Molly Rosedale

Coming out of Hibernation

2011-04-03T03:57:00.005-04:00

What did I do in February and March? Worked, worked, and then worked some more. I just wrapped up the start of a big project and I'm embracing Spring by getting back on track...cleaning house, cleaning up personal emails, and hoping to get back to the blog.

We did find time to escape for a three-day weekend in mid-February. Hello Chamonix, France! We had three days of sunshine and blue skies, and unfortunately, temperatures approaching 50.

Don't kid yourself though...we were really in it for the fondue. I boycotted bread and cheese for over a month after the trip. Three days of skiing barely burned the amount of pure, heavenly, cheesy fat consumed.

The temperatures meant less than ideal conditions of slush and ice. So signs like this took on a whole new meaning.

We still had a great time though and can't wait for the 2012 ski season. Until next year Alps!

Adios January

2011-01-30T13:55:00.007-05:00

I'm not feeling very inspired lately. The world warned me that January was a tough month here. My response was, "Oh, January in New York City is terrible. It can't be that bad!" Well, it is. The month wouldn't end. We start traveling again in a few weeks, so hopefully that will bring some inspiration. And some sunshine wouldn't hurt either because we enjoyed our time in the park yesterday with Vella.

Sunday Style

2011-01-23T04:45:00.008-05:00

I posted months ago about our flat desperately needing some TLC in the form of colour (and blogger is now correcting all of my US English to UK English, how lovely!). I bought this Jonathan Adler duvet on eBay over Christmas and it finally arrived yesterday.

Photo courtesy of Decorpad.com.

Yes, brown is my idea of colour these days. Since a certain black and tan puppy likes to sleep with us, and lounge on the bed during the day, our days of all white bedding are over. I did find some white Euro shams and a white valence (aka bed skirt in the good 'ole USA) on sale, so those are checked off the list. The orange accents won't work for us. I plan to spend some of this afternoon on Etsy hunting for pillows.

Happy lazy Sunday and football watching to all of you back home.

Ice Skating at Somerset House

2011-01-09T13:55:00.009-05:00

I pulled myself together on Saturday night and we headed to Somerset House for ice skating. We kept seeing signs for the rink when we were out and about over Christmas, so we bought tickets and spent our evening on the ice. The one and only time I've ever been ice skating was in 2002 when my younger sister came to NYC for a visit. I think I fell every 10 feet. I'm happy to report that there were no disastrous falls or broken bones on Saturday. We can check this one off the list for the Winter.

Since we think we're ready for the Winter Olympics, our next adventure is skiing in Chamonix, France in early February. God help the people operating the lifts. Watch out slopes (and breakfast buffet), here come the Rosedales.

Put me out of my Misery

2011-01-07T09:22:00.002-05:00

Stomach flu. Bad. I don't think I've been this sick since I was in elementary school. Seriously, someone just shoot me and put me out of my misery right now. On today's menu - ginger ale, cinnamon toast and vitamin water. And daytime TV here totally sucks.

Need a dose of cuteness today?

2011-01-06T14:37:00.003-05:00

It's cold and rainy here tonight, so I'm curled up on the couch with this gorgeous girl. This picture is part of my husband's Project 365. Feel free to check it out here on Flickr.

Travel Credits 2010

2011-01-04T22:33:00.001-05:00

Living in London means that travel options are endless. It still amazes me that we can leave work on a Friday evening, hop on the train to Heathrow or Gatwick, and be somewhere in Europe about two hours later. Throw in low cost airlines, and you'd be a fool not to take advantage of booking weekends away each month. Not to mention the fact that long-haul travel also seems so much easier from Europe!

Before I moved in May, I said my goodbyes with weekends in Columbus, Ohio, Round Hill, VA, and Aliso Viejo, CA. Here's where we had the pleasure of traveling during my seven months here:

Marbella, Spain
Bordeaux, France
Shannon, Ireland
Ibiza, Spain
Praslin, Republic of Seychelles
Munich, Germany

Sultanate of Oman

My list pales in comparison to other expats here, but hopefully we'll play catch up in 2011.

Thank You 2010

2011-01-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! We had a quiet night with friends in Waterloo, which included a yummy lasagna dinner courtesy of the Millers. I originally wasn't too thrilled about staying to watch the fireworks, but I'm glad we battled the crowds. The photo is courtesy of my husband. He finally figured out the settings on our camera!

2010 was an exciting year for us. The first six months are a blur for me - a quick trip to London to find a flat, the husband moving 6 weeks later, shipping our lives in a sea crate, moving to my MIL's house for 5 weeks, finding a new job at my company, and finally renting our house in WH. I think the dog had it the worst as the innocent bystander in all of this. We wouldn't change a thing though. It was worth every minute of stress.

Jumping to December

2010-12-18T14:44:00.008-05:00

One word for November - work. So let's fast forward to December. We got away for some sun a few weeks ago and spent 8 days in Oman. Amazing. The countryside, the coast, the people, the food...it was all amazing. We also officially kicked off a month of eating too much, but well worth it when I look at that bread and hummus.

Let's Start with October

2010-12-18T14:13:00.012-05:00

We're healthy and happy here in London! Just getting back in the swing of things after guests and trips. The past few months went by so quickly, so let's back up to October.

In early October, we flew home for a long weekend to watch Matt's sister walk down the aisle. It was an incredibly stressful trip for me. Our renters agreed to stay in NYC for the weekend and let us use the house. This seemed like a great idea because the wedding was on Eastern Long Island and the stay would give us a chance to check on the house. Wrong. I won't get in to the details, but it was not a relaxing weekend in my house. The renters are only there on the weekends, but they've definitely made themselves at home in more ways than I would like!

A few weeks later, my parents made a weekend stop in London on their way to Germany. We celebrated my Mom's 60th birthday a few weeks early and enjoyed exploring London. One of the highlights was an afternoon at the Imperial War Museum. If you're ever in London, I recommend adding this to your itinerary.

And, to round out the month, Matt and spent Halloween weekend in Munich. The weather was gorgeous (bright blue skies and just a little chill in the air), which always makes a new place that much better. Munich is a beautiful city with great people and scenery. The beer and abundance of pork were also Rosedale favorites. Some pictures from the Hofbrauhaus (note the giant pretzel) and Glockenspiel:

On to November and December soon, and then I promise more regular updates.

Coming to you Live from Munich

2010-10-03T09:59:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted anything in a month! How did that happen? Plenty of inspiration, but no free time. I have a few minutes of "me" time right now, so I'm coming to you from the BA lounge in the Munich airport. Between work, visitors, travel and life, I don't where this month went and I can't believe it's October 31. HATING the time change here. It's now dark at 5pm, which will quickly turn in to 4pm in a few short weeks.

I have a ton to catch up on here, so I'll be back this week. I love seeing the Halloween posts from everyone...it's not as much fun here in Europe. And, I miss the big bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from Costco (did I mention it's virtually impossible to find those here?!?).

Happy Anniversary

2010-09-29T15:41:00.008-04:00

This time 4 years ago we were saying our vows at Tribeca Rooftop! Happy Anniversary Matt. Hurry home from work soon. I love you, and I love that life is still an adventure after 9 years together.

Mission Accomplished

2010-09-26T15:35:00.004-04:00

1:58! I'm moving very slow right now and feeling my age. My hamstrings and feet aren't too happy with me. It was worth it though! It was a gorgeous run today and I'm so proud to support the MS Society.

