Marie

It’s Almost Christmas!!!

Published on December 23, 2011 by MarieLeave a comment

To start this post today, I’d like to say a very Happy Birthday to my cousin Sam!

sams21 — Sam's 21st Birthday... 22 will be much calmer.

I can’t believe how fast this year flew by. It’s crazy to me that Christmas is a mere 2 days away. Am I ready? YES YES YES!

tree — Our Christmas Tree... It takes up the better half of the living room.

First, I want to give a special shout-out and thank you to to Boston.com for featuring my Cranberry & Walnut Biscotti recipe the other day. Because of you, I reached a record number of page views for one day at Chocolate & Wine! What a great early Christmas present for my little corner of the Internet.

Lots of people ask me what I cook this time of year for Christmas and the various holiday parties I go to. To be honest, the list is endless. I try not to bring the same thing to the same place so it’s always a never-ending search for new recipes to try.

This year, I narrowed it down to a few winners.

For my best friend’s ugly sweater party, I made kale chips. The recipe could not be simpler. Take a bunch of fresh kale and wash thoroughly (they can be gritty so really let ’em soak). Then rip the leaves away from the stems and place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray. Top with more cooking spray (instead of oil to save some cals!), a little salt and a little black pepper and pop into a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. They become crisp and golden and melt in your mouth. A really great snack or appetizer for hungry girls watching their waistlines!

ugly sweaters — Check out those sweaters. We don't play around.

For a Christmas Eve appetizer, I pinterest-ed a recipe (did I mention I’m on Pinterest now? And obsessed with Pinterest? Well, I am.) And I found mini toothpick caprese salads. So easy, so healthy, so beautiful! I’m even going to make a balsamic glaze to drizzle over the top.

Christmas Day is my favorite. Because I come from a large Italian family, we do things in a traditional way. And by tradition, I mean we eat and drink for approximately 6-8 hours and pass out in food comas at the end of the night.

christmas2007 — Food Coma 101... Christmas 2007!

Christmas is a time for family and the Torto family’s ancient recipe for homemade raviolis. These are no joke, my friends. We already made them (in November) and they are sitting in plastic baggies in my aunt’s basement freezer waiting for their bath in from-scratch, simmered-for-hours tomato sauce.

Christmas day is served in multiple courses. Antipasti, then escarole soup, then the ravs with meatballs, sausages and pork, then salad, then dessert. Not to mention the finger foods we munch on before sitting down to the table or the bottles and bottles of Asti Spumonti and 2-Buck-Chuck red wine we go through.

And that’s only with my family. I mentioned that Stephen is Italian too, didn’t I? That’s a whole ‘nother story (and food coma..)

I hope your holiday is filled with family, friends, and great food. And maybe a surprise or two!

ravs — Beautiful pillows of ravioli perfection. Photo courtesy of Miss Ali Reed.

Cranberry & Walnut Biscotti

Published on December 16, 2011December 16, 2011 by MarieLeave a comment

When asked what my favorite cookie of all time is, I go through a list in my head: anise cookies, gingerbread, chocolate chip, peanut butter blossoms, nutella. I could probably name 50 more that would fall into the “Best Cookie” category. But this close to Christmas, my favorite switches from the every day cookie to one that has a special place in my heart.

My recipe for Cranberry and Walnut Biscotti came about few years ago when I wanted to fill a cookie jar to use as a centerpiece. These biscotti are light and crunchy and won’t weigh you down after a big meal. Inspired by a Food Network chef, they have become a holiday staple for my family and a frequent gift for friends.

Marie’s Cranberry & Walnut Biscotti

2 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine, room temperature (I use Brummel ‘n Brown spread)
1 teaspoon lemon zest OR 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
2 eggs
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour and baking powder in a medium size bowl. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine margarine, sugar and lemon zest (or juice) until blended. Add eggs one at a time and beat until just incorporated.

In batches, add flour mixture until blended (make sure it’s incorporated but be careful not to over mix.) Stir in walnuts and cranberries.

Empty the dough onto the baking sheet. Wet your hands (the dough will be sticky) and form dough into a 12-inch by 3-inch log. Bake 40 minutes in preheated oven until golden brown. Let sit out of the oven for 20 minutes or until cool enough to handle.

