Life Through the Lens

April Book Review: The Paris Wife

2011-05-10T07:00:00.001-04:00

I realized, as I neared the end of last month, that while I was reading the epically long "Team of Rivals," I hadn't actually read an entire book in the month of April as my New Year's Resolution dictated. So I picked up "The Paris Wife," which Brad had given me for my birthday, on a Friday morning & couldn't put it down until late Saturday - luckily for me May 1st wasn't until Sunday!

Wow. What a book. The writing is beautiful & moving & crass & honest. This book tells the story of Ernest Hemingway & his first wife, Hadley. They meet, marry & move to Paris in just a few short months. Hemingway has not yet made a name for himself as a writer & the book tells of his struggles with his own ego & desire to be a famous writer & her struggles to make their difficult marriage work. Set in the roaring 1920's, fictional characters based on writers from that time appear throughout the novel - F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein. You may already know that Hemingway had a love for drinking & women, both of which paint a less than desirable picture of his character in this book. You're rooting for Hadley by the end, even though you know things are going to turn out badly.

If you're a Hemingway fan, this book is definitely worth a read. If you enjoy historical fiction &/or Paris, you'll enjoy the descriptions of the vibrant city in this book. If you enjoy good writing & easy reading, this book is worth picking up.

Six Pillars Century

2011-05-09T12:02:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, we took a little road trip over to Cambridge, Maryland so Brad could ride in a century bike event. This is his second century (100 miles) ride. While they've both taken place on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, this one took place in a little town nestled right on the shore amongst beautiful marshland. He did the entire ride, including several rest stops, stops for road construction & fighting a fierce headwind, in six hours. As someone who can't ride their bike more than a few blocks without my butt hurting, I'm incredibly proud of him! As I told him on Saturday on the way home, I never thought I'd be married to an endurance athlete!

Buckle up!
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

Headed to the start line
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

Beautiful start line at Great Marsh Park
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

Ready to go
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

Beautiful start/finish line
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

#598
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

See you in six hours!
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

A fist pump as he heads to the finish
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

All smiles after 100 miles
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

Crossing the finish line!
(C) Christina Saull Photography - All Rights Reserved

Oh, hello there!

2011-04-28T15:01:00.000-04:00

Wowsers, it has been a long time since I've written on this blog! I'm hoping that you're all over reading my travel blog, View from the Middle Seat, which has really taken off since I started writing it in January. I promise new, fun, original content there every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday! PROMISE!

So, lets see... what to update you on? How about a list? I love lists...
1. We went to Barbados in March to celebrate my birthday. I firmly believe now that all birthday's should be celebrated on a tropical island. Or at least by taking the day off of work. Really, life is so much better when you're not dealing with work email on your birthday.

2. While in Barbados, I kept up on my book reading New Year's resolution. My March book officially was My Life in France by Julia Child. It was excellent - well written, very descriptive of daily life in Paris and reassuring to those less-domestic like me that if Julia Child didn't start cooking until her mid-30s, well, maybe there is help.

3. My April book is going well, but slowly. I'm reading A Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns. It's fascinating. It's also 955 pages, so it might end up being my April/May/June book. Perhaps I'll have to plow through a short book this week so I can read a whole book in April as promised.

4. As I said at the top, my blog/Twitter/on-the-side-travel-thing is going really well. I'm meeting so many fantastic people in the travel industry. So many, in fact, that I decided to bite the bullet and attend my first travel blogger conference. So I'll be heading out to beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia in mid-June for a long weekend of blogging fun. I'm SO excited to visit this beautiful part of Canada (and excited for a six hour lay over in Seattle before I catch the train to Vancouver - just enough time to hit up my favorite restaurant there!).

5. Speaking of traveling, we finally decided on and booked our summer vacation. We're headed up to Maine for nine-days of coastal road tripping. We'll be using Portland, Camden and Bar Harbor as our "base camps." We can't wait to get out in the cool, fresh air and bike, kayak and eat our way up the coast of this beautiful state.

6. Next weekend, Brad is riding in his first century ride of the year in middle-of-nowhere-Cambridge, Maryland. The first weekend of June, he'll be riding in the Tour de Cure, much closer to home. If you're so inclined, head on over to his fund-raising page and make a little donation. I'm so proud of him and can't believe I'm married to a guy who can ride a bike 100 miles in just a few hours.

7. It seems like everyone around us is having babies. My best friend is due at the end of August. Brad's best friend (okay, really his wife) is due at the beginning of September. And my Facebook newsfeed is filled with pregnant people. But fear not folks, we are most definitely not expecting! Too many trips untaken :)

8. Speaking of trips, we've really cut down on our traveling this year. Unlike last year when we traveled 11 of 12 months, our only real trip this year is our trip to Maine in August. It has been really, really, really, hard to cut back on traveling, but it will be worth it when we go on a BIG trip next spring. More details on that to come, I promise :)

9. Also speaking of trips, we did head to Chicago for a long weekend at the beginning of April to see some friends and enjoy a weekend get-away. Except, the flight there was a little more eventful than we had hoped it would be. Just in case you were wondering: the bag may not inflate, but oxygen will be flowing.

10. And that's about it. Our life is not very exciting right now, but that's okay... everyday life is just grand.

February book review: Parisians

2011-03-01T11:52:00.000-05:00

I loved, loved, loved this book! At over 450 pages long, it takes some dedication, but it was worth lugging back and forth on the Metro in my work bag.

Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris by Graham Robb tells the story of the history of Paris in 20 chapters. Each chapter is a different story, which takes place sometime in Paris's history. Charles-Axel Guillaumot's designing of the city. The building of the Metro system. De Gaulle's rise to power (and attempted assassination attempt). Hitler's first visit to Paris during the war. Francois Mitterrand's "fake" homicide attack, long before he was president. The student revolution in the late 1960's. The evolution of cycling in France today.

If you're a history buff or just love Paris, this book will be well worth your time.

A few for Friday

2011-02-25T12:28:00.000-05:00

1. Did you all watch the shuttle launch yesterday? There is something so inspiring, so patriotic about watching them. You can't help but smile and say "Go America!" I thought in honor of the shuttle, I'd share some photos from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum where the Space Shuttle Enterprise is on display.

2. The weather has been super lousy in DC lately. It was 70 degrees a week ago and now it's cold and raining. But I saw that my neighbor's tulips are starting to poke through the ground and that makes me ridiculously happy.

3. I'm really in the mood to shop. That's probably not good for my checking account balance.

4. We leave for Barbados two weeks from today. This also makes me ridiculously happy.

January Book Review: Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain

2011-02-22T15:56:00.000-05:00

I love Anthony Bourdain. I want to be Anthony Bourdain. Imagine: travel around the world with some TV cameras following you, meet fascinating people, eat incredible food. And write books. Great books. Usually.

I read my Dad's copy of "Medium Raw" while I was in Barbados over Christmas. Having read "Kitchen Confidential" at the end of last year, and really enjoyed it, I had high hopes for "Medium Raw." Which were dashed.

Reasons I loved "Kitchen Confidential":
- it was funny
- it offered true insight into the restaurant world, a world I frequent a few times a week
- it offered true insight into who Anthony Bourdain really is
- Mr. Bourdain used his usual colorful language throughout, but it didn't detract from the book

Reasons I didn't like "Medium Raw":
- it flowed horribly - each chapter was its own story
- Mr. Bourdain's colorful language showed up every two words on the page. It detracted from the book.
- it offered no insight into the restaurant/TV/cooking/celebrity chef industry, but instead offered a forum for his rants, raves and otherwise meaningless blabber.

Okay, maybe that last bullet was a little harsh. But, plain and simple, the writing was just not up to par in this book. I love a good story. I love books that I can get lost in, and read 50 pages without even realizing it. I love Anthony Bourdain in person, on TV, at Les Halles, and in his other books. I just didn't love him in this one.

Recipe Tuesday: My big, fat, Greek yumminess

2011-02-22T15:55:00.001-05:00

I clipped this recipe out of the Parade magazine a few weeks ago. You know the free one that comes with the Sunday newspaper? What? You don't read a hard copy of the Sunday newspaper any more? That's tragic.

Anyway, always on the look out for healthy recipes, I was excited for this one. I plan on serving it tonight with grilled chicken and toasted pita for dinner.

Tzatziki
from Molly Ringwald's recipe in the February 13th Sunday Parade (yes, THAT Molly Ringwald)
makes: a LOT
serving size: 2 TBSP (yeah right)

Ingredients:
- 4 cups fat-free Greek yogurt, strained
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large cucumber, shredded, with juice squeezed out (which is important or it gets too watery - you can just squeeze the shreds in your hands over the sink)
- 3oz olive oil

- 1.5 oz white wine vinegar
Pinch of salt

Directions: Mix the ingredients in a bowl and let infuse for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, before serving.

Store in the fridge in an air-tight glass container.

Goes great as a dipping sauce with grilled chicken, grilled pork loin, raw veggies or plain grilled pita.

The way to a woman's heart...

2011-02-16T10:40:00.000-05:00

So I've really been slacking on this blog lately. I've been putting a lot of time and energy into my travel blog, View from the Middle Seat, (which I know you're all reading) that my blogging energies have been zapped.

Did you have a good Valentine's Day? Brad and I have never really been ones to celebrate Valentine's Day much. Sure, we watched "Will you be my valentine, Charlie Brown?" on Friday evening and gave each other over-priced mushy cards, but I generally find the whole holiday to be ridiculous.