Update: Official times released this morning...1:55. I can say with confidence that this will never to be repeated again.

Happy Birthday

2010-09-23T15:36:00.004-04:00

Happy 30-something to my husband and best friend. Love you. We celebrated with a very classy dinner of sloppy joes and french fries!

Out & About

2010-09-22T16:33:00.000-04:00

Sunday in Hyde Park with my Vella (Matt was behind the camera).

Run to the Beat

2010-09-21T14:39:00.000-04:00

My third 1/2 marathon is less than a week away! I dreaded that last one in NYC. We were in the middle of our move to London and my training was less than textbook. I still don't know how I pulled that one off. I'm running this one for the MS Society and my sister, Amy. And hoping for a PB of 2:00. So far the weather gods are with me and the forecast is high 50's, partly cloudy. Fingers crossed.

Oven:1 Rosedale:0

2010-09-20T16:38:00.003-04:00

My bran muffins are now bran loaf. Chances of that tasting good? Slim to none! 99.9% sure it's going in the trash. My big, fat, American muffin tin doesn't stand a chance against my Euro oven. My husband's response? "Well, no big deal. We can just saw the muffin tin in half and keep using it." Um, sure. Or we could buy a new muffin tin for £8. Genius.

BBC Proms in the Park

2010-09-14T15:26:00.004-04:00

Good friends, good wine and good music! We had a great time on Saturday night at BBC Proms in the Park. The event is the finale of the Summer concert series. The Jersey Boys get my vote as the best act of the night.

Saturday Musings

2010-09-04T07:45:00.002-04:00

It's 12:45 here and I'm anxiously awaiting the start of College Game Day on ESPN America. You can take this girl out of America, but I'm still as American as Apple Pie. I'm an ACC fan and our family has a long history of being OSU fans (shout out to you Meg!). My husband could care less. Have pity on him, his Alma Mater is in the Ivy League. Football and the Ivy League? Eh, not so much. I received my Fall UVA Alumni Magazine this week and had a moment...football was all about getting dressed up and tailgating. What I wouldn't give for some Big Jim's BBQ right now.

I'm a golf widow today, so Vella and I are hanging out. We head to NY in a few weeks, so I'm taking stock of things I need and placing orders online. We're headed out tonight with some good friends who moved here about a month after I arrived. They have an amazing roof deck, so if the weather cooperates, I'll snap some pictures tonight.

Back to fighting the dog hair that is forming tumbleweeds in our hall.

Ikea Orchid

2010-09-02T17:09:00.004-04:00

The bright pink (or is that purple?) one on the far left joined the family this past weekend. Purchased in the most unlikely place in my mind, Ikea. It was cheap and adds some color. Let's hope I don't kill it. So far so good. I don't have the best track record with plants.

Follow Up: No Title Needed

2010-08-31T16:08:00.001-04:00

You may remember this post in July. I'm very happy to report that the dog is 100% better and I got a big hug today from Ann when we spotted each other on the street. She said she's been looking for me each day, but we must be on different schedules. Made my day.

Menu Planning

2010-08-30T13:40:00.002-04:00

This was a boring one. I need some inspiration. Or a crockpot.

Monday - Paparadelle with Tomato Basil Sauce and Salad

Tuesday - Thai Leftovers from Sunday (don't pass judgement, leftovers have a 3-day shelf life in our house)

Wednesday - Grilled Chicken Salads

Thursday - Grilled Chicken, Steamed Veggies and Baked Potatoes

Friday - Eat Out

Saturday - Eat Out

Sunday - Chicken Fajitas

And I have to note that we had our first horrible meal out here in London. Kensington Place, you need some help. Friday night was pretty gross. Also of note is that Vella loves it when I make anything with cheese. She's her mother's daughter.

Shopping

2010-08-29T17:36:00.005-04:00

Shopping in London sucks. There, I said it. If you hear differently, don't believe the craziness. I'm sure the shopping here is FABULOUS if you're buying nothing but designer labels...for the rest of us, the quality and sizing are terrible for the price. And that's just the clothes. Don't get me going on the shoes.

The past few months have been very kind to my wallet. I think I bought two t-shirts at Zara in July. So, feeling like I had exercised enough self-control, I couldn't resist these two beauties on JCrew's final sale pages. And I justified them at $39.99, which is really £25. They will be waiting for me at my mother-in-law's house in October. Maybe along with a few other things my Mom has so graciously offered to sign for and bring to LI.

National Dog Day

2010-08-26T15:55:00.007-04:00

I don't have any recent pictures of Vella, so I thought I would post Seychelles photo in honor of National Dog Day in the United States. This is Plim, a true sea dog if I've ever seen one! She leads a very comfortable life with her owner and giant land tortoises.

We're looking forward to our holiday weekend that starts at 5pm tomorrow. On the agenda are Ikea, Pets at Home, some Fall clothes shopping, and Notting Hill Carnival. If the rain ever lets up, Vella will get a long walk or two in Hyde Park.

I can't believe it's almost September. With no travel plans in the next few weeks, we're going to focus on our flat and making it more of a home. I joined the American Women's Club, so I'm looking forward to making some new friends and getting out more in the evenings. We (well, Matt joined since I'm not technically eligible) also joined a synagogue. So, I guess you can say we're putting down roots for a while.

I've been busy training for a 1/2 Marathon the last weekend in September. This will be my third race and I'm really excited to be running for the MS Society. Fingers crossed that my training pays off and I hit my 2:00 goal.

Scuba 101

2010-08-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

During our nine days in the Seychelles, we spent two days getting our Padi certification. The descent on our first dive was the most terrifying thing I've ever done. There is something very unnatural about throwing yourself in to 40+ feet of water. Big thanks to our instructors, Thierry and Matthieu, for their patience and literally holding my hand. I could see my husband rolling his eyes through the mask! We completed two dives plus the classroom time, and now we're hooked. We're already planning a trip for later this year or early next year.

Menu Planning

2010-08-21T04:52:00.002-04:00

With my husband's hours in NYC and my own wacky schedule, we were well-known by 5-10 restaurants on the UES delivery circuit. Fast forward to London, where I might as well be speaking Swahili when I say delivery, and we've had to change our ways. Combine this with some of the smallest refrigerators known to man (think one step above a dorm refrigerator) and food with an average shelf life of 3-4 days, and you have to be smart about your cooking strategy. Otherwise, you'll be throwing $$$ down the toilet. I try to repeat some of the sides so I only have to cook them once and reheat a day or two later. And, never underestimate the power of a leftover night! Here's our menu from last week:

Sunday - Black Bean Corn Potatoes and Ginger Lime Chili Chicken

Monday - Beef Soft Tacos

Tuesday - Leftovers from Monday

Wednesday - Tomato Basil Chicken, Sour Cream and Chive Baked Potatoes, and Sauteed Spinach

Thursday - Herb Roasted Chicken and Greek Salad

Friday - Eat Out

Saturday - Eat Out

Sunday - Thai Green Curry with Chicken and Veggie Pad Thai

Seychelles

2010-08-15T13:31:00.014-04:00

We splurged on nine days in the Seychelles for our Summer holiday. Before moving to London, we didn't travel for almost two years since we had the house in WH. The travel bug has definitely gotten the best of us during our first few months together in London. Although the 11-hour flight was very fun, the trip was an amazing end to the Summer. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. I'll spare you the 250 individual shots though, especially the ones where we're in bathing suits!