When the log is cool enough to touch, slice 1/2 inch diagonals using a sharp knife. (A serrated knife is best.) Arrange on same baking sheet cut side down and bake for another 15 minutes. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Serve with coffee, tea or a big glass of milk to dunk them in!

These keep really well so give ’em as gifts for the holidays. It just may become the new favorite cookie in your life!

DanceWorks Boston Winter Show 2011 (and some good news)

Published on December 9, 2011December 9, 2011 by Marie1 Comment

Hello all! I am in the BEST mood today and it’s because of a few things.

Well, it’s Friday and that always puts me in a good mood. I’m also SO close to being done with my first semester of grad school. Also school-related, I found out this week that I got into BU’s summer program. Read: I’m going to LONDON for 6 weeks this summer to cover the Summer Olympics. NBD. That’ll be a post to come but I screamed and jumped up and down on the couch when I got my e-mail.

Finally, tonight is opening night for the DanceWorks Boston winter show!

321967_313614788657231_131090000243045_1201637_2099858322_o — DWB Winter 2011 Choreographers... Yeah buddy!

After 3 months of intense rehearsals and an awesome tech week, DWB could not be more ready to perform tonight and tomorrow night at the Boston University Dance Theater.

I’ve said it before but DanceWorks is one of the reasons why I haven’t lost my sanity this past year. It’s also where I have met some of my best friends in the entire world, been myself, gotten to choreograph and be choreographed.We really are a family and I am so blessed to be a part of such an incredible group.

Opening night. Ready, set, WORK.

Lynnfield Turkey Trot 5K Recap

Published on November 23, 2011 by Marie2 Comments

November 5K – Check!

So far this year, I’ve run a 5K in May, September, October and November. And damn, it feels good.

I decided to run the Lynnfield Turkey Trot this month for a few reasons. First, it was super close being in the town right next to mine. Second, it had “Turkey Trot” in the name and we all know how much I love anything holiday-themed. Third, it started at 11am. Hello extra sleep!

The morning of the race, I slept until 9, made my pre-race breakfast (2 slices of light wheat toast with peanut butter) with lots of water, and drove over to Lynnfield at around 10am with Stephen to pick up my race packet and free t-shirt. Fun fact about me: I love t-shirts, especially free ones.

The race started right at 11 and I was ready for it. I made a great playlist complete with the songs “Sexy & I Know It” and “We Need a Little Christmas” Glee version. My strategy was simple: run slow to start, run smart the whole way.

And that’s exactly what I did.

photo-2 — Happy pre-race .... even with the sun in my eyes

The Highs:

– The weather. It was the perfect day to run. Cloudy with some sun, 60 degrees with a nice cool breeze.

– The course. With the exception of one HUGE hill, the course was very nice. I ran around pretty Lynnfield neighborhoods and there was still enough foliage to keep the sun off of my over-heating face.

– My stomach. Woo hoo, it cooperated!! The only time I wasn’t feeling so hot was when I sprinted at the very end.

The Lows:

– No PR. I honestly thought that I had done enough to get one and when I saw the clock and realized I missed it by 40 seconds, I got upset. Like very upset. I crossed the finish line, grabbed a water bottle from Stephen and demanded we leave right away (I didn’t even know I missed the free bagels!). In the car, I came very very close to tears and almost had an all-out tantrum.

But then I stopped being a 5-year-old and thought about the race. I ran almost the entire thing without stopping. I didn’t think I was going to throw up or pass out. I wasn’t hurting (yet) or want to quit running right then and there. I felt good, accomplished and for once in my whole life, I ENJOYED running. Genuinely enjoyed it. Go figure.

photo-1 — New running tights = love. Also, I love finish lines!

December is so close and at this point, I haven’t signed up for a race yet. Since I’m nervous about running in the snow, I wanted to do the Beverly Reindeer Run 5K on the 3rd and pray that the snow holds off. But now I might have to do shooting for school that day. Dilemma.

Your turn: How do you feel when you don’t PR? Do you throw a tantrum or chalk it up to a good experience? What holiday races in December are you running and can you recommend a good one for me?