That was until Brad gave me my present on Monday night. It was wrapped in pink and red heart wrapping paper, much too perfectly for Brad to have wrapped it himself. As I tore off the packaging, I immediately recognized the brushed-gold box. Move over Tiffany, because this box has the ability to wow me even more than your turquoise one! (Brad, you can disregard that last sentence)

Inside: Malley's heart-shaped, peanut butter filled chocolates.

I let out a squeal of joy and ignored the voice in my head saying 'You know, this is totally going to screw up your healthy eating plan you've been sticking to so religiously.'

My husband is THE. BEST. Not just because he got me chocolates on Valentine's Day. But because he got me chocolates on Valentine's Day from my favorite candy store which is located four states away.

And they say that the path to a man's heart is through his stomach - ha!

Swoon.

2011-02-15T17:37:00.000-05:00

That is all.

A few thoughts for Tuesday

2011-02-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

Sorry I didn't write on Friday. 'Tis a bit crazy here!

1. Have you seen "The King's Speech"? If not, you should definitely go see it! Brad and I don't see many movies (in the theater or otherwise), but this one was definitely well worth our time and money. The acting is supurb, the cinematography is excellent and the music is perfectly chosen. I'll definitely be rooting for it on Oscar night!

2. Have you been following all the action in Egypt? I think it's absolutely facinating to watch. I can't imagine something like that ever happening in the U.S., because we just handle things differently. It has really re-sparked my love of foreign affairs and brought out the wonky poli sci nerd in me.

3. Have you ever been to Trader Joe's? If not, and there is one near you, get thee self there immediately! What a fantastic store! Last night we went in there to buy naturally dried fruit (since the stuff I normally buy for my oatmeal is full of added sugar) and came out with tons of healthy Super Bowl snacks. I also love that they have a handy guide to items that are low sodium, something that is important to me.

4.One of my new years resolutions was to read a book a month. The initial book I chose for January (a 450 pager) is taking me longer than expected, so I'm going to make that my February book. Be watching this here blog in the next few days for a review of a book I actually did read in January.

5. Are you following along at View from the Middle Seat yet? If not, well, ya should be!

City Prints by JanuaryJonesPrints

2011-01-24T11:31:00.000-05:00

I just had to share these with you because they are SO neat. I came across JanuaryJonesPrints on Etsy in a random Valentine's Day gift guide I was reading (ironic since we're not doing V-day gifts this year). I am so in love with these, I want one for every place I've ever traveled to. I especially love, love, love the road trip map!

Five for Friday

2011-01-21T14:11:00.000-05:00

1. I have a squirrel update, but I'm too exhausted to post it. Lets just say that the problem is still there and I came face to face with it today. And it's gross. It makes me want to move. And take a shower.

2. Have you been reading View from the Middle Seat? If not, then you've missed: my witty thoughts on customer service in Barbados restaurants, a post on the most awesome interior design store ever, and why I'm on a first name basis with one of our founding fathers.(Is founding fathers capitalized?) Also, if you read my blog, you should officially follow it - I'm giving away free 5x7 prints to the first five followers and every 10th follower after that!

3. Have you been following View from the Middle Seat on Twitter at @MiddleSeatView. If your answer is no, you're probably beyond help at this point.

4. In extremely sad news for my sweet-tooth (but great news for my wallet and muffin top) our favorite custard store in Alexandria, the Dairy Godmother (our current president is also a fan), is closed for a month. Something about sales being slow due to the winter, needing to defrost freezers, take a vacation, blah blah blah. We anxiously await the reopening on February 10. I'm thinking Malia, who wisely chose the brownie sundae during their visit two years ago, will be in line with us.

5. I realized that I never posted some fun family photos from our Christmas trip to Barbados. So see below. We will be back in Barbados in 50 days. Not a moment too soon.

Washing off feet after the beach. Notice all the beach essentials: W's book, local beer, floppy hat

Dad and David at Animal Flower Bay - an amazing place on the island

lookin' good!

Touring the George Washington house. Don't we all look excited? (It actually was a great tour)

Recipe Tuesday: HEALTHY Corn Chowder

2011-01-18T14:27:00.001-05:00

I know what you're thinking: no way! That's what I was thinking too when this Paula Deen recipe landed in my in-box. Yet, here it is.

Full disclosure: I have not tried this yet. But it sounded good enough to share. ~~It's on the meal calendar I've planned out for the week~~ I'm thinking about making it this weekend.

Lighter Corn Chowder
Recipe from Ms Paula Deen, y'all!

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
3 strips center-cut reduced-fat bacon, chopped
1 onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (32-ounce) container chicken stock
2 russet potatoes, cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) package frozen baby gold and white corn kernels (3 cups)
1 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons fat-free half-and-half
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

DirectionsSpray a large nonstick saucepan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned, 2 – 3 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.

Add the onion and jalapeno to the saucepan. Cook, over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour; cook 1 minute. Add the broth, potatoes, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Add the corn, milk, half-and half. Cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese and cilantro; sprinkle with the bacon.

Yield: 8 cups
Nutritionals: Per Serving (1 cup): 167 Cal (15% from Fat, 23% from Protein, 62% from Carb); 10 g Protein; 3 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 1 g Mono Fat; 27 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 5 g Sugar; 117 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 668 mg Sodium; 6 mg Cholesterol

Five for Friday (brought to you by a large cup of coffee)

2011-01-14T10:38:00.000-05:00

1. The squirrels. Remember them from last winter? Well the little buggers are back, probably with some raccoon friends as well. This has been going on in our attic, and the attic of the lovely people across the hall from us, for at least 11 days now (it was a fabulous thing to return to from a relaxing trip to Barbados). Thus, I have not had a full night sleep in 11 days. Thus the reason why today's Five for Friday is brought to you by a heavy dose of caffeine. We're going on a stay-cation for the long weekend tomorrow, so I'm hopeful for a critter-free hotel that I can actually get some sleep in.

P.S. Remember how I was concerned about the squirrels welfare last year? Not so much this time around.

2. Have you all been reading my new blog, View from the Middle Seat? I know you have. Posted yesterday about a new fabulous place we discovered in Barbados over Christmas - but you won't read about it here! Don't forget to officially "follow" my blog for the chance to win a free print!

3. Did you know my new blog is also on Twitter at @MiddleSeatView? I'm just going to go ahead and say it: tweeting about travel is much more fun than tweeting about public health.

4. Like much of the rest of America, I have taken the occasion of the new year to get myself back to the gym & back to eating healthy. I will honestly say that I can't wait for February to roll around so all the people who bought new gym memberships on January 1 go back to sitting on their couch and there won't be a line any more to use the chest press machine. Along those lines, keep an eye out for more healthy Recipe Tuesday's.

5. Did you hear the recent news that they have messed with the zodiac signs? Changed the dates and even added a 13th sign. Luckily, I have remained a Pisces. Unbelievably, Brad is now a Pisces instead of a Aries. It's ridiculous. There's no way Brad is a Pisces! Others in my office are similarly distraught about the change... in fact I heard one coworker yell out yesterday "I don't care, I'm still going to be a Leo! I'm all Leo!" Yes. Yes, you are.

The only constant in life...

2011-01-12T12:22:00.002-05:00

The times, they are, a changin'!

I'm happy to announce some big changes, both here & at Christina Saull Photography.

As of today, all fans of:

- funny travel stories
- cheap, good eats at far off destinations
- tips on how to squeeze three weeks of clothes into a carry on bag
- musings about the travel industry
- Christina Saull Photography

should head over to my new blog, View from the Middle Seat.

I will continue to post on this blog; however, I will not be cross-posting. Meaning: if you read it here, you won't read it there. If you read it there, you won't read it here. This blog will become more of a personal, family & friends blog, with a continuation of some of my favorite weekly posts, including Five for Friday & Recipe Tuesday.

I am excited to take my blogging in a new direction & hope that you all will continue along with me on this journey!

Sending all the best,
Christina

Recipe Tuesday: Healthy Football Snacks

2011-01-11T12:42:00.002-05:00

Last Tuesday, the Ohio State Buckeyes played in the Sugar Bowl. Instead of going to a bar filled with tempting, unhealthy food, we decided to stay home & watch the game. I whipped up some healthy "snacks" to have as dinner during the festivities. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of the food, as we were both starving by 8:30pm when we finally sat down to nosh.

In addition to the great guilt-free potato skins below, I also made baked chicken fingers (I dip the chicken in bread crumbs without using an egg wash), a hot ricotta cheese dip (using part-skim ricotta cheese), & some phylo dough wrapped cheese triangles. It was all a lot more satisfying than having the usual high fat, high calorie chips & queso!

Guilt-free Potato Skins
recipe from the awesome Hungry Girl

Ingredients
3 medium-sized potatoes
1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. imitation bacon bits
1/4 cup chopped chives and/or fat-free sour cream and/or salsa (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prep potatoes by washing & drying to remove dirt & piercing them several times with a fork to prevent bursting while cooking. Place potatoes on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 4 minutes. Turn potatoes over & return to microwave for 4 more minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a fork, gently scrape out the bulk of the flesh. Place potato skins on a baking dish spritzed with nonstick spray. Cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your potato skins.

Evenly distribute cheese and bacon bits onto potato skins. Turn off oven, but return skins to the oven until the cheese has melted (for crispy crunchy cheese, leave the oven on).

Remove and top with chives. Cut skins in half. Serve with fat-free sour cream and/or salsa. Makes 3 servings.

Christmas in Barbados

2011-01-10T17:29:00.002-05:00

I wanted to share some photos from our Christmas celebration in Barbados. Having never been there at this magical time of year, we weren't sure what to expect. But, in true Bajan (&Dad) style, we were not disappointed.