One Heck of a Week

2010-08-11T14:31:00.005-04:00

The past 48 hours are a total blur! We landed in London via Rome from the Seychelles (does that even make sense?) on Tuesday morning. I quickly changed my clothes and headed to the office. Vella arrived on Wednesday morning and we've spent the past two days getting her settled. She's doing really well. A little jet lagged, but very happy to see her Mom and Dad (as predicted, she slept in between us last night...some habits never die).

I'll leave you with two pictures and save the rest for the weekend. Is it 5:00pm on Friday yet? Looking forward to our first weekend here in London as a family.

Holiday! Celebrate!

2010-08-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

Couldn't resist that title. If you're reading this, we successfully survived our holiday without any major bumps in the road. We've spent the past nine days in this amazing location.

There was golf, hikes, snorkeling, and drum roll please...diving. We both received our Level 1 Certification. I have a mild fear of being eaten in the Ocean. Full recap to come this week! It's nice to be home.

Fashion SOS

2010-08-06T05:37:00.000-04:00

We're having a photographer take some pictures in late August. The weather will be comfortable, I'm not concerned about a heat wave that time of year. I'm at a total loss when it comes to choosing an outfit. Outside of our wedding day, I've never had professional pictures taken. Ideas? We'll most likely be in Hyde Park and/or at a few of the sites (look kids, Big Ben! Parliament!) around London, so it will be casual.

One Week, But Who's Counting?

2010-08-04T04:19:00.001-04:00

The fur child will be here one week from today! Say a prayer for Vella on the evening of Tuesday, August 10...she isn't a great traveler and will be one angry little girl for this big trip. Apologies to anyone in advance on BA Flight 176 JFK to Heathrow if you suddenly hear howling from the cargo hold. If only they served cocktails and peanuts to the furry friends on these flights!

Underwhelmed?

2010-08-01T04:13:00.000-04:00

Dear Lands End Canvas,

I love your products, but find the New Arrivals in the Fall line slightly underwhelming. Hope you plan to add to the collection. In fact, I think this is the only thing I'll be ordering:

Cheers,

Devoted Customer Abroad

Thai Food

2010-07-30T03:57:00.004-04:00

Eh, not so much in London. It's just not very good here. Enter Thai Kitchen products. You simply add the meat and veggies, and you have an instant Thai dinner. Much cheaper than eating out too.

Good Reads

2010-07-27T15:14:00.003-04:00

Two very different books. I couldn't put either one down.

Bagels in London

2010-07-25T15:36:00.005-04:00

Bagels are terrible in London. Horrible. They're basically bread with no texture since they aren't boiled. I would say NYC and Long Island bagels are one of the only things we miss. So, we trekked to Golders Green today in search of bagels. Golders Green has a significant Jewish population, and you can find traditional kosher bakeries, kosher butchers and Judaica stores in the area. The bagels weren't the best we've ever had, but certainly better than anything in Central London! I'll give Carmelli a B+. We brought home a dozen. I'll head back from time to time to pick up more to have on hand for breakfast and the holidays.

We had a very lazy afternoon, capped off with a drink at the Champion and dinner at home. We also watched Ice Age 3...call us Mr. and Mrs. excitement!

No Title Needed

2010-07-22T16:51:00.004-04:00

I take the Circle line home each night, stopping most nights at High Street Kensington to go the gym, stop by Whole Foods etc. It's a short walk home from there. About 2-3 nights a week, there is a woman sitting near the tube station with her dog, an adorable rottie/pit bull mix who is full of love. I'll call the woman Ann. I usually stop to chat, give her a £ or two. Our conversations always center on her beloved dog, and we talk about Vella too. Ann is usually reading a book, she never asks people for help or money, but always graciously accepts what people offer her. From what I gather, she isn't homeless, but falls in to the 'chaotic life' bucket as we call it in financial services.

I didn't see Ann the past few weeks, but was happy to see her tonight when I exited the tube station. I asked how she was and she said she was fine, getting along. I was petting the dog, when Ann told me that the dog hasn't been herself so she took her to a vet who provides low cost care. The dog has a terrible ear infection, which I saw with my own eyes. I asked why the vet didn't give her medicine for the dog. She said that when she was at the office, she didn't have enough money for the visit/exam + the prescription and was too embarrassed to ask for more help. She is also afraid of the dog being taken from her. She planned to go back as soon as she can scrape together the £36 and she knows how much pain the dog is in right now. I started to say goodbye, but something in my gut told me not to walk away. I asked Ann how much she needed, she said she had nearly £20. We chatted for a few more minutes, and after some tears and promises, I gave Ann the £16. She kept saying, 'You would do that for my dog? You would do that for me?' I have Ann's word that I will see her next week and she will show me the medication, that the dog will be on the mend. She gave me a hug.

There is so much wrong and just plain bad in this world. I saw it every day in NYC, and I see it here in London too. I hope I was able to do some good today. I'll be praying for Ann and her dog tonight, and hoping that I see her next week. Maybe I was taken for a fool, but I like to think that Ann is a good person who will live up to her word.

Time to Get Serious

2010-07-19T16:30:00.009-04:00

And make this place more of a home! Case in point:

This table and bedding joined our flat this weekend. All in anticipation of helping out this poor room.

Ibiza

2010-07-16T14:45:00.004-04:00

We spent last weekend in Ibiza. The original plan was to spend the weekend with friends who would meet us after spending time in Barcelona with family. Their trip was canceled, but we decided to make the two-hour flight and enjoy.

The tapas were delicious!

The beaches were gorgeous (Note that I had to be careful in choosing a beach shot because like most European beaches, tops are optional in Spain and 90% of the people on the beach were half-naked.)

And we even took in a little history in Ibiza town (not without MORE food of course!).

That concludes our May-July tour! We're staying put for a few weeks and then we're off on a 'proper' holiday in early August.

Where in the World are the Rosedales?

2010-07-09T07:12:00.003-04:00

I promise this isn't a travel blog. And we do have jobs, we aren't just gallivanting around Europe. So, where in the world are the Rosedales this weekend? Take a guess! I might just have something for the person who guesses correctly (Megan, you aren't eligible!).

Random Tuesday

2010-07-06T16:29:00.007-04:00

Lots of random thoughts on my mind today...

I had my arse handed to me at the gym tonight. I feel old. I'm hungry and I'm keeping a food diary. Accountability sucks.

My kitchen, and maybe the living room too, smells like Newman's Own balsamic dressing. I'm not pointing any fingers, but my husband didn't put the cap back on the dressing last week when he put in the fridge. One shake, and it was all over the kitchen.

I'm reading Rescue Me by Melissa Wareham. If you love dogs, especially those of the rescue kind, this is the book for you!

Vella is booked on a British Airways flight the night of August 10! We miss her so much it's to the point of being ridiculous. Let the spoiling commence the morning of August 11. We're already plotting her first trip to the English countryside. She'll love it.

We had a wonderful weekend in County Clare, Ireland. No plans, nowhere in particular to be, no dinner reservations...not a care in the world. Ireland is stunning and we can't wait to go back this year.