Weekly Gratitude

Published on November 19, 2011 by Marie2 Comments

It’s been a really long time since I did a Weekly Gratitude post. Sometimes when I’m stressed out or just really busy, I forget about the things that are really important.

I’m thankful for dance. This is a frequent flyer on my Weekly Gratitude list but it deserves to be there every single time. I’ve had the amazing opportunity to choreograph, see my visions come to life, meet some of my best friends, and be a complete goofball (aka be myself).

259397_1973807945066_1239060004_32069710_29610_o — How'd that get there?

I’m thankful Thanksgiving is next week. I get 2 Thanksgivings. Stephen and I start at my house, have some dinner with my family and leave before dessert to get up to his aunt and uncle’s house in New Hampshire for pie. We chase it down with Christmas movies because with our families, Christmas starts the moment the Thanksgiving turkey is gone.

I’m thankful for my BU friends (and that our semester is over in 3 weeks). They are fun and I like them. Plus, they understand why I want to rip my hair out from stress, mainly because we are all in the same boat.

I’m thankful that I chose BU. Yes, it’s a ton of work and yes, the commute blows but I already know so much more than I did a mere 3 months ago. I had almost no experience in front of the camera, minimal experience with editing and didn’t even know what a JVC HD was. Now, I’m shooting, editing and putting together all of my own stuff and it’s incredibly gratifying when other people like the projects you spend hours and hours on.

I’m thankful for my AC friends. I don’t get to see them everyday, but the occasions we do get to be together are the absolute best. I’m so excited for Christmas on the Cape and to give my awesome Secret Santa present. But I digress.

385928_609481886663_41203305_33180405_81417239_n — This is Alyse. I do not have her for Secret Santa but she'd appreciate my gift.

I’m thankful for my family. Even though sometimes they drive me nuts, family is family and I love mine.

I’m thankful that I have someone special who loves me. Mushy? Yes. But it’s true so it’s there.

291777_596860574873_41203305_33034682_136500_n — He's a saint because he puts up with me. Seriously... ask anyone.

I’m thankful for crafts I can do. I’m not a crafty person. I can’t draw, paint, build, sculpt. But once in a while, I’ll come across something that is “so simple, you can do it with your kids.” Well, if small children can make these Christmas gifts, so can I, damn it.

I’m thankful I have a 5K tomorrow. Did I really just say that? I probably won’t feel that way when I wake up tomorrow but it’s still true. After last month’s rough Witch City race, I’m ready to get back to PR-ing. Here that stomach? Be cool, okay?

TELL ME!! What are you thankful for today? I’ll be thankful you told me!

November

Published on November 16, 2011 by MarieLeave a comment

It’s officially the middle of November.. when the hell did that happen?

I only have 3 full weeks left in my first semester of grad school. That is an amazing sentence. I could do a cartwheel with that sentence.

The beginning of November included lots of filming, lots of editing, some friend-filled parties, more editing, a trip up the the Tonry Tree Farm in New Hampshire, applying for the London Summer program at BU, dancing, running, and some freaking out. There is always a little bit of freaking out. Here’s the first half of my month picture-style:

My best friends from undergrad and I have pulled Secret Santa names and determined a theme (let’s just say it centers around sports). This is going to be an interesting gift swap! I already bought my gift and it’s AWESOME.

313098_609484865693_41203305_33180514_485254103_n — Best Friends at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grille

This is RD Sahl. You may know him. He was an anchor on NECN forever. He’s now one of my teachers.

This is what we call a Live Shot. It took a few tries but we got there.

NovemberCamera — I want to be on TV when I grow up.

And when my DanceWorks friends get together, well, wine and dancing are always the most populat combination.

NovemberDWBfriends — Is that white wine in my glass? All the red must've been gone.

And we learn dances sometimes.

And this is Fred.

: He’s a great snuggle buddy.

That’s been my month up til now. Running has been more of a priority this month and dance has been the top priority in my workout world. The DanceWorks Boston show is less than a month away (only 2 rehearsals left!) and I’m so excited.

So what’s coming up?

This weekend:

I’ll be driving up to Hampton Falls, NH again this weekend but this time, it’s to film for my final project for my Visual Media class. The Tonry Tree Farm (where we get our tree) has agreed to let me capture their beautiful farm and their history on camera. I think it’s going to be the perfect Christmas ending to my semester.

