Social Bird

I was a total social bird this weekend, living it up in high style and I loved it! I bailed out of work Friday evening around 6pm. This is nuts-o early for me and I couldn't have been happier to get home!

I gathered some bubbly, a little Skinnygirl and my comfy clothes and headed to Girl's night at my friend's fancy condo. We drank wine and bubbles and watched a plethora of chick flicks, snacked and gossiped and I couldn't have been happier.

The weekend continued with brunch with the girls, an hour nap and then the swanky kicked in. My parents were kicking it at the Ritz for a friend's 50th anniversary party, so I met my Dad for more bubbly at the hotel bar, raced home after doing my Mom's makeup and the boy and I were taken to dinner at my former fav restaurant. (It was my fav before the scene of the big break-up by the fountain. Now it's just another place). Live music, martinis, bottle of wine, filet - heaven!

Swanky brunch back at the hotel, a ride in a Bentley back home and then off to the horse races. The entire weekend was relaxing, laid back, fun with friends and exactly what I needed. I even managed to clean the apt, fit in a spray tan and do dinner on the patio last night. Darn-it being back to work. But super yeah to be able to breathe after a year of nothing but work!

Easter Menu

It was just too good. I have to share:

Ham steak cooked on the grill by my fantastic Dad. Honey glaze, little crunch. Perfection!

Deviled eggs from Mom. She added jalepeno, but I would leave that out. So perfect and traditional.

Quinoa, tossed with lemon juice, red onion, salt, diced cucumber, diced celery and mint.

Carrot soup - sauteed sweet onion and garlic, boiled with chicken stock, water, carrots then transferred to food processor until pureed. Served with sour cream and mint.

Green beans and red onion stir fried in EVOO

Fresh whole wheat French bread

Zucchini bites - 1-inch slices of zucchini halfway hollowed, tossed in olive oil, thyme and basil, topped with cherry tomatoes tossed in the same. roasted at 425 for 25 minutes. Careful, tomatoes smoke the oven.

Sugar free pistachio and lemon pudding with graham cracker, splenda brown sugar mix parfaits for dessert.

Lots of champagne, beer, red and white wine. We had all our alcohol bases covered.

Snapshot

Social Media is an interesting thing. I've been reading how parents aren't allowing their kids online because it harms self esteem and can make kids compare themselves to what they read about others online. Perhaps because I'm an adult and not in high school, I find it to be the opposite result. I have a poor self esteem issue - always have. But I've been focusing on the good in my life and doing what I need to do to make myself happy. It's working. And - this is going to sound terrible - FBland is helping.

It really became obvious while everyone's family Easter pictures popped up online last night. Kids in tights, big smiles, running around picking up eggs, big family moments. Person after person that was the hot, super fun, popular kid in high school who everyone wanted to be is now married in the burbs with multiple kids. And they look totally happy, so good for them. But it sounds like my personal version of hell. And none of those super skinny hot bodies exist anymore. None!

I, on the other hand, cooked a super healthy, diabetic Easter for my Mom, Dad, Bro and Sis in Law and Boo all in our apt! That 900 sq feet has never felt smaller, but it was perfect. I had one of those moments where I looked around the table at my amazing boyfriend and us together hosting my family in our home, and the table full of good food, the laughing, joking, drinking and got a little teary-eyed. (We polished off a few bottles). It was a moment I put on pause, took a mental picture and am carrying around with me. I couldn't have painted it better. I love my urban living, my home (which is almost fully decorated), my relationship, my business, my Misty-Miss. I am a super lucky, blessed girl and I wouldn't trade my life with anyone.

You can't see the future when you're in high school, or even college for that matter. But hopefully I can help my kids (when that time actually comes around to have them) feel confident in their decisions and the life they choose to live. I wouldn't trade places with anyone!

LIR? Why yes, please

Um, it is very important that I say this after my last post...

This has turned around and I am feeling actually pretty happy. I was on the phone with the boy and he made me smile and turned things around for me. And? My dinner arrived and I just had one of the best rolls ever. The LIR from Sushi Zushi. Amaze-balls. Seriously. Edamame, wine, another roll to go. And for dessert? Coffee popsicles from Weight Watchers and frozen raspberries. It's going to be a decent and relaxing night after all.

Bummed

So I guess this is what I always wanted this to be - an online journal for my thoughts that I can get out there in a way that I feel like maybe I'm venting, but really it's just getting everything out to no one. It gives me a way to see my life and how I feel at a particular instance without the clouds of influence and perception in my own head. And that's what this is. That's what this is when one person has looked at my blog in 6 weeks.

The narcissistic side of me just got a black eye, but then I can see my original intent and it also frees me to write whatever I truly feel without worrying about the repercussions of anyone else seeing it.