I'm really fed up with our washing machine and refrigerator. We're among the lucky ones too - we have a combo washer/dryer that actually dries clothes (that's a novelty here!) and a reasonably sized refrigerator that would be the envy of many here in London. I have to remind myself to get over it and move on. Life ain't that bad.

Our apartment is in need of some serious decorating. Pictures to come, which will all be 'before' pictures. I have no idea where to start to get to an 'after.'

TGIF

2010-07-02T06:38:00.007-04:00

Today is my Birthday, the 10-year anniversary of a Birthday when I was in my 20's. I'm not sharing the number! It hasn't been a good day (it's almost 12pm here in London). I'll spare you the details, but I may need to eat something naughty for lunch. We're heading to the land of shamrocks and leprechauns tonight, so hopefully the weekend will be better than today.

Happy 4th of July! Have a burger, hot dog, and corn on the cob for us.

Rosedale v. Rosedale Challenge

2010-06-29T12:59:00.001-04:00

T-minus 5 weeks until our August vacation (that's holiday for you folks here in London). Matt and I have challenged each other to a friendly competition of super shape up by the end of July. I have birthday this week, Matt has a birthday in September, and we have an anniversary in September...and let's just say we're both noticing our age! Remember the line from Steel Magnolias? "Honey, time marches on and eventually you realize it is marchin' across your face." Yes, Truvy, it is!

We're both avid runners and could run circles around most people, and neither of us really need to lose significant pounds, so we're talking about each of us maybe losing in the single digits. Progress will be measured in body fat. Doesn't that sound fun?

We've instituted a no chip (aka french fries) and crisps (aka potato chips) policy for the month of July. We've also stocked the fridge with plenty of food choices. So what's cooking this week?

Note: I should caveat this with the fact that we don't believe in low fat, fat-free, or sugar-free foods unless they occur that way in nature...lucky for us we're in Europe where the idea of fat-free cheese would make some poor soul die of a heart attack.

Monday: Bacon, cheddar, leek quiche + Fresh green salad w/ walnuts and chevre

Tuesday: Broiled chicken + Rice pilau + Steamed veggies

Wednesday: Zucchini and shrimp pasta w/ freshly grate parmigiano reggiano and pine nuts

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: We'll be on a flight, so I'll bring fruit, nuts and other snacks

Wimbledon and Bon Jovi...

2010-06-28T15:37:00.006-04:00

I don't think a weekend can get any better than that! A very busy, very hot weekend here in London without much air conditioning, but well worth it.

Wrapping up the week!

2010-06-24T16:36:00.003-04:00

We have a new MacBook Pro and I have no idea how to use it! I barely found my way on to internet. Our old home computer was a Dell from when my husband went to B-school seven years ago. You can imagine how slow that thing is by now. But this things is way too fancy for me. Seriously, I just got an ipod this time last year for my birthday...technology isn't my "thing."

We have a busy weekend ahead of us, a little too jam packed for my taste if you ask me. Some fun things planned though, so I'll have something to blog about next week.

Word from Camp Rosedale (aka Matt's Mom) is that Vella is one angry little dog right now. Matt was in NYC last week, so he stayed through the weekend to spend some QT with his family. Vella didn't take too well to Matt leaving and has expressed herself by destroying silk pillows and going #2 in the house. I feel terrible for my MIL and wish we could put her on a flight tonight. I'm sure my MIL will be very happy to put Vella on a one-way flight on August 10!

Anyone else hate Sunday nights?

2010-06-20T14:36:00.003-04:00

It's 7:30 here and I'm winding down my day. I need to do some work tonight, which is never a fun way to end the weekend! What did I do today? It was very exciting...

Ran 6 miles this morning as I officially kicked off my 1/2 marathon training.
Made a trip to Marks & Spencer for groceries, and managed to plan an entire week's meals from breakfast to dinner (::patting myself on the back::).
Cleaned. Cleaned. and Cleaned.
Finished the laundry. I could write a whole post on my little tykes washing machine and how one weeks worth of clothes for two = 6 loads.

Better get back to work and watching the How Clean is Your House marathon. Happy Sunday night and hope your Monday goes quickly!

Me Time

2010-06-19T04:00:00.005-04:00

It's chilly and cloudy here today, feels like Fall. It should be a nice day to walk around. I have a much-needed hair appointment (I'm not fooling anyone right now!), which I plan to follow with lunch at Taqueria. The rest of the day is mine, so there may be a little retail therapy at Selfridges. And if I'm really brave, I could make my way to Harrods for its BIG sale...not sure I have the mindset for that today, but we'll see where the day takes me.

Bordeaux

2010-06-17T16:53:00.006-04:00

No words needed, I think these sum up the weekend quite nicely! When can we go back?!? Next stop, Shannon, Ireland for my birthday weekend in early July.

Gone Fishin'

2010-06-10T13:04:00.004-04:00

We're headed South tomorrow evening. Should be a fun weekend. There will be wine, lots of wine where we're headed. The tour kicks off at 9:30am on Saturday. Are they serious? This will be interesting. And, hopefully we'll be able to find a spot to watch the USA vs. England game on Saturday night.

What do I miss?

2010-06-06T14:00:00.000-04:00

I get this question fairly often. To be honest, I don't miss NYC. In a way, our time there had expired. We lived and worked in the City, but there wasn't much about it that got me excited every day. We do miss our house in WH, and escaping on the weekend to the peace and quiet. We know we are lucky to have this opportunity to live abroad, work and travel. Will we ever go back to NYC? Yes, and I predict we'll feel renewed and energized. But there aren't any plans to return until we feel ready.

That said, I miss some really silly things. Here goes...

Ice. Europe isn't in to ice. I seem to always forget this.
Boars Head cold cuts. We were a honey maple turkey and ham family. Your only cold cut sandwich option here is Subway. Blech. We move on and find alternatives.
Nail salons on every corner. A pedicure will set you back £45. Eek!
Air conditioning on public transport. There is no AC on the tube here. It gets pretty stuffy and smelly. I could write a whole post about personal awareness and hygiene, or the lack of for that matter.
Dunkin Donuts coffee. I'm an addict. I hate espresso, which is the drink of choice here. I predict the stash of french vanilla I shipped over will run out in about 2-3 weeks.
Equinox. Don't get me going on the gym situation here. As my friend Adrienne put it, "It's all about finding the best of the worst."

That said, there are so many things that make life wonderful here. I can't really complain. If these are the sacrifices we're making, I think we're doing OK.

Polo in the Park

2010-06-05T14:13:00.005-04:00

I'm missing my UVA reunion this weekend. What I wouldn't give for a drink at Coupe's and a sandwich from Take it Away. Flying all the way back to the US from London wasn't in the cards so soon after arriving here. Matt is missing his B-School reunion next weekend at Cornell. We'll be there in spirit.

So we carry on enjoying life here! We spent the day at Polo in the Park here in London. It was really hot and humid, but I've learned not to complain about sunny weather since I know it won't be around later in the year.

Life is Good

2010-06-03T16:40:00.009-04:00

We spent Memorial Day Weekend (called May Bank Holiday here) in Marbella, Spain. We spent our days on the beach, and ate our way through Puerto Banus and the old town at night. It was just what we needed! We have more settling in to do, so we'll spend this weekend in London. Our home computer is finally up and running, and I'm looking forward to being more connected to the world!

Marbella

2010-05-18T04:08:00.004-04:00

The last weekend in May is a Bank Holiday here, so we're going to fly South for some R&R. I studied abroad in Spain in the mid-90's, but never made it as far South as Marbella.