Family dinner to follow that night… my parents, Stephen’s parents. They’re best friends, it’s all very cute. I’ll be going to bed on the early side because I have my fourth 5K race, the Lynnfield Turkey Trot, on Sunday morning. I’m gunning for that PR and my goal is to run it around 32:00 but anything under 32:30 works for me!

Next week is a 3 day week school/work week! 2 days of class + 1 day of work + 1 amazing holiday + Black Friday = Happy Marie.

Next Thursday is obviously Thanksgiving and I will be creating some healthier versions of my favorite holiday foods. Example: Hungry Girl’s stuffing with apples and cranberries. I’ll also be sticking to lots of veggies and some white meat turkey. And probably a small slice of Boyfriend’s apple pie because it’s just that good.

Black Friday is not a typical shopping day for my family. I don’t enjoy the 5am rush to the mall. I don’t enjoy being pushed and shoved for “on sale” items that are still over-priced. I do enjoy listening to Christmas music and driving an hour to New Hampshire. We spend the day shopping for something very special: our Christmas Tree! Together, Stephen’s family and my family go up to the Tonry Tree Farm, find our (very large) trees, make Stephen cut them down, strap them to the hoods of our cars, make a pitstop at Market Basket for some tax-free beverages and then head home to put the trees up and decorate all. night. long.

: Well, I’m certainly not going to do that…

Next Saturday means homemade raviolis and my 5-year high school reunion. Strange. 5 years.. seriously? I’m kind of excited though. I get to see people I haven’t seen in a really long time and I think it’ll be fun. And Sunday is my friend Sandy’s 24th birthday which we will be celebrating the following Tuesday night. The rest of the month leaves a couple of paper deadlines, lots of filming and editing and getting ready for the end of the semester/my dance show/Christmas!!

I wanna know… what are you looking forward to most this month? What is your favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving? Is it too early for you to listen to Christmas music? (I don’t think it is….)

Witch City 5K Recap

Published on November 2, 2011 by Marie1 Comment

Better late than never!

Third 5K in historic Salem. With a running buddy. Not my best race but still Halloween-tastic.

The Ups:

The weather. Chilly, yes, but it was a gorgeous morning and the air kept me cool.

The location. Historical Salem, MA during the Halloween season is the BEST. People (not me) were dressed in costumes, the city is adorned with all sorts of fun decorations and the course itself was lovely.

My running buddy. My friend Kim and I started the Couch to 5K programs only weeks apart at the beginning of the year but this is the first time we ever run one together. Seriously, even though my stomach was puke-y and she has somewhat of a bum knee at the moment, having someone running next to you who trains at a similar pace is one of the best motivations out there. And we wore matching shirts. What now?

The Downs:

My stomach. Seriously stomach? I don’t understand why I constantly feel the need to puke during every race I do. Can anyone help me on this? Is it my pre-race morning routine? My pre-race dinner? My pre-race jitters? I don’t know but whatever it is needs to be rectified.

No PR. I was gunning for it too. And I was disappointed. But ya “win” some, ya “lose” some.

Pain. Foot for me, knee for Kim. Aspirin post-race. What can ya do?

Overall, it was a fun time despite the downs.

Next up?

Well, here’s my debate. I have a goal to run a 5K each month until the end of the year. I rocked one in September, didn’t puke in October and now, I only have 2 months left. I found 5Ks in both months that look promising. But there is a very big BUT staring me in the face.

You may have heard that Massachusetts has already gotten snow. Yes my friends, snow in October. And yes, it is 35 degrees out. I’m not a fan.

Now it’s November and another 5K is rapidly approaching for the end of the month and I honestly don’t know if I’m going to be able to run it in the cold weather. Call me a baby, a wuss, a whatever. If you have tips for me for in heavy, cold air, please let me know.

I’m probably just going to suck it up and register for both. But any advice is much appreciated!

: Who can run in this??

I want to know: When it’s cold, what do YOU run in? Hats, scarves, special shirts/shorts? TELL ME!