So here it is: Bummed, bummed, bummed. Tonight I am bummed. I could not have been more excited about getting a sushi dinner with the girls or one girl or any girl. The boy is traveling and there is a huge difference in making my own plans and not thinking about when I'm coming home, or waking him up or answering texts. Just me on my own. And I'm closing at the store the next two nights so this was it. Sushi dinner night. And it was canceled. And not in time to make other plans, but in time to spend $40 on sushi delivery from the closest place I could find, wait an hour on the couch and sit with the dog. (who, by the way, has already gone to bed in the other room).

Am I feeling sorry for myself? Actually, yes. I work my ass of and can't go out ever. I basically gave up my favorite food because my boyfriend is allergic. I'll spend the next two nights at work, crawling home to grab a bite to eat and crash in bed to return the next day. I had one night. Is that everyone else's problem? Not at all. Should they focus on me? No, not really. So the only thing to do is make better plans next time and pray the boy finds a reason to travel. Or just get over my issues of feeling like I have to make him happy all the time.

Perfect Sunday!

This has been the best, cleaned-laundry done-grocery shopping-Target hunting-sheets changed-gourmet dinner-wine-football sort of Sunday! Ugh, I'm in heaven.

The day began with Brunch at a local fav. Then I spent the next two hours traipsing through Target (two different ones) finding the perfect Halloween costume for Misty. OMG, she is the cutest flower ever! Such a perfect costume for her. She's a brat. Well, she's always a brat, but she's a costume brat. She won't wear anything on her head and if it isn't fitted around her back she sits and refuses to walk. So a neck costume is the best and the $4.99 price tag is awesome! And then continued to find a great black and white, snap front flannel. Sometimes you can't beat a good fashion deal from Tar-geh.

The real treat; however, was the farmer's market and cooking. I made an antipasto snack a couple hours before dinner. Fresh spinach, washed and tossed in an olive oil spray, salt, pepper and drip of balsamic vinegar, Mozzarella balls tossed in basil, rosemary and olive oil spray, whole wheat saltines, sliced red bell pepper and salami. Yummers!

Meanwhile, I marinated chicken in lemon rind, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil. I threw it on the grill a couple hours later; browned pancetta in a skillet with some frozen peas, then tossed with mint, salt and pepper and put whole wheat boucle in the oven. Made a fresh lemon juice, parsley, olive oil sauce for the chicken. SERIOUSLY! So freaking yummy. Topped with my Cupcake Merlot (less than $10) and this night cannot, CANNOT get any better.

Go team!

Dinner is Served

and yes, it's 9 in the morning.

There is something so peaceful about having the crockpot rocking before you even take a bite of breakfast. I'll admit, it's a bit housewifey, but for some reason today I do not mind at all. Coffee in hand, tummy full and dinner stewing and brewing.

Off to a morning of real estate meetings. OMG, this store is really going to happen!

Most Awkward First Date

But it wasn't a first date. In fact, since I have a boyfriend and this was another female, it technically wasn't a date at all. However, if it had been a first date, it would have been the most awkward ever.

My hot girlfriend (she's a girl and a friend) and I went on a girl date this week. I had two screening passes to a new chick flick and then we'd continue our tradition of sushi dinner. Walking to the theater we're informed that the screening is already full. Overbooked. OK, scratch that, let's just do dinner.

We were in a burbish neighborhood so we were trying somewhere new. I typed the addy into my new IPhone and off we went - for about 5 miles into the suburbs. No restaurants around. This cannot be right. So I ignore the directions and decide to check the address. Which took us all the way back to where we started - at a location we had both already been to. However that restaurant had closed and this was some 2-month old sushi spot in its place.

30 minutes into our failed attempt at a date we get a table. I'm newly diabetic and hadn't tried sushi yet with the insulin, so it was a total shit show trying to order from our waitress that spoke little to broken English and just smiled and nodded. Eventually the bartender took our order and filled us in on cucumber-wrapped sushi, no rice. Rock on! I can still eat my fav food!

Spicier than hell edamame that left seasoning in your teeth and a hole in your stomach, a questionable "sampler" that was in a beautiful martini glass, 2 rolls, a mixup between sushi and sashimi and a bottle of wine later we had made our way through dinner mainly unscathed. Now the check. After 30 minutes of empty wine glasses, empty plates and no contact with our waitress I waved her over. She smiled and walked away. After 30 more minutes we finally got her over. I needed change. At one point my friend noticed our waitress peering through the circle glass in the kitchen watching us to see when we leave. (insert dumbfounded look here). I still need change and only have $2.25 towards her tip - not enough by half. So I get my change from the bartender. When I get up, the waitress runs over and swipes the half tip off the table. I put the rest of the tip on the now empty table, shook my head and we left. I hope the waitress went back to get the rest of her tip.

If we didn't know each other so well that would have been a super awkward hour. How many times can you make the joke "gee, I wonder where our waitress is?" Why is dating, even if it isn't really dating, always so ridiculous?