Introducing Defra, aka an Expat's Worst Nightmare

2010-05-14T14:11:00.005-04:00

So, where's Vella you ask? Well, our little Vella Violet is at Camp Rosedale in Massapequa, NY until July 27th. Not only did my mother-in-law take me in for a month after I left the apartment in NYC, but she's keeping the dog for the next 10 weeks.

Why? Because the UK still has lovely quarantine laws. The good news is that you can avoid quarantine through the Pet Travel Scheme. The bad news is that it means waiting 6 months in the home country following a negative rabies test before transport to the UK. So, you're out luck either way. You either bring your dog over and put them in quarantine or leave them behind with family/friends until it's time to travel. Leaving her behind was the lesser of the two evils for us.

Vella will be transported on British Airways at the end of July. There is a special holding area under the cockpit that is temperature controlled and pressurized for live animal transport. We're basically a wreck.

Little girl also has to step up her game once she's here though! In true British form, the dogs are ridiculously well mannered and run around the parks/streets off leash. Vella off leash is a nightmare. It means we chase her, screaming our heads off. Listening and obedience aren't her forte. Doing things her way, "barking" back and lounging on the furniture, now you're talking. Needless to say, we'll be hiring a dog trainer to fix all of our mistakes.

A Long Way to Go

2010-05-12T12:26:00.007-04:00

The flight was just the beginning! I have a wonderful husband who spent hours getting things unpacked and organized last weekend. Here's a teaser picture of the living room. The living room, dining room and kitchen will come together quickly. The bedrooms are another story. We're basically starting from scratch. It took me two years to pick out bedding for one room in New York City. At that rate, I won't choose anything here in London.

I didn't sleep much on the overnight flight and spent most of today tying up loose ends for my role in New York. Matt and I will have dinner tonight and I'll head to the London office tomorrow afternoon. I'm looking forward to putting names with faces after hours of phone conversations.

This weekend? Sleep and exploring Notting Hill!

Heading across the Pond (Finally)

2010-05-09T07:26:00.013-04:00

I leave for London on Tuesday! The past few months are a blur of running around doing errands, seeing friends and family, and wrapping up paperwork. Oh, and finding a job. That worked out well and I start on the 19th. The good news is that I don't have much packing to do between now and Tuesday since we moved out of the apartment about 4 weeks ago. Yes, I've been living out of three very large suitcases. The tricky part will be finding room for all of the last-minute purchases I've made in the past few weeks.

What am I looking forward to most? Seeing my husband! He's been in London since February and I'm really anxious to start living our life again. We have a dinner date scheduled for next Saturday at Beach Blanket Babylon on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill. I haven't looked my best lately (think flip flops, unwashed hair and North Face fleeces), so it will be a nice change of pace to have a night out on the town. We almost took a flat on this block, which has amazing shopping and restaurants.

I have no doubt that I will have plenty to say in the next few weeks! See you in blogland at the end of the week from across the pond. Keep your fingers crossed that the volcano doesn't keep me here in NY!

Out of my Comfort Zone

2010-04-18T09:17:00.005-04:00

I ordered these last week and it's safe to say that they are 100% out of my comfort zone. But hey, what isn't these days? Erin (aka Blue Eyed Bride) posted an offer for free shipping through a friend who is a consultant with Stella & Dot. These beauties arrived and I'm glad I took a chance. Now I just need a date with my husband!

Locked the Door for the Last Time!

2010-04-17T09:40:00.009-04:00

I've spent the past two weeks visiting family and moving out of the apartment. I locked the door on the apartment for the last time on Thursday night. It was bittersweet since we'd been on the UES for 5 years together, 9 years in total me, but I know that we're starting a new adventure.

I'll spend the next few weeks on LI and commute to the City for work. I'm in the process of booking my one-way ticket for early May, but waiting a few days to see how the Icelandic volcano continues to affect flights. I'll leave you with a picture of my niece. Her big brother is very anti-picture these days, it's tough be a 4-year old! I had such a fun trip to see them...we even hit Disneyland.

And in other news, we're EXTREMELY excited my younger sister who has a new sparkly ring on her left hand.

Loving Lands End

2010-04-03T18:33:00.016-04:00

Susan at Love, Life and Labradors posted about Lands End yesterday and I thought I share too. Lands End has been a favorite the past few weeks. It's one of a few US retailers that will ship overseas, but I can't stomach the starting price of $28 via Priority Air and 2-4 week timeline. Above are some of my top picks (I haven't worn any of them yet because the weather has been so terrible, but I can say the quality and colors are great). I went up a size in the jeans and had the waist taken in since I'm always dealing with about 1/2-1" of extra fabric in the back (according to fit charts, I'm "curvy." Yay.). I went down a size in both the polo and cardigan. If you can get to a Sears and try things on, I recommend making a trip to the fitting rooms since the fits seem to vary even with the new Fit 1,2,3 system.

Caught in the Act

2010-03-29T22:40:00.004-04:00

No doubt ordering an Aerobed of her own since she's taken to sleeping on mine while I'm at work! We shipped the furniture last Wednesday, so I'm living in an empty apartment with some suitcases. It's somewhat liberating, but also mildly depressing to hear the echo in this place. In other news, I need to stop shopping and using the excuse, "But I won't be able to buy this over there!" Ebay and Lands End are the flavors of the week.

Half Marathon #2 under my Belt!

2010-03-21T13:57:00.002-04:00

I'm not quite sure how I pulled this off today with everything that's going on in life right now. I finished with a PB of 2:05. PSA: Do not follow my example of sporadic training and running no more than 8 miles before race day.

Maybe it was the weather?

Rainy Sunday

2010-03-14T20:22:00.010-04:00

I didn't "play" much today. I did sneak for brunch with H and A at Rue 57, but I was all business the rest of the day. Our final drawers and hall closet have been cleaned out and organized. Now, I wait for the movers and tie up loose ends over the course of the next week.

I won't show you the before, but two hours later I made it to this:

We're fairly organized, but this closet is the largest we have and had turned in to a dumping ground for "stuff." Stuff we don't need or use very often. Gone are the piles of wedding stuff (we've been married 4 years this year), Christmas decorations and other junk. Everything has a home and these containers will fit nicely in to the closets we have in London.

In other news, Vella spent the afternoon supervising from her bed.

One Hot Monday Night

2010-03-08T18:45:00.000-05:00

Vella and I have a date with these two!

We Survived our First Week!

2010-03-07T20:32:00.006-05:00

Matt flew to London a little over a week ago. He's surviving without his girls. Vella and I are surviving. That's the only way to sum it up right now. Poor Vella, she's been really confused. I think she'll settle in this week and I learned not to put Matt on speaker phone. That was torture for all of us.

I'll spare everyone the rental saga, but we didn't sign a lease until almost three weeks after our visit to London. We'll be in Notting Hill and unfortunately, Hugh Grant didn't come with the apartment. I believe there are Hugh and Colin Firth sightings though, so I'll keep my eyes open once I'm across the pond.

I'll leave you with some very bad pictures of the kitchen and reception room (aka living room to all of us Americans). This will be the largest apartment we've ever lived in together, with an astounding two bedroom and two bathrooms. Control yourselves New Yorkers :-) It doesn't look like much now, but we have some fun things planned for every room. I can't wait to share the progress in 6-8 weeks.