We stay at my Dad's condo while we're there. When you walk in the front door, this is the view you are greeted with:

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Not exactly a bad way to start your vacation.

Dad had all his holiday decorations out, including his collection of nutcrackers:

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Decorations definitely made it feel more "Christmas-y"... even though it was 86 degrees out.

A real Christmas tree costs a couple hundred dollars in Barbados, but I thought his little fake one looked real enough to me!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Love this little guy

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

The sunset was beautiful, as always.

Our gifts had both a Bajan and French-Canadian flare to them. This little lady bug chocolate is apparently very popular in France.

Silhouette

2011-01-07T10:16:00.001-05:00

The sunsets were cloudy, but amazing, this trip.

The last sunset...

2011-01-06T11:02:00.000-05:00

... of 2010!

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T12:41:00.004-05:00

Happy new year, my lovely blog readers!

We had a wonderful time in Barbados. It was sunny & relaxing & great to be with family & friends. I'm still sorting through photos of our trip, but in the meantime, here's a spirited new year's greeting right from Crystal Beach.

these are a few of my favorite things

2010-12-24T13:44:00.000-05:00

2010 was an awesome year. We traveled so much, to places I had only dreamed about & to places I once called home. Below are some of my favorite images of the year. We are off to Barbados tomorrow, to spend Christmas with my family.

Thank you, dear blog readers, for making 2010 one of the best year's yet. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year & Happy Festivus!

See you on the flip side!

Boats in St. Lawrence Gap
Barbados
February 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Paris
Las Vegas, Nevada
April 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Indians hit
Cleveland, Ohio
July 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

A beautiful summer afternoon
Hudson, Ohio
July 2010

Brooklyn Bridge
over the Hudson River, between Manhattan & Brooklyn
July 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Stacked kayaks
Kennebunkport, Maine
August 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Rocky Coast
Kennebunk, Maine
August 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Portland Head Lighthouse
Portland, Maine
August 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Ocean Kayaking
Bar Harbor, Maine
August 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Peggy's Cove Afternoon
Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
August 2010

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Christmas at Mt. Vernon

2010-12-23T10:46:00.004-05:00

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

A little background:

Mount Vernon was home to George Washington for more than 45 years. First known as Little Hunting creek Plantation, the estate was originally granted to Washington's great grandfather, John Washington, in 1674. George Washington inherited the property upon the death of his brother Lawrence in 1761.

Over the years, Washington enlarged the residence & built up the property from 2,000 to nearly 8,000 acres. He divided the acreage into five working farms, including the Mansion House Farm, where he lives with his family. One of the biggest improvements he made to the mansion was the addition of the two-story porch, or piazza, overlooking the Potomac River.

The mansion has been restored to its appearance in 1799, the last year of Washington's life.

We toured Mt. Vernon (for my first time ever) a few weeks ago on a rainy Saturday evening. A special Christmas at Mt. Vernon program is held every December, with guided tours of the mansion, included historical characters inside. Normally I find "historical character" actors a bit cheesy, but when Martha Washington complimented me on my red coat & told me it reminded her of her cape at Valley Forge, I was smitten. The mansion is huge & gorgeous inside, but smaller than expected on the outside. The view out to the Potomac is spectacular & land has been purchased on the opposite side of the river to preserve the view, so it will always be just as George Washington saw it.

As part of the special "Mt. Vernon by Candlelight at Christmas" program, they handed out gingerbread cookies & hot cider, had period musicians & even a camel, just like the one Washington bought to entertain his guests!

It was a great experience & I hope to return to Mt. Vernon during the day, in order to be able to fully appreciate the estate. Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel the need to re-read David McCullough's 1776 for the 100th time.

pretty decorations greeting visitor's en-route to the mansion in the newly finished visitor's center

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

musicians playing period instruments & holiday songs

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Christmas camel!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

slave quarters - the dark bricks in the right hand corner are original to the structure from the 1790's

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

a nice warm fire in a kettle

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

gingerbread house Mt. Vernon, created by the former White House Pastry chef

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

gingerbread portico

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

sugar Christmas camel!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

George!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

holiday George

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

patriotic tree

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Wrap Up

2010-12-18T10:11:00.002-05:00

I would call the First Annual Holiday Treats-a-palooza a success, wouldn't you? Lets review what we made this week:

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Chocolate Covered Everything

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesebake Bars (my personal favorite!)

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Gena's amazing sugar cookies

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Nutella Sugar Sandwich Cookies

Happy holidays & happy baking everyone! Now off to the gym....

Holiday treats-a-palooza: Nutella Sugar Sandwich Cookies

2010-12-17T16:16:00.002-05:00

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

These were awesome, even if I did make the cookies a little too big (note: must know the different between teaspoon and tablespoon!).

Oh yeah, & yes, I know 14 tablespoons of butter is a lot. But it's the holidays!

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen via the Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sugar, divided
14 tbsp (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 small jar of Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread)

Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

In a large bowl, beat 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer set on medium speed until the mixture is creamy and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture until it is just combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture a few times to make sure all of the flour mixture is incorporated.

Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. With slightly dampened hands, roll 1 teaspoon of the cookie dough between your palms to form a ball. Roll the ball in the sugar to coat it and place it on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheets.

Lightly coat the bottom of a glass or metal measuring cup with butter and dip into the sugar. Use this to gently flatten the cookies to 3/4-inch thickness.

Bake the cookies, one sheet a time, rotating from front to back halfway through baking. They are done when the edges are set and beginning to brown, 9 to 10 minutes. The centers of the cookies should still be soft and puffy. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Using a spatula, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let cool on a rack.

Spread the bottom of one cookie with 1 teaspoon Nutella and sandwich with a second cookie.

Serve or store in an airtight container.

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars

2010-12-16T10:34:00.003-05:00

This is perhaps the best thing I made this year. They are SO good. The best part is that you can have a small piece, & they're still satisfying.

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen via the Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients
Crust
7 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter (melted)
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt

Filling
2 (8 oz. each) packages of cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 Reese's peanut butter cups, divided, cut into 6 pieces each

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare a 8-inch square baking pan by lining the pan with aluminum foil, leaving 3-4 inches of foil draping over the sides of the pan.

The crust:

Place graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor (realize you need a bigger food processor) & pulse until the crackers form fine crumbs, about 30 seconds.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

To the crumbs, add butter, brown sugar, flour, & salt.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Pulse until the ingredients are fully combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Bake until the crust is beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the crust cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

The filling:

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until it is very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the beaters & sides of the bowl frequently. You really need an electric hand mixer to do this. A stand mixer just isn't able to be mobile enough to beat it properly

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

[possible additional step:
1. realize you don't have an electric hand mixer & that your cream cheese isn't creaming in your stand mixer.

2. turn off oven

3. grab wallet & keys & run down to the car

4. drive to Target

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

5. realize half-way there that you took your wedding ring off so it didn't get all yucky baking & you didn't put it back on. Panic when you realize this is your first time in public in three years without a wedding ring on. Press onward anyway, instead of turning around to go home & get it.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

6. run into Target, purchase really nice hand mixer that is super on sale

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

7. drive back home]

Gradually beat in granulated sugar until the mixture is combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each is fully incorporated. Beat in sour cream & vanilla extract until fully combined.

Fold cut up Reese's peanut butter cups into the cream cheese mixture. It's easier to do this with a spatula, not a mixer.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the baking pan, over top of the cooled crust. Spread evenly.

Bake until the edges are set, but the middle still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken gently, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Place the pan on a cooling rack & allow the bars to cool for 2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil & refrigerate for at least 3 hours, & up to 24 hours.

Using the overhanging foil, lift the bars from the pan. Gently remove the foil & cut into 16 bars.

Place bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave on 50% power until melted, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle chocolate over the bars, top each with a small chunk of a Reese's peanut butter cup.

Makes 16 bars.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
7 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter (melted)
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt

Filling
2 (8 oz. each) packages of cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 Reese's peanut butter cups, divided, cut into 6 pieces each
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 8-inch square baking pan by lining the pan with aluminum foil, leaving 3-4 inches of foil draping over the sides of the pan.

The crust:
Place graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor & pulse until the crackers form fine crumbs, about 30 seconds. To the crumbs, add butter, brown sugar, flour, & salt. Pulse until the ingredients are fully combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the crust cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

The filling:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until it is very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the beaters & sides of the bowl frequently. Gradually beat in granulated sugar until the mixture is combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each is fully incorporated. Beat in sour cream & vanilla extract until fully combined. Fold cut up Reese's peanut butter cups into the cream cheese mixture. It's easier to do this with a spatula, not a mixer.

Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the baking pan, over top of the cooled crust. Spread evenly. Bake until the edges are set, but the middle still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken gently, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

Place the pan on a cooling rack & allow the bars to cool for 2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil & refrigerate for at least 3 hours, & up to 24 hours. Using the overhanging foil, lift the bars from the pan. Gently remove the foil & cut into 16 bars.

Place bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Microwave on 50% power until melted, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle chocolate over the bars, top each with a small chunk of a Reese's peanut butter cup.

Makes 16 bars.

Previous treats-a-palooza:
Monday: chocolate covered everything
Tuesday: Gena's rockin' sugar cookies
Wednesday: a new spin on chocolate peppermint bark

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies

2010-12-15T17:52:00.000-05:00

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

These are a great spin on traditional chocolate peppermint bark!

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen via the Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. high-quality white chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped red & white candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment, letting it hang over the sides of the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Gradually beat in sugar. Continue to beat for an additional 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract and egg yolk. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture, until just combined. Do not overmix.

