and is considered an old style.

Next comes Baskerville. This one was created in the 1700s and is considered a transitional typeface. If you know anything about serifs, you will notice that they are more distinguished in this typeface.

Bodoni was my favorite to draw and admire. This one was created in the late 1700s. Can you see how Bodoni was informed by Baskerville? I see a clear distinction between the two. Bodoni followed Baskerville’s ideas in this one.

Now we get into some more fonts that you may recognize better. This is Memphis, which is considered a slab serif. It is thicker and more block-shaped.

And finally, Univers, created in 1957. This is a classic sans serif font, like Arial – which you are probably familiar with using on the web.

I have two thoughts when it comes to learning about typeface.

1. Why do we need to know this? What is the point of knowing the parts of a letter or the different fonts used throughout the years? How will this affect me in the grand scheme of life? The computer does all of these things for me naturally. I don’t need to know this.

2. This will make a difference. Why? Because when I’m designing the cover for my book, for example, I will know the types of fonts that work together. I will know which fonts to use for my subtitles and text. I will have a better understanding of what looks better. And even though looks aren’t everything, they dictate the way a person views something. The way a person views MY WORDS. And clearly, I want that experience to be enjoyable and accessible. I want the pages to be clear and easy to read.

So clearly I’m sticking with thought #2. The first thought is just lazy and negative. Ignoring what I should learn won’t help me. And sure, learning about typefaces isn’t on the top of my to-do list. But I’m putting it there for now because in the end, it’s going to help me more than I can predict.

The Blogosphere

February 4, 2010 in 1 | 22 comments

Food or art-related post soon! It’s been a busy couple of days, and I’m still getting used to school + teaching (yes, I’m a teaching assistant this semester!). In the meantime, here are some more questions and answers. I got a lot of questions about the “blogsophere” so today is going to be all about that. They got a little lengthy; guess I had a lot to say.

If you could trade places (lives) for a day with another blogger, whom would it be?

I thought about this question for a while. My first response was Tina from Carrots ‘n Cake because I’d love to know how she masters a schedule like she does. It’s incredible. I’d still like to trade with her. But I think my final answer is Betsy from Joe and Betsy, for purely selfish reasons: 1) I’d like to live in Pittsburgh 2) I’d like to see the world through a photographer’s eye and 3) It’d be fun to be blonde for a day.

Do you ever get annoyed with the "blogosphere" or feel pressure/competition from other bloggers/blogs?

Sometimes. I don’t feel the competition thing very much. I haven’t run into a situation where I thought a blogger was trying to “one up” me. But sure, I used to wonder why my blog wasn’t “more popular” than other blogs when I’d been writing just as long or longer. I hate that I’ve had those thoughts, but I have. And sure, I wouldn’t mind if my readership expanded – I think everyone feels that way if they’re writing a blog. But recently, especially in the past month, I decided to be more true to myself with OALP. Someone recently posted that I was a “life blogger with a food emphasis.” I think that’s the best way to describe my blog. Basically I’m living the philosophy: as a life blogger, anything goes. No topic is off limit. There is no set blogging schedule. I can write about whatever I want when I want, as long as I do so passionately.

In terms of pressure, I know I don’t fit the typical mold of a “healthy food blogger,” and that’s caused some anxiety for me at times. I haven’t lost a significant amount of weight. I haven’t achieved my exercise goals or hit a nice routine yet. I wish I could be the better role model in those areas. But I’m still learning those things. I haven’t mastered it all yet, and that’s OK. I think it will be a continual life process.

What are some of your favorite healthy living blogs? I’d especially like to know which you like that maybe don’t have as many readers as some of the big name ones. I’m always looking for new blogs to discover.

I have a “Favorites” list on my Google Reader. There are about 30 or so on there. For now, I’ll include a random sampling of 9 daily must-reads that hit upon a variety of topics. In addition, I read all of the well-known blogs that you probably read too and a variety of newer healthy living blogs. I’m not sure how many readers these blogs get, but either way – you should check them out.

Leslie from The Whole Plate
Amy from Coffee Talk
Mama Pea from Peas and Thank You
Quinn from Daily Moderation
Joe and Betsy (as noted above)
Erin from I Walk in This World
Heather from Hangry Pants
Mara from What’s For Dinner
Brandi from Bran Appetit

Ironically, I’ve met most of these ladies in real life. They’re also all fantastic story tellers. Both factors certainly contribute to why I read so frequently.

Note: I read many more blogs than this, and it’s really hard to narrow it down to a list of “top favorites.”

Worker Bee is Back!

February 3, 2010 in 1 | 5 comments

Now that classes have started up again, the Worker Bee series is back!

Welcome to the series – a feature that highlights food bloggers who are also full-time working professionals.

There are many days where I feel like I can’t fit it in, so I look to other bloggers for inspiration and guidance. This series is a way to see what some of our favorite bloggers do for a living along with how they incorporate healthy living!

Special thanks to Meghan from Travel Eat Love, who is this week’s Bee. She sent her information to me back in December and graciously waited until I was back in school for her feature. Without further ado….

1) What is your profession? I work as a Marketing Communications Manager in the publishing industry. I am responsible for all web, print, and email communications as well as advertising and public relations for my company.

2) Did you see always see yourself in that field? As an English major in college and someone who has always loved to write, I wasn’t sure what was out there other than careers in journalism. Marketing Communications wasn’t what I exactly planned on, but it offers a very close match to types of things that interest me, especially the social media and public relations portions of the field.

3) Does your day job incorporate healthy living? Not at all! I am not exaggerating when I say I worked every single day (7 days a week) from May until September without a day off. I rarely have time to take a lunch and often find myself working evenings so it is difficult to take time away from the computer.

4) If so, how? If not, how do you incorporate healthy living into your job? Incorporating healthy living despite my busy schedule is crucial because I know that the healthier I am, the better I feel and the more productive and happy I am on a daily basis. I try to take the stairs to my 10^th floor office whenever possible, and I belong to a gym just a few blocks away. Last spring, I also started walking 2.8 miles each way to and from work which added a lot of movement into my day, woke me up in the morning, and helped me to de-stress at night.

Meal planning is also incredibly important. I work in a building with many expensive, unhealthy options so grocery shopping and packing several meals and snacks keeps me full, satisfied and healthy. I usually have yogurt, almonds, fruit, salad, cartons of low sodium soup, and energy bars on hand to tide me over, in addition to whatever lunch I prepare for each day.

5) Can you provide readers with any tips on how to balance healthy living and working? What are some tricks you’ve picked up along the way? One big tip is to plan ahead as far as food goes. We have all been in the position where we are working late or miss lunch because of a meeting. It is so easy to act out of hunger and lack of time, but if you have something healthy on hand you will have no trouble staying on a healthy eating path.

I also try to work movement into every day. I mentioned taking the stairs, but I also like to do triceps dips in my chair (when no one is looking!), taking a brisk, short walk when possible, walking down to the end of the office rather than emailing all of the time, and doing calf raises when waiting for the copier or printer. It all adds up, and I find that just moving around, and especially getting outside, boost my energy like nothing else.

6) Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 10 years I would love to be working in Marketing or Public Relations for a beautiful winery! Wine and food are two of my ever growing passions, and in a perfect world I would be able to combine the pieces of my profession that I am most interested in with my favorite outside of work passions!

If you’re interested in being featured as a Worker Bee, please email me at onalobsterplacemat AT gmail DOT com.