Are we there yet?

2010-02-23T22:02:00.003-05:00

The apartment looks like a bomb went off at some point this week. We have piles everywhere that need to be boxed up and find their way to JFK. Thank goodness we have movers coming tomorrow to pack up our air shipment. Matt flies to London tomorrow night and picks up the keys to our apartment (ok, ok, FLAT) on Friday. I'll be able to come up for air on Thursday and Friday, and share some updates and pictures. It will be me and Vella hanging out for the next few months in NYC!

I can't wait to spend the weekend catching up on blogs. I know there's a lot of exciting stuff going on out there.

Happy Valentines Day

2010-02-14T10:51:00.004-05:00

We're having a quiet day in WH! It's a bittersweet weekend since the listing for the Summer rental will go up this week. I think Matt is more upset than I am about someone else enjoying the Summer out here in our getaway. I keep reminding him that we'll be able to head South to France or Spain, or the English Coast, on weekends if we get tired of exploring London.

We have about a foot of snow on the ground out here, so it's ironic that I'm packing up my Summer clothes for air shipment to the UK in the next week or so. I have a feeling that I won't be wearing 90% of it in London since it's never that warm there in the Summer.

No apartment news. We told the estate agents that everything has to be tied up by EOD Monday or we will pull our bids / start over when Matt arrives in about 10 days. Craziness. It's a bizarre market.

And before I forget, we met Vella at Bideawee one year ago today! We brought her home on the 15th. She's the best decision we ever made together and we can't imagine life without her. My MIL has nicknamed her "Cindervella" since she is quite the princess. TN to WH to NYC to London?!? She hit the jackpot. It's very hard being her...

Brilliant! Gorgeous! Mad! Posh!

2010-02-10T21:29:00.002-05:00

Watch out London, here come the Rosedales! And yes, that includes our crazy little fur child. I don't know if they're ready for Vella over there.

Yes, that's the big news. We're moving to London. It's crazy and we're crazy excited! We spent Wednesday - Sunday of last week looking for an apartment, er, I mean flat. It isn't sorted out yet, but I will share details as soon as I have some good news. Because the past three days have been filled with nothing but disappointing phone calls with estate agents...I know we won't be homeless, but it's been a bizarre experience so far. Do I have stories about some of the places we saw!

The husband moves in two, yes that's TWO, weeks. I'll follow in 10-12 weeks once I'm able to sort out renting our house, selling the furniture in our apartment, and finding a job (minor detail, right?!?).

I can't wait to write more over the weekend and catch up on the past few weeks of blogs. Cheers!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-01-30T10:29:00.002-05:00

Big changes happening here! And no, we're not adding a member to our family. I'll share more later this week.

MLK Holiday

2010-01-18T08:37:00.002-05:00

If you are not at work today because of the holiday, please take a moment to reflect on MLK and what he did for this country!

How are you spending your day? I'm off for a run once it warms up this morning. Vella and I will take a long walk later. Other than that, no plans! I have some organizing/cleaning out to do, so I'm sure I'll tackle that this afternoon.

Happy Monday!

January Thaw

2010-01-16T17:54:00.002-05:00

It was heat wave here today at 48 degrees! It was so nice to go for a run in Central Park without gloves and a hat. I'm FINALLY on the mend from the wisdom teeth removal and was able to get five miles in today. Honestly, I stopped complaining about it as I watched what was going on in Haiti.

We took Vella to the dog park today and she had a blast. I then bribed her in to the bathroom with cheese so I could give her a bath. She tolerates baths, but doesn't love them. She's sacked out on her bed right now.

Matt heads to London tomorrow for business. That means I have most of Sunday and Monday (MLK Day) to myself. I'm going to finally try that cuban beef recipe I posted tomorrow night, I'll report back.

Haiti

2010-01-13T21:13:00.004-05:00

I didn't have the TV on last night and it became apparent to me today that I didn't grasp the magnitude of what's happened. I'm watching CNN right now and I can't comprehend what these people are experiencing. The government is not capable of helping it's own people, the Red Cross is out medicine and supplies, and aid is being hampered for numerous reasons. I'm not sure how we can help, but I'm writing to encourage my fellow bloggers to share how they're helping whether it is through churches, synagogues, the Red Cross, etc. Let's get the word out and let each other know about the organizations that are going to rely on all of us to make a difference.

Update 1: Kelly just posted some great information here, I encourage everyone to read it.

Update 2: Hip Hop artist Wyclef Jean is urging people to donate $5 to his Haitian charity, Yéle Haiti, by texting "YELE" to 501501 (the donation will be automatically charged to your cellphone bill). 60 minutes recently ran a feature on Wyclef Jean and the work he does to raise money for his country is astounding. Another way we can give!

72 Hours Later

2010-01-11T21:45:00.003-05:00

Who knew getting 4 teeth removed would totally kick you in the you know what?!? This is why they advise having your wisdom teeth removed when you are a teenager, not in your 30's. I'll stop whining now and start icing. I'll be back later in the week with something more exciting.

Out with the Old

2010-01-08T07:41:00.006-05:00

I'm off to get my four wisdom teeth out, which I should have done over 10 years ago. The worst part? No coffee this morning!

Update 1 @ 12noon: Home and thinking, "That was breeze!" Yeah, right. My next update when the numbness is gone might be filled with four-letter words. Time to order some soup and ice cream. That's the best part of NYC, you can order anything you want 24 hours a day.

Update 2 @ 4pm: Are they serious? I'm STILL NUMB. I haven't eaten because I can't feel anything yet. I'm starving.

Update @ 3pm: Word of the day kids: HYDROCODONE. That's hI-drO-'kO-dOn. noun: a habit-forming compoundC18H21NO3 derived from codeine and used as an analgesic and cough sedative called also.

It's always nice and comforting to see "habit-forming" in a drug description.

Easy on the Eyes

2010-01-06T09:55:00.003-05:00

If we're friends on FB, you read about this last night. I had the pleasure of working out next to this handsome man on Tuesday.

Slow Cooker Cuban Beef

2010-01-03T12:25:00.003-05:00

This is on the calendar for the next few weeks! Thought I'd share with all of you looking to mix things up a bit on your weekly menus.

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 red bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut crosswise into thirds
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
Twenty-five minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions. Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.

Recipe and photo Courtesy of Real Simple.

Custom Order

2010-01-02T09:00:00.003-05:00

With all of the holiday craziness, I never had a chance to share these. These were a custom order and I plan to make them again since the color combinations are so pretty.

Can I add make more jewelry to my 2010 list since it didn't register on Friday morning? And, let's also add a new camera to that list while we're taking a look back. Seriously, we've been using the same camera since 2002 and it ain't cutting it anymore.

2010

2010-01-01T13:00:00.001-05:00

Our house is still sleeping, so I'm taking advantage of the time to catch up on blogs. I love seeing Christmas pictures and New Year's wishes. How did we just say good-bye to a decade?!?

Do you remember when you first started working and went through the goal-setting process? The one thing that stuck with me is to make sure your goals were SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and team-oriented/time-related. I don't know where 2010 will take us, but the list above has me thinking about the year ahead and the goals I want to set for myself outside of work (in no particular order).