Scatter the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and gently press it, with slightly moistened fingers, to form a flat layer. Prick all over with a fork.

Bake the cookie layer until golden brown and slightly puffed, and edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25-30 minutes.

Place on a cookie rack and immediately sprinkle chopped bittersweet or semisweet (or a combination of the two) over the cookie layer. Let the chocolate sit for about 3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer over the surface of the cookies. Immediately sprinkle 3 ounces crushed red and white peppermint candies, or candy canes, over the chocolate layer.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Place chopped white chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the white chocolate over the peppermint candies. Chill for approximately 30 minutes.

Gripping the overhanging parchment paper, lift the cookies out of the pan and place on a work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cookies into irregular pieces. This can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for one week.

Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. high-quality white chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped red & white candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment, letting it hang over the sides of the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually beat in sugar. Continue to beat for an additional 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract and egg yolk. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture, until just combined. Do not overmix.

Scatter the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and gently press it, with slightly moistened fingers, to form a flat layer. Prick all over with a fork.

Bake the cookie layer until golden brown and slightly puffed, and edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25-30 minutes.

Place on a cookie rack and immediately sprinkle chopped bittersweet or semisweet (or a combination of the two) over the cookie layer. Let the chocolate sit for about 3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer over the surface of the cookies. Immediately sprinkle 3 ounces crushed red and white peppermint candies, or candy canes, over the chocolate layer.

Place chopped white chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the white chocolate over the peppermint candies. Chill for approximately 30 minutes.

Gripping the overhanging parchment paper, lift the cookies out of the pan and place on a work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cookies into irregular pieces. This can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for one week.

Previous treats-a-palooza:
Monday - chocolate covered everything
Tuesday - Gena's sugar cookies

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Gena's Sugar Cookies

2010-12-14T12:33:00.001-05:00

These amazing sugar cookies come from a recipe from one of my best friends, Gena. She adapted the recipe from one her grandmother taught her, which originally called for the use of lard. See, you don't feel so bad about using butter & Crisco now, do you?

Gena is an amazing baker, so I'm glad to be able to share this recipe with all of you!

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

Pull out one of these (a hand mixer would also work):

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

Pull out one of these (a hand mixer would also work):

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Blend all ingredients in mixer until they form a ball.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Turn ball on floured surface & knead lightly.

Roll out dough on floured surface & cut cookies with cookie cutters.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly browned.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Frost with icing (if desired). A major icing shout out to Brad, who iced the amazing cookies above. All 55 of them (minus the two I broke while attempting to ice).

Gena's Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend all ingredients using a stand mixer, hand mixer or elbow grease until they form a ball.

Turn ball on floured surface & knead lightly.

Roll out dough on floured surface & cut cookies with cookie cutters.

Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly browned.

Frost with icing (if desired)

Previous treats-a-palooza:
Monday: chocolate covered everything

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Chocolate Covered Everything

2010-12-12T15:32:00.002-05:00

It has been tradition in my family ever since I was little to make chocolates. And by chocolates I mean melting yummy milk/dark/white chocolate & dipping everything & anything you can get your hands on into it. It's super easy & always makes impressive (& yummy!) holiday gifts! Here's how I do it:

I like to use Wilton Candy Melts. They're available at Michael's or other craft-type stores. I have used other bulk chocolate discs before, available at candy supply stores, but D.C. seems to be seriously lacking in candy supply shops.

The chocolate melts looks like this when they're dumped out of the bag (no, the irony is not lost in this picture - I am making chocolates, while Brad's protein powder, banana's & water bottle hang out in the background)

Before you get started with your chocolate-ing, prep your chocolate dipping area. This year, I covered our dining room table with waxed paper, which worked very well.

Melt your chocolate on a double boiler or the lazy way: in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 15-30 seconds. When your chocolate is melted, it will look like this (resist the urge to lick the spoon).

Now you're ready to dip. Oreo's are always a hit, so I tend to make a whole bag or two of those.

You can keep melting chocolate & dipping Oreo's until your heart is content.

If you want to move onto something else, may I suggest nutmallow, or as Martha would call them, "rocky road bars." Melt a bag of chocolate discs, toss in a half a can of cashews, & 1/2 - 3/4 of a bag of mini-marshmallows (I went overboard this year & used almost the whole bag). Give the mixture a good stir, so it's evenly coated & dump the whole mixture into a baking dish lined with wax paper. Then stick it in the fridge!

White chocolate also presents lots of fun dipping opportunities. Just be careful when melting though, as it tends to burn more easily than milk or dark chocolate.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Dunk that Oreo right in... don't be afraid to get any on your fingers!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

White chocolate is also good for drizzling over milk or dark chocolate. Melt some white chocolate, take a small fork & dip the ends in. Then shake the fork back & forth over whatever you're drizzling. If the chocolate isn't melted enough & sticks to the fork or comes off in big blobs, stick it back in the microwave (or over the double boiler) for a few seconds.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

There's really no end to the treats you can make!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

New York City at Christmas

2010-12-10T12:01:00.003-05:00

It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was sitting at my desk this morning, when suddenly the urge came.

New York City.

Christmastime.

I simply must go.

Unfortunately, New York City, especially at Christmastime, is expensive & our holiday schedule is already jammed.

So since a trip isn't in the picture this year, I thought I would blog about it instead. Enjoy!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...

2010-12-08T14:24:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday, we purchased & decorated our Christmas tree. We literally pulled into the parking lot of our church (where we buy our fine tree every year), walked up to one, said "looks good" & five minutes later it was in the car. Simplest process ever. Which was good, because it was freezing cold out.

The biggest pain in the rear about purchasing a live tree is carrying it up the stairs to our fourth floor apartment. This year it resulted in me getting sap all over my winter coat. Luckily, thanks to the Intertubes, I found a genius solution to get it out: hand sanitizer. I am not even joking! Squirted some right on my coat, rubbed it in, & in a matter of moments the sap was gone. Amazing.

So, we hauled the tree upstairs, set it up in the little stand & let it get nice & warm for a few hours. Finally, it was decorating time.

Lights first.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Then it was time to get out the ornaments.
No, I don't think we have enough either, thanks for noticing.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Per the tradition, baby ornaments go on first.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Finally, top it all off with a star.*

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Some ornament highlights from our travels this year:

Kayaking Santa, from Bar Harbor, Maine

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

little row boat from Kennebunkport, Maine

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

in honor of the many pounds of lobster we ate in Maine, & elsewhere

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

USS Constitution from Boston

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Peggy's Cove light house, from Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

the cheesiest Luray Caverns ornament ever, from our anniversary trip there

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

*a super tacky, plastic, 1970's star that has been in my family since, well, the 1970's. My Dad gladly handed it off to me & I am obsessed with it. I refuse to get a new one.

Five for Friday

2010-12-03T13:00:00.004-05:00

1. It's back! I thought I would return to Five for Friday because I've found myself with a lot to share lately & not always the photos to do it with. So if you enjoy rambling posts to end your week, this is your place. If not, I suggest checking the ol' blog Monday through Thursday only. I'm going to warn you though: I am feeling verbose today. With that being said...

2. How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was lovely. It was spent in Ohio at my in-laws for the first time ever (the first Thanksgiving trip there, not the first time ever going to their house. Just in case that wasn't clear). My mother-in-law cooked up a turkey & all the fixin's & I made two pies. We ate in the early afternoon, so afterward was filled with much football watching & relaxing. Friday, I drove to Columbus & did some Black Friday shopping with one of my best friend's. She had a list & a plan & we pretty much stuck to both, which was shocking. Saturday was the best day of all, but that needs its own section on this post, so I'll get to that in a minute. All in all, an enjoyable Thanksgiving.

3. Saturday was an epic day in college football. Now, I know that word is thrown around a lot, but it truly was. At noon, Ohio State played Michigan in The Game. Ohio State won The Game, which means that, as of today, it has been 2568 days since Michigan's last victory over Ohio State in football (yes, there are people in Columbus who keep track of such things. Mainly the newspaper).

As if that wasn't exciting enough, at 3:30pm we had Florida State vs. Florida in their big rivalry game. My Florida State Seminoles have not won this game in six years &, quite frankly, it was getting embarrassing. But I had a good feeling about this year. For an extra stroke of luck, I busted out my t-shirt from their 2000 win (my freshman year there), & wore that in lieu of my traditional 'Nole gear. Well, it must have worked. Because they won. BIG. I think I also scared my in-laws with my manic screaming, chopping, fight song singing, running up to the TV & mimicking throwing the spear & other general Florida State hoopla. Regardless, 'twas a good day.

4. To cap off what made Saturday so great (& Tuesday & many days to come) my super, fantastic, wonderful brother-in-law brought me a whole case of my second-most-favorite* beer ever: Great Lakes Brewing Company Burning River pale ale. Not only is it 1. from Cleveland & 2. only available in the Ohio-area, how can you not like a company that makes fun of the fact that in1969 the Cuyahoga River, which runs next to downtown Cleveland, was so polluted it caught on fire. Yes, a river caught on fire. Randomly. Completely on its own. Love it & love the beer. Since we were driving back, instead of flying, I was able to bring the case home for enjoyment throughout the bowl season & whenever the mood strikes. Brian, you're a rock star.**

*My favorite beer is Great Lakes Christmas Ale which is almost impossible to find in bottles. I did snag a glass on draft when I made Brad take a wild lunch detour so we could go to a restaurant that was rumored to have it on tap. Thank goodness that rumor was true!