Halloween in full swing

Published on October 26, 2011 by MarieLeave a comment

Like I said in my last life update, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I got my first real kiss on Halloween (I was 15), I’ve dressed up as everything from a cowgirl to a pirate, the pink Power Ranger to a Hocus Pocus witch (Mary Sanderson complete with a floor length black and red cape), and living in the town next to Salem, Massachusetts definitely has its perks in October. Besides Christmas, Halloween is the best day of the year.

On Friday night, a few of my BU friends ventured to Lynn to the first time to eat, drink and carve pumpkins.

Yes, it is okay to be a full time graduate student, drink yummy beverages and cut faces in pumpkins.

No judging.

PumpkinsMine — My pumpkin... and why yes, it does look like a 5-year-old carved this. Thanks for noticing.

I made nachos with homemade guacamole, pizza and Hungry Girl pumpkin cupcakes with my own buttercream and a candy corn garnish. It was the casual, college kid version of a Torto dinner party.

Pumpkins1 — Notice my friend Matt wearing my Harrod's apron...

My friend, Sandy’s pumpkin:

PumpkinsSandy — She went to art school. Doesn't count.

Saturday brought one of the laziest days I have had in while. I relaxed most of the day with a brand new 21-year-old and watched Halloween movies (Double Double Toil & Trouble is one of the ultimate classics.)

On Saturday night, DanceWorks Boston hosted a huge Halloween party at Au Tua Nua in Boston. My good friend and fellow DWB-er, Devlyn, and I headed to our friend Dana’s to have some wine and get ready for the party. For my cat costume, I wore a black, high collared lace-covered dress, black heels, white lace hand gloves, a jingle heart necklace (in place of a bell), cat ears and of course, my bright yellow contacts. I coated my eyes with liquid eyeliner and smoky black make-up. It was pretty cool. Almost everyone noticed, most people freaked a little. Loved it.

I kept my beverage intake to a minimum knowing I would have to wake up somewhat early and do my best on my third 5K: the Witch City 5K in Salem (race report on another day!)

Sunday morning’s alarm came WAY too quickly. And as usual, I woke up to the alarm and said “WHY DID I SIGN UP FOR THIS RACE?” I told you I’m not super positive in the morning. I got up, got dressed, stretched, had my pre-race toast with peanut butter, slugged some water and woke up BF who picked me up from the party on Saturday night and crashed on the couch at my house.

PumpkinsRoses — And sometimes he brings me pretty flowers for no reason.... I'll keep him.

The race, overall, went just okay. Running with a friend is definitely better but my stomach was not feeling it. It was also the coldest race I’ve done to date. But the scenery was lovely and I finished it. A little slower than normal, but ya “win” some, ya lose some.

Sunday also brought about some fun research. Enough said for now.

On the baking front, I made pumpkin snickerdoodles yesterday. I brought them to work today and everyone loves them. They taste like pumpkin pie filling and I could’ve eaten all of the batter myself. And I think if I neglect to post the recipe, I’ll be beaten with something. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Adapted from pagespak.com

1/2 cup softened Brummel ‘n Brown margarine spread
3/4 cup Splenda/Brown Sugar mix (trust me on this one..)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground giner
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets liberally with nonstick spray.

2) In the bowl of a stand mixer (this can also be done with a hand mixer), cream together margarine and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla and then the pumpkin.

3) In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, ginger and pumpkin pie spice.

4) In batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet until fully incorporated.

5) Drop tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 18 minutes until set, slightly puffed but not browned.

Eversave Boston: 2 Great Deals

Published on October 26, 2011 by MarieLeave a comment

Happy Wednesday all! I have something exciting and delicious to share with you.

The wonderful City Manager of Eversave Boston contacted me about an opportunity to post not one, but two “Saves” on the blog. These are great deals for restaurants in the Boston area. If you want to start your Christmas shopping extra early this year, this is the perfect way!

First up, Piccola Venezia. This North End restaurant has a beautiful Italian menu and an extensive wine list. Located on Hanover Street, a night out at this home-style restaurant will bring a little piece of Italy into your life. Head over to Eversave’s website and purchase your $30 voucher for only $15!