Run 750 miles, with a little help from training for The NYC 1/2 Marathon in March, The Hamptons 1/2 Marathon in October, and the NYC Marathon in November (if all goes according to plan, I'll be running the Marathon for charity).
Join a synagogue. Long before we said I DO, we made the decision that this was best choice for us and our future family. I did not convert and my husband is Reform, which can be tricky when you're looking for a home, but I'm confident we'll find the right place. I'm excited to share this journey.
Be a better wife. I need to focus on not taking out the stress of my day on my husband.
Be a better friend. I want to connect more often with my friends.
Be a better daughter and sister. This one doesn't require any explanation!
Travel, travel, travel! We took this year off because of the dog and the economy, but I'm ready to go. We have two big overseas trips in the works, one in the Spring and one at the end of the year. More to come.
Volunteer. I don't quite know what this means for me, but I'm committed to finding the answer. Do I join NYC JL or find another outlet?

Happy New Year!

Tying up Two Years of Loose Ends

2010-01-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

We spent the better part of Tuesday and Wednesday getting things in order here at the house. We had pictures and shelves in almost every closet that needed to find a home, and after almost two years of home ownership, I thought the days leading up to 2010 were the perfect time to tie up these loose ends. I purchased these prints in July and just got around to having them framed. Agreeing on a layout for the wall took about an hour, and thankfully my husband is a genius with a tape measure.

New Year's Eve Menu

2009-12-30T09:09:00.004-05:00

We're a small group this year, so I'm keeping it simple with comfort food (read: lots of cheese) and endless glasses of wine!

Appetizers
Shrimp Cocktail
Baked Brie
Olives
Mixed Nuts

Salad
Mixed Greens w/ Dried Cranberries, Almonds, and a White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Entree
Baked Ziti w/ Meatballs

Dessert
Brownie Sundaes

Getting Ready for 2010!

2009-12-29T10:27:00.010-05:00

We made it out to WH late last night and we have a busy day ahead of us. Lots of errands to do, including a trip to Michael's to pick up 6 framing projects and food shopping for the week. I need New Year's Eve menu ideas! Anyone?!?

Speaking of, with the New Year on the horizon, we're also making our annual house wish-list that ranges from DIY projects to "if we win the lottery, we'll tackle ____." I'm eyeing the Waverly Chocolate Garden Lattice fabric for a bar stool project. It's online only and pretty pricey at $20.99/yard, but my 40% coupon might justify the purchase.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T21:15:00.002-05:00

Hope you're enjoying the day with family or friends! We're ready to head to bed soon here in VA. It's been a relaxing, fun day with too many good things to eat.

T-minus One Day!

2009-12-23T07:15:00.003-05:00

I have a really exciting day ahead of me, I can hardly control myself!

Gym
Pack for VA
Laundry
Clean the oven
Take Vella to the dog park
Give Vella a bath

I think there might be a stop at Banana Republic in here to break up the day. They have an additional 30% off sale items right now and I have my eye on a pair of gray wool flannel trousers.

In other news, I'll also be called furniture repair shops today. Vella chewed the corner of our coffee table about 6-8 months ago when she was a puppy, and has apparently been tap dancing on the top of it since mysterious scratches appear about once a week. To add insult to injury, while I was out yesterday, she somehow found her way on top of the dining room table. Scratches and a few gauges from one end to the other. Since we have a dog and plan to have children (someday, don't go getting any ideas)!, should I just give up now?!? Ha!

F for Preparedness

2009-12-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

We quickly realized on Saturday morning that all of our snow "stuff" was at the house in WH, including my LL Bean wellies (crucial for walking through the sludge puddles that collect on the corners). We put on our coats, got Vella all suited up in her coat, and headed out to see if we could find anything. I say that because things sell out SO fast in NYC. We lucked out and I found some Hunter boots, even scoring the fleece inserts for them too. I know they're really popular this season, so I thought I'd give a word of advice. I've worn them every day and they've gotten the job done, but save yourself $50+ and buy the LL Bean version!

It's Beginning to look a Lot like Christmas!

2009-12-21T12:47:00.004-05:00

I'm officially on Holiday for the Holidays! I'm still tying up a few looses ends at work through the end of the week, but I'm looking forward to the break. We'll head to VA on Thursday, swing back through NYC Sunday/Monday, then head out to WH for some R&R. The best part is that we have NO plans the next few weeks other than spending time with my family over Christmas.

We had about 10" of snow in NYC on Saturday. Vella had a blast in Central Park yesterday. Today, not so much. It's slushy and dirty. I think she'll be going to doggy daycare tomorrow!

TGIF

2009-12-18T16:17:00.003-05:00

Coming up for air, will post over the weekend while we're snowed in here in the Northeast!

Going Crazy w/out a Home Computer!

2009-12-08T09:12:00.001-05:00

Our home computer has come down with the flu, so I'm offline until this weekend (fingers crossed!).

Paula Deen's Beef Stroganoff

2009-12-04T09:26:00.002-05:00

This is a really easy one for this busy Holiday season! You could make it ahead of time and it's great for leftovers. Even Matt liked it...he didn't grow up with condensed soup or casseroles. Deprived life, right?!?

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds cubed round steak, cut into thin strips
House Seasoning, recipe follows
All-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, sliced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can beef broth
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
Salt and black pepper
1 cup sour cream
Cooked egg noodles

Directions
Season the steak strips with House Seasoning, then dust with flour. In a large skillet, quickly brown them on both sides in the olive oil and butter. Remove the steak from the pan. Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings. Saute for a few minutes, until the onion is tender. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Put the steak back into the pan with the onion and mushrooms. Add the mushroom soup and beef broth. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the sour cream the last few minutes, right before you serve. Serve over cooked noodles.

House Seasoning
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Yields: 1 1/2 cups

Doggy Daycare

2009-12-02T10:35:00.004-05:00

Dropped off the fur child at 7:45am for her first day of Doggy Daycare! It was time. It's getting colder out, which makes trips to the dog park miserable for all of us. And next to eating, playing with her canine friends is her favorite past time. I'm a mess of course, but let's be serious...she's at a place called The New York Dog Spa & Hotel. How bad that can be? She'll play, get treats and two walks outside today. If all goes well, we'll add this to our regularly scheduled Wednesday program. I'll pick her around 6, and she'll either be exhausted and happy as a clam, or totally ticked off at me.

The Menorah

2009-11-29T22:12:00.007-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Pottery Barn

"Only you would buy a menorah at Pottery Barn." - Matt (every year around this time when we pull out the Holiday decorations).

$59 at PB right now. I bought ours about 7 years ago there.

Saturday Football

2009-11-28T09:03:00.002-05:00

This doesn't usually go well for my 'Hoos. My family will be at the game today cheering on UVA. Go 'Hoos! Wahoowa!

All over the place...

2009-11-24T18:45:00.000-05:00

Physically and mentally! I was in VA for a long weekend and had a great time with family. I'm back in NYC and getting ready for Thanksgiving and another long weekend. We'll head out to WH tomorrow night. I have a long list of things I'd love to get done later this week, we'll see how much I can accomplish.