**Perhaps if I keep using adjectives to describe how great he is, he'll buy me another case.

5. Are you ready for the holidays? How is it December already? Where has 2010 gone? Craziness, I tell you. I was scroog-ing it up until yesterday when I decided to decorate a little tree for my office & was suddenly struck with the holiday spirit. Which is good because I have a lot of baking, chocolate making, present wrapping & tree decorating to get to!

Happy Friday!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

2010-12-02T16:45:00.002-05:00

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

I was suddenly struck with the holiday spirit today. Good thing, because decorations are going up tonight & we're getting our tree on Saturday!

Recipe Tuesday: awesome pie edition

2010-12-01T10:17:00.001-05:00

I made two pies for Thanksgiving this year: a healthy (130 calories a slice!) pumpkin pie & a much less healthy peanut butter chocolate pie. Both were a hit with the fam. So even though Thanksgiving is over, in my mind, it's always pie season.

"Healthy" Pumpkin Pie (photo recipe courtesy of the amazing Hungry Girl)

Ingredients
For Crust*
2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1/4 cup light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown); melted & mixed with 1 oz. water
3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated
1 tsp. cinnamon

For Filling
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
One 12-oz. can evaporated fat-free milk
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
Optional Topping: Fat Free Reddi-wip

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

[In a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Combine crumbs with all other crust ingredients. Stir until mixed well. In an oven-safe 9-inch pie dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray, evenly distribute mixture, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust. Press it into the edges and up along the sides of the dish. Set aside.]

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling. Mix well. Pour mixture into pie crust. (Filling may be taller than the crust -- this is okay!)

Bake pie in the oven for 45 minutes, and then remove it and allow to cool. Chill in the fridge for several hours (for best results, chill overnight).

Cut into 8 slices, and if you like, top with Reddi-wip** before serving!

*Okay, okay, I admit: I used a store bought crust. It was just easier & it only added one Weight Watchers point to the recipe. You can skip the part in brackets above if you're using a pre-made crust.

**This step is clearly not optional.

"Unhealthy" Peanut Butter Pie

(Photo courtesy of Jif.com... & yes, this is really what it looks like. So. Darn. Amazing.)

Ingredients
1 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat, not that it makes much of a difference!)
1/2 cup sugar (I used Splenda)
1 (12 oz.) container (4 1/2 cups) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided (I used fat-free Cool Whip)
1 prepared chocolate pie crust
1 (11.75 oz.) jar Smucker's® Hot Fudge Spoonable Ice Cream Topping (I used squeezable chocolate shell for the design on the top because it was easier)

Directions
Beat together 1 cup peanut butter, cream cheese & sugar in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium, until well combined. Gently mix in 3 cups whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of hot fudge topping into the corner of a resealable food storage bag; set aside. Microwave remaining topping on HIGH (100% power) for 1 minute. Stir. Spread topping over pie, covering entire peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until set. Spread remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 cups), over hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.

Cut a small corner from bag containing topping. Squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pie. Place remaining 2 tablespoons peanut butter in a resealable food storage bag; cut bag corner & squeeze to drizzle in opposite direction from topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

the Topiary Garden

2010-11-30T11:05:00.008-05:00

While we were in Ohio for Thanksgiving, I made Brad take a detour by Topiary Park in Columbus. He had never seen it before, & since it is one of my favorite places in the city, we simply had to stop.

Topiary Park is a privately funded park on the grounds of the former Ohio School for the Deaf (a magnificent building), just east of downtown. The park features a topiary interpretation of George Seurat’s famous painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grande Jatte." It is amazing how much the topiary have grown in the five years since I left Columbus; you can really see the painting now.

This is the real painting - it's massive. It's breathtaking. It's genius. It's beautiful. It hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago. I could have sat there all day & looked at it:

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

And this is Topiary Park:

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Do you see it? The dog? The lady with the umbrella? It's all there.

The man with the pipe (my favorite character):

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

The man with the pipe:

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Isn't it fantastic? I love innovative public art!

I'm thankful...

2010-11-25T14:05:00.001-05:00

for my funny, compassionate, fabulous husband! He:

goes Black Friday shopping in New York City

is a cycling wonder

loves ice cream (or in this case gellato) almost as much as I do

is a master at putt-putt golf

can be goofy at times

loves Cedar Point more than anywhere else

has never met a palm tree he didn't like to relax on

is a lover of trees

always studies the wine list

is a power nap-taker

pretends to be an Indians (& Seminoles) fan for my sake

looks awfully dashing in a tux

I'm thankful...

2010-11-24T11:12:00.001-05:00

for all the opportunities to travel the world.

Barbados

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Chicago

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Las Vegas

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Florida

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

New York City

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Turks and Caicos

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Bahamas

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Seattle

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Canada

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Maine

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Boston

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Sicily

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Pompeii

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Florence

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Rome

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Pisa

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Villefranche, France

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Barcelona

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

I'm thankful...

2010-11-23T10:09:00.000-05:00

for my wonderful family... past, present & future.

Thanksgiving Day, 2008

Wedding day, 2007

at an Indians game with my awesome brother-in-law, 2010

One of my four aunts, one of my four uncles, three of my 14 cousins, 2008

Welcoming my brother home from six years of Air Force service, 2010

Dad & me in Barbados, February 2010

I'm thankful...

2010-11-22T10:58:00.002-05:00

for my amazing friends.

Forever friends...

New(er) friends...

Very dear friends...

Friends who were your friends way back when...

(we were so young once!)

Your husbands friends who became your friends...

(a countdown leading up to Thanksgiving on what I'm most thankful for)

list 25 - things I'm likely to buy at Target (other than what I've come to buy)

2010-11-18T19:36:00.002-05:00

(yup, way behind on my lists... what time is better to get back into it than the present?)

1. junk in the $1 spot
2. cute ballet flats
3. sweaters for Brad
4. greeting cards
5. another black purse
6. turtlenecks and/or cardigans and/or t-shirts
7. some food item on an end cap that I wasn't looking for
8. boxed wine
9. holiday decorations
10. luggage
11. gum
12. chap stick
13. picture frames
14. Kleenex
15. another hair brush
16. sheets
17. candy

(and what did I go there for? probably toothpaste, laundry detergent, and deodorant)

Published!

2010-11-18T16:03:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago the Orange County Register contacted me to see if they could use one of my photos in an article for their Travel section on "America's Best Breakfasts." I was excited about this for two reasons:

1. I love sharing my photos with people who wouldn't normally get to see them, like people in California.

and, more importantly,

2. I have a serious soft spot in my heart for a traditional all-American breakfast.

I was even more excited when they sent me the link to the article today. Not only was my photo in there but, hello, two of my favorite breakfast places were featured (I'm looking at you Athenian Inn and Lou Mitchell's)!

So, without further ado, click on the link above to read the article and check out my photo of the fabulous Athenian Inn in Pike Place Market, Seattle below:

I'm dreaming...

2010-11-17T19:17:00.001-05:00

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

of when it looks like this outside

(go ahead, hate me)

Recipe Tuesday: Butternut Squash "fries"

2010-11-16T14:17:00.000-05:00

Mega Yum

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Do you love french fries? I do. If you name a restaurant within a three mile radius of our house, I can probably tell you if they have good fries or not (Hard Times Cafe & King Street Blues tie for most awesome fries in Old Town). But I hate how bad fries are for you.

Enter: butternut squash french fries. They look like fries. They taste like fries. But they're actually butternut squash. Total Weight Watchers points value: 1. Let the world rejoice!

Butternut Squash Fries

Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 18 min

Ingredients
- 3 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray
- 1 pound(s) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, long “neck” cut into sixteen 3/4-inch-thick sticks
- 1 tsp table salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp chili powder, or to taste (optional) (I didn't have any, so I used an all-purpose seasoning & it did the trick)

Directions
- Preheat oven to 450ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Arrange squash fries on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and chili powder; liberally coat with cooking spray.
- Roast, turning once, until desired crispness, about 14 to 18 minutes. Yields 4 fries per serving.

Notes
Start with a large squash. You will end up using about 1 lb of squash and have the “bulb” of the squash left over.

Any hard winter squash will work in this recipe.

Since every day should be Veterans Day...

2010-11-15T11:58:00.002-05:00

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

... I don't feel guilty posting my Veterans Day post four days late.

Thank you to all the brave men & women who have served & continue to serve our great nation. The sacrifice you & your families make to protect our freedoms can't possibly be appreciated enough. We are the land of the free because of you, the brave.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Recipe Tuesday: Pumpkin Spiced Latte

2010-11-09T10:21:00.002-05:00

There is no one who loves coffee more than I do (I take that back, I have a good friend who makes, and drinks, at least one pot a day).

Anyway, the only thing I don't like about coffee is how expensive it is to buy from a restaurant/coffee house. Which is why I was really excited to find this recipe for crock pot pumpkin spiced latte's! Is there anything more perfect for fall?

Note: this recipe is also gluten free!

Ingredients
- 2 cups milk (I used 1%)
- 2 T canned pumpkin
- 2 T white sugar
- 2 T vanilla (not a typo. it asks for tablespoons)
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice OR: 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a teeny tiny pinch of ground ginger
- 1/2 cup brewed espresso or 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee

- garnish with whipped cream (optional) (lets be honest though, this isn't really optional)

Directions
This will make enough for 2 people to have a big mug with a bit leftover. If you are having friends over, adjust the recipe accordingly. I used a 4-quart crock pot, but as small as a 1.5 quart will work with these amounts.