Save_460x305_44380 — Photo courtesy of Eversave.com

Up next is another restaurant, this time located in Watertown, MA. The Talk restaurant serves everything from perfectly seared steak to fresh seafood and Italian cuisine. End your dinner with one of their whimsical desserts or a nightcap. Eversave is offering readers a $40 voucher for $20 right now, so don’t miss this opportunity so start your holiday shopping or pick one up for yourself!

*PS – To save an extra $5 on your purchase, use SPOOKY as your promo code!

Thank you to Eversave Boston for having my post these wonderful Saves!

A Life Update

Published on October 19, 2011 by Marie5 Comments

Okay, it’s been approximately 3 or so weeks since I panicked about school and I haven’t written since. I hope you are still out there listening to me ramble in my now dust-covered corner of the Internet.

So it’s time to tidy up a bit.

In the past three weeks, I’ve calmed down and gotten through my first few projects for my grad classes. I survived. And did pretty well. Maybe I overreacted a bit at the beginning. Maybe.

A lot has been going on here at Chocolate & Wine. Here are some highlights:

2 weekends ago, I attended 2 weddings: my cousin George married his beautiful fiancé (of 4 years!) Julie, and my friend Raechel married the love of her life, Steve. Both weddings were gorgeous and I cried a lot. Of course I did. I realized how much I can’t wait to plan a wedding of my own!

294145_554958218180_105900732_31610149_1371250818_n — George & Julie's Wedding with the family

And wedding #2..

This past weekend, I spent Friday in the North End with Stephen and we FINALLY got to go out for his birthday surprise. I took him to Riccardo’s Ristorante where they put on a “Mystery Cafe” show every Friday night and serve a three-course meal. The show was hilarious, if not a bit cheesy, and the food was as genuinely Italian as you’d expect from the North End. Highly recommended for good food and a good time.

We capped our night with beers at a bar called The Point and goodies from my favorite North End bakery.

Saturday was party marathon day. Together, my two best friends and I tackled a “I’m Pretty Good at Drinking Beer” party (where we consumed no beer or any beverage other than iced coffee), taco night hosted by Alyse (which were de-lish!), a Halloween party and finally, my sister’s 21st birthday celebration at Tequila Rain in Boston.

Alyse, Swy, Jeff — Swy, Jeff, Alyse... That's nice.

Did you know Halloween is one of my favorite holidays?

Cat Eyes — So freaky, so cool, so legit. Cat costumes are the way to go.

And it wouldn’t be a 21st birthday without a 16-ounce beer in each hand.

BirthdayGirlLissa — Happy 21st! Here's 2 Coors Lights.

Sunday brought another 3 events: the Boston Bruncher’s 1st Birthday Brunch at the Island Creek Oyster Bar on Comm Ave. in Boston, my good friend Miriah’s daughter’s Christening (that little baby is nothing short of an angel) and a 4-hour dance rehearsal with DanceWorks Boston (always a fun time!)

LobsterRoll — A sneak peak into Birthday Brunch!

Then on to the Christening…

313458_2400264533682_1463102360_32599932_570184629_n — You can't tell me she isn't the cutest baby in the world..

I made favors… Oreo ball truffles with a piped pink A on each one, individually wrapped with a pink ribbon and a tag.

Oreos with As — Not bad considering I usually stink at piping.

They came out pretty freakin’ cute.

BabyA Favors — Everybody loved them. Makes me happy when people like what I make!

Along with my jam-packed weekends and filming/editing-laden school schedule, I managed to get in a couple of quick training runs for my 3rd 5K coming up this weekend! I, along with my friend Kim, will run the Witch City 5K in Salem, maybe even dressed up a bit.

This upcoming weekend also brings pumpkin carving with my BU friends and a huge DanceWorks Boston Halloween costume party on Saturday night. I will, unfortunately, have to keep my drinking to a minimum because of the race on Sunday morning, but that won’t stop me from wearing those cat eyes!

I promise not to wait another 3 weeks to post. I have finally pulled myself out of a slight rut I had fallen into, but I’m back and excited.

And I had delicious Bon Me truck food for dinner the other night: a brown rice bowl with tofu, shitaki mushrooms, cilantro, pickled veggies, bean sprouts and mesclun greens. YUM.

I wanna know: What’s new in your life? What would your dream wedding consist of? And what are you being for Halloween this year?