Take artwork to be framed at Michaels (60% off coupon in the mail this weekend, score!).
Buy bedding for the downstairs guest room and the Master bedroom. The ongoing debate over white bedding continues. The dog sleeps with us (yes, save your comments since I know we're breaking the one rule of dog ownership), so I need something that can be washed frequently and won't require ironing. Ideas? Please help.
Hang remaining shelves and anything else ready to go. We have some things that have been in closets/storage since we closed on the house 18 months ago. Embarrassing.
Trim hydrangeas and butterfly bushes.
Make some batches of something since we have no food in the freezer...butternut squash soup, chili, pasta sauce.
Start Chranukkah, Christmakkah, or whatever you want to call it, shopping. 17 days until Hanukkah and 29 days until Christmas. Yes, it's all very confusing, but somehow it works.
Finish custom orders.
Give Vella a bath. She smells like Doritos. Or, maybe Doritos smell like dogs? Ponder away in your spare time.
Take Vella for a pedicure. We don't attempt this, it's like she's having her leg cut off. Geez.

Giveaway winners!

2009-11-20T21:05:00.002-05:00

Maureen and Katie are both winners! Maureen, you're the winner of the green jade and coral necklace. Email me your mailing address when you have a moment, I'm at molly.rosedale@gmail.com. Katie, I have something going in the mail for you next week too. A "new Mom" present of sorts. Although you're not new to being a Mom, you have so much to celebrate with a new little girl in the family.

Pumpkin Bread

2009-11-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

My younger sister Megan shared this with me and it's delicious. It's a knockoff on Bob Evans pumkin bread. I usually get a big old F in baking, but even I couldn't mess this one up last night. It makes three loaves, so be prepared to share!

3 cups canned pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 cups white sugar
6 eggs
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three (9x5 inch) loaf pans.In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; stir into the pumpkin mixture until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the loaf should spring back when lightly pressed.

'Tis the Season for a Giveaway!

2009-11-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

I'm in the holiday spirit earlier than usual and thought it was a great time for a giveaway. This is one of my favorites that can be worn all year (green jade and coral). Leave a comment by 12pm, Friday, November 20 telling me about the holiday parties you have this year and what you plan to wear! I'll draw a winner for the necklace on Saturday, November 21 (Note to my two sisters, you aren't eligible since I'll make you a necklace any time!).

Rob Thomas

2009-11-15T08:33:00.004-05:00

We had a great time at the final show of his tour last night. I'm not normally into tattoos and piercings (shocking, I know!), but as I told Matt last night, "I wouldn't exactly throw him out of bed for eating chips!" Best song of the show? He sang "Little Wonders" in a tribute to his dog, Tyler, who recently passed away. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house!

One Republic opened the show with a great 30-minute set...check them out here. You'll recognize Stay Awake and Apologize from the radio.

And the best quote of the night was, "This is yuppiest concert of the year!" That was just fine by us considering the last concert we went to was DMB at the Garden, which always draws a crowd interested in "extracurricular" activities at the concert if you catch my drift.

Special Orders of the Week

2009-11-14T12:15:00.000-05:00

Top to Bottom: Green Jade with Coin Pearls, Amazonite with Purple Chalcedony, Pink Peruvian Opals and Oval Rose Quartz with Oval Coin Pearls.

Check back this week and in the weeks to come for giveaways!

What's Cookin' Tonight?

2009-11-13T10:01:00.002-05:00

I got up early and worked out, which means I can head straight home from work to spend some QT with the furchild. I'm hoping for a quiet Friday at work since the morning started out so well! I even made time this morning to prep everything for dinner. I've recently been accused of not having food in the house, so I made a trip to Whole Foods on Wednesday and the refrigerator is full.

My sister recommended this recipe from Rachael Ray's first 30-Minute Meals cookbook. I'm adding a big handful of sugar snap peas and the chicken is marinating as we speak.

Cashew! God Bless You Chicken

1 box jasmine rice
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
2 TB sesame oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced and mashed
2 TB rice wine, rice vinegar, dry sherry, or sake
A couple shakes of crushed red pepper
Black pepper, to taste
1 large carrot, peeled and diced into small cu bes
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (about 7 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
3 TB Hoisin sauce
2 handfuls cashews
3 green onions, thinly sliced on an angle

Marinade chicken with 1 TB of the oil, the garlic, rice wine, red pepper, and black pepper.
Meanwhile, following directions on box, start the rice.
Heat the rest of the oil (1 TB) in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until it smokes.
Add carrot and stir-fry for 2 or 3 minutes.
Add the coated chicken and cook another 3 or 4 minutes.
Toss in the bell pepper and chestnuts. Heat through for 1 minute. **If you would like the cashews a bit soft, add them now also.**
Add the Hoisin and toss to coat evenly.
Dump chicken out over a bed of jasmine rice and top with cashews and green onions.

Blueblood

2009-11-10T08:40:00.003-05:00

Currently obsessing over this store! Vella needs Xmas and Hanukkah presents, right?!?

Weekly Workouts

2009-11-09T12:16:00.001-05:00

11/2-11/8

This week was a good example of a four-day workout week.

Monday - 2.5-mile Run; 1 Core Strength Training Circuit
Tuesday - 2.5-mile Run, 1 Mile on the StairMaster
Wednesday - Day Off
Thursday - Day Off
Friday - Weight Training
Saturday - Day Off
Sunday - 4-mile Run

Sample Circuit (15 Reps Each, 3 Sets):

Dead Lifts w/ a Row (I use a 35 or 40 lbs. bar)
Forward Lunge with Press(using a lat pull down machine or something similar, ensuring that it's set at shoulder height)
50 Jumping Jacks Holding a Balance Bar at Chest Level (15 lbs.)

I can't stress how much I believe in interval and core strength training when you're race training. Check out Hal Higdon's website. His training programs always incorporate interval and core training, which will prevent injury and increase your endurance as you log miles. The best part is that you can find ways to incorporate these in your schedule if you can't get to a gym.

Some resources:

Interval Training for Beginners
Strengthen Your Core

BLT Fish Cheddar & Chive Biscuits

2009-11-08T18:02:00.002-05:00

We had dinner at BLT Fish a few weeks ago. A must eat for any New Yorkers out there or visitors looking for a spot. I think everything I ordered had truffles worked in to the recipe. How bad can that be?!? Not a fish person? There are more BLT Restaurants out there.

Below is the recipe for the Cheddar & Chive Biscuits they serve. I think I'll make these for the holidays.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
3 Tbsp Shortening
3 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Chopped Chives
1 Cup Sharp Cheddar (Shredded)
1 1/4 Cup Cream

Prep:

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne.
2. Cut the shortening and butter into the flour mix. DO NOT OVERWORK.
3. DO leave the butter and shortening in small pieces.
4. Toss in the chives and cheese.
5. Toss in the cream, just until mixture comes together. DO NOT mix too much.
6. Bake at 375 for 15-17 minutes.

Change of Plans, Thanks Vella!

2009-11-05T11:29:00.009-05:00

Note: If you order the dress, order up a size for the arms and have the rest of the dress taken in to fit you. The arms are really small, as in made for a super-model who hasn't eaten in three years and has twigs for upper arms.

I'm wearing this to an event tonight. I should be wearing these with it...

Vella had something else in mind since she ATE the right shoe this morning. Yup, chewed the heel to bits while I was in the shower. She plucked the shoe right off the "needs to go with me to work" pile on the bed. So, I'm wearing a pair of JCrew Big Bow slingbacks instead. Life goes on, they're just shoes. JCrew doesn't sell them anymore, I'll have to look on eBay. But I did tell my little Odie if she does it again, she's getting a one-way ticket to Abu Dhabi.