Add the coffee/espresso and milk to the crock pot. Whisk in the pumpkin, spices, sugar, and vanilla.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours if everything is cold. Whisk again.

Ladle into mugs, and garnish with whipped cream and additional cinnamon.

a simpler time...

2010-11-05T11:10:00.003-04:00

Yearning today for a simpler time and a simpler place...

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

the ballerina project

2010-11-04T11:31:00.001-04:00

As a huge ballet fan, I am totally in love with these images.

As a photographer, I am totally in love with these images.

Such grace and beauty, I just had to share. To learn more about the project, view more images, & purchase prints, just click here.

the day after

2010-11-03T11:39:00.004-04:00

In my non-photographer life, I work in politics. I worked for various members of Congress for the first six years of my working life & now have a job that revolves around what the president & Congress are doing. In my world, election day is not just another day. It's a holiday. A day when there are winners & losers. A day when jobs are lost & careers are started.

I stayed up late last night... much later than normal, furiously refreshing the Twitter (that's @christinasaull if you're interested) feed on my BlackBerry, trying to get the latest results on the races I was actually interested in, which of course were not what CNN/MSNBC/Fox News/anyone was showing (I actually turned off CNN & watched HGTV most of the night, which was refreshing).

I won't get into who won & who lost here... but will say that the biggest feeling I came away with yesterday was one of pride & patriotism (okay, that's two feelings). We are so lucky that we live in a country where every citizen, regardless of race, color, or creed is allowed to vote. We are so lucky to live in a country where we can go vote without the fear of being shot at or blown up while doing so. We are so lucky to live in a country where a change of the political party in power does not mean the whole government collapses.

If you voted yesterday, regardless of who you voted for, thank you. If you did not & are eligible to, I ask you to reconsider next time around. It's the least you can do.

Front Porch Sittin'
Del Ray, Virginia
Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Iwo Jima Marine Memorial
Arlington, VA
Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia
Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn, New York
Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Ground Zero
New York, New York
Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Washington, D.C.
Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Recipe Tuesday: REAL Greek salad

2010-11-02T13:28:00.004-04:00

Traditional Greek Salad

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

There is nothing I love more than Greek salad. No, not lettuce with feta cheese. But real Greek salad which is made without lettuce. That gorgeous salad above is Royal Caribbean's version of Greek salad, which (surprisingly) might be the best I've ever had.

This is kind of a summer recipe, but a favorite one, full of really good fats and veggies.

Ingredients
* 4 medium sized tomatoes
* 1 small cooking onion
* 3 ounces Feta cheese
* 2 teaspoons oregano
* 3-4 ounces olive oil
* ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Instructions
1. Slice up the tomatoes into wedges, and place in a salad bowl.
2. Peel and slice the onion, and add. Sprinkle in the salt and oregano. If the oregano is in larger pieces, crush it up a little more beforehand, as it will help to release the oils.
3. Add in the feta cheese, which can be crumbled by hand or with a fork.
4. Drizzle in the olive oil.
5. Mash up the tomatoes slightly, and toss the ingredients gently.

This salad will serve up to 6 people.

Three years ago...

2010-11-01T10:42:00.002-04:00

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

I was bumming around Sicily on my honeymoon, eating fantastic cannoli, & enjoying an unplugged life. Oh, to be back there...

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Autumnal Week: Spooky Halloween Edition

2010-10-29T11:33:00.003-04:00

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

How fitting that for my last Autumnal Week post, we have our visit to a cave!

More cool than spooky, Luray Caverns is well worth the two hour drive from D.C.! We spent an hour and a half going through the huge cavern system. Sorry Harrison's Cave, this is way better! Good thing there's no competition between the two since they're so far apart that Google Maps cannot calculate the distance between the two.

Autumnal Week: and then we picked pumpkins

2010-10-28T15:29:00.003-04:00

While out in the Shenandoah a few weekends ago, we decided that we simply must stop at a pumpkin patch to do some pumpkin picking. So we happened upon Valley Star Farm & had a good ol' time. The farmers chuckled at us "city folk," especially when I made Brad practically beg them to take us on a hay ride.

They had more varieties of pumpkins than I even knew existed! See that bumpy one six photos down? A "peanut pumpkin" - who knew? In the end, though, I think the white ones were my favorites. Oh, the fall decorating possibilities!

Photos (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photos (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photos (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photos (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photos (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photos (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photos (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photos (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Autumnal Week: Fall on the Farm

2010-10-27T11:40:00.003-04:00

As we meandered our way back from the Shenandoah a few weekends ago, I was determined to stay off the interstate & take the back roads. There are always so many pleasant surprises when you take the road less traveled (literally). A great find we stumbled upon in Upperville, Virginia was Ayrshire Farm, which just happened to be having their annual fall festival. What great timing!

We wandered around the farm, playing with the many animals (including more turkeys than I have ever seen in my life), enjoying apple cider doughnuts & taking in the autumn-ness of it all. They even had a hay ride* to take you from the parking area up to the farm.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

clearly the leader of the group... he hopped right up there onto the bucket, asserting his superiority over the other turkeys

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

*There may or may not have been an incident in the hay covered parking area where there were hundreds of grasshoppers hopping around. I may or may not have screamed repeatedly & refused to walk to the car. Once finally arriving at the car, a grasshopper may or may not have jumped into the car with me/on me, resulting in more screaming, resulting in the grasshopper hiding under the passenger seat. Which may or may not have resulted in me refusing to sit in said passenger seat & insisting on driving. All this may or may not have resulted in Brad repeatedly saying "You can take the girl out of the city, but..." Hope the grasshopper likes his new home in Alexandria.

Autumnal Week & Recipe Tuesday... all rolled into one!

2010-10-26T09:38:00.003-04:00

What a great blog day! Day 2 of "Autumnal Week" & Recipe Tuesday, all rolled into one post!

Today, I give you this:

Corn Chowder*

This became a favorite of ours during last year's snowpocalypse, round I (not to be confused with this year's snow pocalypse, round I I).

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:
6 bacon strips, diced
3/4 cup diced celery**
1 small onion, diced
1 cup diced potato
1 cup water
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
In a saucepan, cook bacon, celery and onion over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is cooked; drain. Add potato and water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients; heat through (do not boil). Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.

* There is nothing healthy about this recipe.
** I leave out the celery since Brad doesn't like it.

Autumnal Week: Oh Shenandoah...

2010-10-25T12:22:00.004-04:00

To celebrate our wedding anniversary (and, honestly, to get the heck out of the city), we ventured out to Shenandoah National Park a few weekends ago. A highlight of the trip was a Sunday morning drive along Skyline Drive, which offered beautiful views of both the Shenandoah mountains to the west and the rolling Piedmont to the east. The fall leaves were spectacular - more muted than the colors in New England, but still pretty none the less.

The Shenandoah area of Virginia is just beautiful. This place was on my (embarrassingly long) list of places I haven't been to in the area, despite living here for over five years. I'm glad I finally made it out there.

Three years ago...

2010-10-20T13:19:00.003-04:00

On October 20, 2007...

I walked up the aisle with this guy...

got some new jewelery...

walked down the aisle with this guy...

and lived happily ever after!

Ode to my previous years of marriage:
2009
2008

Recipe Tuesday: Bishop's Bread

2010-10-19T16:49:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, Brad & I went to a little B&B out in the country for an anniversary/get-of-out-of-the-city getaway. Sunday morning for breakfast, the owner made the most delicious Bishop's Bread (along with some other extremely yummy breakfast items).

I thought I would share this recipe I found, which I can't wait to try.

Bishops bread
Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 cup chopped well drained maraschino cherries
* 1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates
* 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
In mixing bowl, beat egg with electric mixer until light, about 1 minute. Add sugar, oil, and vanilla. Beat well. Blend in the buttermilk. In another bowl sift together the flour, soda, and salt. Add pecans, cherries, raisins or dates, and chocolate chips; blend well. Add to the first mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake in preheated 350° oven for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf of Bishop's Bread.

One last glimpse of Boston

2010-10-18T17:54:00.001-04:00

as we sailed out of the harbor...

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Bah-ston

2010-10-18T14:03:00.004-04:00

Actually, we did not hear a single person with a true Boston accent the entire time we were there. Disappointing really.

My expectations were really low for our visit to Boston. I have no idea why, for the city has never given me a reason to doubt it. The good thing about low expectations is that they are easily exceeded. And boy where they. What a great place! The history! The architecture! The green public spaces! The cannoli! Ohhh... the cannoli in the Italian district was to die for.

So bravo to you Boston. I've now added you to my list of places I would like to spend a little bit more time in.

Beautiful Beacon Hill windows

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

obligatory Cheers photo

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

historic Faneuil Hall

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

the best cannoli I have ever had, including the one I had in Naples, Italy - thumb's up to Mike's Pastry!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Hello out there!

2010-10-12T17:51:00.002-04:00

Hello faithful blog readers!

A bit of a confessional: I'm still editing vacation photos from August. This has made blogging quite the chore. There is so much that I want to share with you... and yet not enough hours in the day to do so.

I've been thinking about changing some things up in this here bloggity blog, but I'd like to hear from you first: what do you want more of? Less of? Any ideas? And, most importantly, who are you? Google analytics tells me people are reading this... but I'm not sure who you are. So drop me a comment below if you read my blog on even a semi-regular basis!

For your hard work, here's a picture that makes me smile:

Titanic

2010-10-08T13:26:00.000-04:00

The city of Hallifax, Nova Scotia & the Titanic disaster are linked, probably more closely than many Nova Scotians would like. It was trans-Atlantic cable laying boats that were sent to recover bodies of Titanic victims from the North Atlantic. The survivors went to New York City. The dead went to Halifax.

328 bodies were recovered from the water, with 209 being returned to Halifax. 119 badly damaged, or deteriorated bodies were buried at sea. Of the 209 brought to Halifax, 150 are buried there - 19 in Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetary, 10 in Baron de Hirsch Jewish Cemetery, and 121 in Fairview Lawn Cemetary. 44 of these souls remain unidentified. (The rest that were identified were shipped out to their families')

There are Titanic artifacts that you can see at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, a museum well worth its cost of admission. These include one of a handful of surviving deck chairs (that's it below) & a tiny pair of shoes that belonged to the "unknown child," who was recovered by rescue crews a few days after the Titanic sinking and was unidentifiable.

Seeing the artifacts & headstones (almost all identical & provided by the White Star Line) was really interesting & made the disaster seem very real, despite the almost 100 years that have passed since.

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

a larger headstone, purchased by the family

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

victim identified many years after burial

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

an unidentified victim

Photo (C) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

John Dawson, whose story has nothing to do with Jack Dawson from the movie "Titanic"

Autumn

2010-10-07T13:29:00.003-04:00

A brief break from summer vacation photos for an ode to my favorite season, autumn.

Lake Union, Seattle, Washington
Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Bainbridge Island, Washington
Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Bainbridge Island, Washington
Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington
Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Chicago, Illinois
Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

And, of course, my favorite fall pictures of all:

(wedding photos by the fabulous Mary Kate McKenna)

Recipe Tuesday: Butternut Squash Soup

2010-10-05T10:56:00.002-04:00

I've been trying to cook at home more & try new recipes, so I thought I'd start a new thing on this ol' bloggity blog: Recipe Tuesday. Every Tuesday (give or take a week or two), I'll share a recipe that I've found, successfully made & managed not to kill anyone with. If I'm extra good, I'll try to include some photos of the cooking process.

This week: Butternut Squash Soup , courtesy of one of my coworkers.

When the weather turns chilly, there isn't anything better in the world than homemade soup. I made this for dinner Sunday night along with a grilled cheese sandwich for Brad & had it again for lunch on Monday. It will refrigerate well for a few days, & also will freeze well in small batches. My biggest tip is not to puree it too much - we might have been over-zealous, & it made the soup a little thinner than my personal preference.

¼ stick butter
1 onion, chopped
4 lbs. butternut squash – peeled, seeded cut into chunks
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 gala apple, peeled, cored, diced
2 cups half & half, light cream or milk
2 tbsp. apple brandy
½ tsp. ground nutmeg ( I like a little more)
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion, sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add squash, broth, apple. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash and apple are tender, about 30 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Add half & half , brandy, nutmeg, salt & pepper.

Adjust seasonings to taste. Also can add more liquids to adjust to desired thickness.

Note: after adding half & half, soup should not boil.

Nova Scotia, eh?

2010-10-04T10:49:00.003-04:00

This is ridiculously charming Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia (population 65). Located about 45 minutes southwest of Halifax, this tiny fishing/lobstering village has become a mecca for tourists due to its beautiful lighthouse. Yet, despite having more visitors than residents the day we were there, it still felt quaint.

How gorgeous is this place? Seriously, is anyone in Nova Scotia in need of a media professional? Because I am all set to move here.

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Coastal Living

2010-09-29T15:33:00.004-04:00

I am so in love with this photo

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

list 24 - Things I've Been Doing Instead of Blogging

2010-09-29T10:10:00.002-04:00

1. enjoying crisp autumn evenings on our balcony

2. brainstorming new, healthy recipes with the hopes that we can start cooking at home more & eating out less (please pass along your favorites!)

3. planning an event with four NCAA Division I men's basketball coaches, 600 volunteers & leadership from the organization I work for - it went off ~~without a hitch~~ despite some drama yesterday.

4. finishing up editing our summer vacation photos - many more to share

5. plotting out our next steps in this crazy life of ours

6. celebrating our four year anniversary of getting engaged by having dinner at the same restaurant & visiting the spot where it all went down

7. watching Ohio State win their first three football games

8. trying to decide when it is the perfect temperature out to enjoy my first Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte

9. raising money for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at the end of October (same fabulous day as the Stewart/Colbert rally on the Mall!)

10. trying out a new toe nail polish for the first time in five plus years - good bye "I'm not really a waitress," hello generic, non-$9 bottle of polish that looks almost exactly the same!

We Remember... We Must Never Forget

2010-09-11T11:20:00.000-04:00

Nine years ago (how has it been nine years?), my life, as well as yours, was profoundly changed. None of us will forget where we were (sitting in a political communications class at Florida State University, having just started my sophomore year), how we felt (overwhelmed & angry), or the immediate days afterward (there was also a wild rumor that, because Jeb Bush was governor of Florida at the time, that someone would try to poison Tallahassee's water supply, so we should only drink bottled water).

Ironically, we have never been to the Pentagon memorial here in D.C. On the five year anniversary of the attacks, in 2006, we went & sat on a grassy hill overlooking the Pentagon & watched as they lit up 189 lights (64 for the people on American Airline Flight #77, 125 for the people killed in the Pentagon), shooting into the night sky. Maybe this year is finally the year to face whatever emotions will come of it & visit the Pentagon memorial.

Every time I visit New York City, I make it a point to head down to Ground Zero to check out the progress that has been made. On my last visit, I was glad to see that they were actually making real progress. Below are some photos from Ground Zero over the years:

December 2008

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

same view, July 2010

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

September 11th blog posts from years past:
2007
2008
2009

Five for Friday

2010-09-10T12:37:00.004-04:00

1. Holy wowzers, Batman! Autumn has returned to the D.C. area in force today & I couldn't be happier about it. It was a crisp 65 degrees in the house this morning, with the windows wide open & a great breeze moving through the place. These days call for sweatshirts, jeans & mugs of coffee while watching football. Too bad it's a work day :)

2. With the return of fall can only mean one thing: the return of football season! The college games kicked off last week (very proud of OSU so far) & the NFL season kicked off last night. Brad & I are beyond excited & looking forward to a great season for all the teams we cheer for. Additionally, we (I) discovered last night that our TV does picture-in-picture, thus allowing me to watch Ohio State vs. Miami & Florida State vs. Oklahoma at the same time this weekend. All is right in the world.

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

3. Last weekend, we were in Minneapolis visiting my grandparents & other family that lives there. We had a heck of a good time just sitting around & talking, BBQ-ing, & taking my three cousins (ages 12, 11 & 6) to breakfast Monday morning. I'm so lucky to have grandparents that are not only still alive, but relatively young. I am thankful for every minute of quality time I get to spend with them.

4. Even though it was only a four day week, this week has seemed to drag on forever. Why is that?

5. Finally, I have a special September 11th blog post prepared for tomorrow, but I just had to share the email that Brad just forwarded me from his boss:

Subject: Have a good weekend

"All:

"Tomorrow is September 11th. Take a moment as you rush through your Saturday to think about what you are thankful for.

"For me, days like September 11th are important reminders to focus on what is important and not to sweat the small stuff."

Wow. Powerful.

& she's exactly right. Take a moment tomorrow, hang up Old Glory with pride, give the people you love a hug & remember those lost nine years ago.

Sea Kayaking, Anyone?

2010-09-09T11:00:00.002-04:00

We love to do different, adventurous things when we travel. Hiking Mt. Vesuvius in Italy. Sea kayaking in Bar Harbor. Hmmm... doesn't seem quite as adventurous, but it really was. It was also tons & tons of fun!

Being out in a tandem kayak, with just our guide, a few other boats & nature could not be beat. We saw lots of wildlife - osprey, bald eagles, harbor seals, loons & lots of other birds. The water was crystal clear & a crisp 60 degrees. Trees & glacial debris hundreds of years old surrounded us as we paddled through the Atlantic Ocean, with the wind to our backs helping us along. It was an awesome experience! A huge shout out to National Park Sea Kayak & our great guide Elana. Thanks to you, we're hooked!

Brad, ready to go

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

eagle's nest

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

the view from the front seat was just awesome

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

we started at the black dot & paddled all the way to where her pointer is!

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

list 23 - things that kicked butt on our vacation

2010-09-08T13:09:00.002-04:00

(a teaser of more blog posts to come!)

1. sea kayaking in the Atlantic Ocean (such an obvious response for #1)
2. being totally unreachable by the outside world for nine days
3. fresh Maine lobster
4. the zoo of towel animals we had going in our stateroom by the end of the cruise (that would be a monkey, elephant, stingray & ram/dog)
5. ordering a sugar-free & regular dessert every night, enjoying a bite of each & comparing the two
6. 65° in August
7. seeing the matching, perfectly lined up graves of the Titanic victims
8. climbing on the rocks in Peggy's Cove
9. awesome cannoli's at Mike's Pastry in Boston
10. holding a live lobster
11. Maine wild berry ice cream in Kennebunkport (I do realize that more than several of these have to do with food...)
12. Captain Espen Been
13. hearing about our waiter's wife & children back in India
14. gorgeous sunsets over the north Atlantic
15. my husband in a tux
16. the beautiful Boston Public Gardens
17. awesome salmon at McKelvies in Halifax
18. how surprisingly nice Halifax was
19. jeans & sweatshirts in August (really, the weather couldn't be beat)
20. quaint architecture in St. John, New Brunswick
21. being called "young person" a lot... made me feel better about getting carded at a restaurant the other day
22. calm seas
23. finishing an entire book
24. taking 1100 pictures
25. some good, quality time with Brad, sans BlackBerry

Gilbert's Chowder House. Portland, Maine

2010-09-07T11:40:00.003-04:00

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

1. Amazing outdoor patio

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

2. Really good prices

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

3. Cannot be described in words lobster roll

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

3a. No seriously, I actually dream about this thing...

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

4.Your chowder awesomeness

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Portland, Maine

2010-09-03T10:24:00.003-04:00

When we pulled into Portland, Maine on a sunny Saturday morning, we weren't too sure what to expect. All we knew was that 1. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had a home there & 2. there was excellent lobster to be had.

What we found was a quiet, pleasant (surprisingly hilly) place to walk around & explore for a few hours. After walking up to explore a church whose steeple we could see sticking up over the town, we wandered the narrow streets in the port area, just as stores were opening up for the day. We did find Mr. Longfellow's house (that would be it below), as well as some excellent lobster rolls (they deserve their own post). It was a great morning of exploring!

You all know I am a sucker for an awesome public library... Portland's did not disappoint!

While in Portland, we discovered the Maine Red Claws, a minor league NBA team. The best part about the Red Claws? Their motto: "Join the crustacean nation." LOVE. IT.

Kennebunkport: By Land

2010-09-02T13:56:00.002-04:00

Kennebunkport: By Water

2010-09-02T13:19:00.006-04:00

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Walker's Point

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Captain John

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull-All Rights Reserved

and finally, one very Jackie-O looking picture of me on the boat... ;)

Kennebunkport, Maine

2010-09-02T11:41:00.003-04:00

I forgot to blog yesterday. Oops. How about a double dose today to make up for it?

Kennebunkport, Maine is one of the most charming places on earth. You can just feel the cute, the wealth, the "New England-ness," the love of the sea & the spray of the ocean air.

During our trip last month, we spent on afternoon in Kennebunkport. On the way there, we drove through Kennebunk & Kennebunk Beach (both equally charming).

Once we got there, we hopped on a lobster boat for a sail down the Kennebunkport River & out into the ocean where we got an up close view of Walker's Point, where President George H.W. Bush & the Mrs. reside during the summer months. We also got to see a lobster trap up hauled up & got to hold a live lobster. If that's not living it up on vacation, I'm not sure what is!

Following our little sail, we walked around the Dock Square, popping in & out of quaint shops filled with Christmas ornaments, candles, tee-shirts & kitsch. We stopped by "Maine's smallest ice cream shop" (it was quite tiny, just a small window) & had some fantastic Maine wildberry ice cream, before eventually making our way to the most touristy shop of all, where Brad picked up a "Kennebunkport 41 43" hat (that would be President George H.W. Bush (#41) & President George W. Bush (#43) for you non-politicos).

As we headed out of town back to Portland, we took one last swing by Walker's Point (trivia note: Grandpa Walker purchased the land many years ago for a whopping $20k) & the extravagant country club next door which was hosting a wedding. It's a place we both said we would love to vacation in, but honestly know that we would never be able to afford to do it right. Besides, the thought of Brad walking around with a popped collar on his polo shirt all summer is enough to make me lose my lunch.

Pictures coming in the new few posts....

Lighthouse love

2010-08-31T11:40:00.000-04:00

Hot Summer in the City

2010-08-30T10:48:00.000-04:00

Some scenes from a New York City summer day

Five for Friday

2010-08-27T10:19:00.003-04:00

1. Wohoo! We're back! Okay, actually that is not really something to celebrate, since it means we're no longer on vacation. But I guess you gotta work sometime, huh?

2. Our vacation to Maine & Canada was amazing! Really, amazing doesn't even cover it. The weather was crisp & cool the entire time (except for you Boston, what's with that heat?). The nature & scenery were gorgeous. We ate & laughed our way through New England & Canada, & threw in a sea kayaking trip of epic proportions along the way. I can't wait to share pictures with all of you - editing down the 1200 we took has been a bit of a bear!

3. As a gift from the vacation-gods, the weather in D.C. has been nothing short of fall-like this week. It is the only thing that made coming back from vacation a little easier. We'll return to summer on Sunday though, when it's supposed to be 90 degrees - ouch!

4. Honestly, who isn't excited about the football season being, literally, right around the corner? Our evenings have been filled with NFL pre-season games & college games start next week. There is nothing I love more than a Saturday tailgate!

5. One of the hardest things about being back from vacation is getting my sleep schedule back on track. For 10 days we went to bed when we wanted & (mostly) got up when we wanted. I have not been able to shake the grogginess this week. Hopefully a restful weekend will cure all ills.

Happy weekend people!

P.S. I know you've missed my 52 lists project - they'll be back next week!

Strolling the Brooklyn Bridge

2010-08-26T11:01:00.001-04:00

Photo © Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

For all the times I have been to New York, & all the touristy stuff I have done, there was one thing I hadn't done: walked the Brooklyn Bridge.

So I picked the hottest day of the year to do so! Armed with my camera, a tank top & a $2 bottle of water, I headed from Manhattan across the river to Brooklyn.

Photo © Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Squares

2010-08-25T14:57:00.000-04:00

New York Holga Love

2010-08-24T13:02:00.001-04:00

In mid-July, I took a long weekend up to the greatest city in the world with the hopes of getting the creative juices flowing again. To help enhance the creative energies, I took two cameras: my D200, with only a 50mm lens, & an old fashioned, good ol plastic Holga.

This Holga is life changing, let me tell you! The lack of control over your image, the "what you see is what you get" when shooting with film, the light leaks & the imperfections of each image make each image, to me, all that much more perfect. These were all shot on Kodak Black & White 120mm film & are straight out of the glorius camera.

I'm in love.

Photo © Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo © Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

see you lovely people in September!

2010-07-30T14:39:00.002-04:00

Five for Friday

2010-07-30T09:59:00.003-04:00

1. Sorry there has been a bit of a radio silence on my blog this week. It has been one of those weeks with no end in sight... so busy! But, it's finally Friday, which is great news for everyone.

2. I had a great time in New York City last weekend & have lots of photos to share. I even spent half a day just shooting with my Holga camera, which really was an exercise in creativity. This was one of my most relaxing trips to NYC yet, with lots of time spent lounging in Bryant Park & enjoying the breezes coming across the Brooklyn Bridge. I also saw "A Little Night Music," a Stephen Sondheim show with Bernadette Peters & Elaine Stritch. If you don't know who any of those three people are, I can't believe we are friends. It is a great show, with a superior supporting cast, so if you find yourself in NYC, it's definitely worth checking out.

3. In less than two weeks, Brad & I leave on our big trip for the year: a 10-day Royal Caribbean New England & Canada cruise. While we have things sort of planned out, if anyone has suggestions of "must see's" or "must eat's" at any of our destinations (Portland, ME; Bar Harbor, ME; St. John, New Brunswick; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Boston), please let me know!

4. Something for those of you in the D.C.-area, which I mentioned before: a few of my photos were selected to hang in the Historic Alexandria History Center and Museum Store. After a couple unexpected delays, they're finally up! I haven't been down to check them out myself yet, but that's definitely on the agenda for this weekend. They should be up until December, so stop by & check them out.

5. Finally, in typical Washington fashion, my blog is going to go on its annual summer recess for the month of August. I promise to be back in September with tons of photos to share of New York City, New England & Canada. And, of course, my whitty ramblings that you all have come to know & love.

list 22 - things I love about Brad

2010-07-28T14:39:00.002-04:00

He makes these really crazy faces all the time. It's ridiculously cute.

He has the kindest soul... he literally is the nicest person you'll ever meet. No, I mean it. Every time he meets someone new, they always say "He is SO nice!"

He grills a mean turkey burger.

He carries my camera bag & regular bag & purse & jacket & anything else.

He lets me buy discounted books, even though we have two eight foot bookcases full of them.

He is really smart.

He looks extremely sharp in a suit and tie.

He carries the groceries.

He always encourages me when I don't want to go to the gym... but do anyway.

He listens to my crazy dreams & even lets me follow through on some of them.

He always says "I love you" when we hang up the phone, even if we've only talked for a moment.

He still considers me his bride, three years later.

He has a knack for taking photos of me taking photos.

He buys me flowers.

He rubs my feet.

He has no problem spending a Friday evening watching DVR'd TV & eating take out thai.

He loves me for who I am.

list 21 - why we do what we do

2010-07-20T22:06:00.004-04:00

I get asked a lot why and how Brad &I travel so much (sometimes nicely, sometimes snarky). I thought I'd address the issue in today's list.

at the top of Mt. Vesuvius, Naples, Italy

Travel...
- allows us to experience cultures completely different than ours
- allows us to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations & test our limits
- allows us some "us time" away from the stress of jobs, commutes, & the ridiculousness of every day life (oil changes, bill paying, folding laundry...)
- allows us the chance to stay in really comfortable hotels... & not have to make the bed in the morning
- allows us to check things off our bucket list while we're still young enough to enjoy it
- allows us the chance to stretch our thinking caps & research skills... we always get the best deal possible on every aspect of our trips
- allows us to take strategic advantage of our vacation time & long weekends (& BlackBerry's & working remotely)
- allows us an opportunity to explore new places that may one day be home
- allows us to appreciate quiet evenings at home even more

Travel isn't for everyone, but it is definitely for Brad & me. We consider ourselves extremely lucky to be able to travel the way we do, but we also believe that with strategic planning & budgeting, a lot of people could travel more than they do. We enjoy our life, but know that some people find that hard to believe. We work hard & enjoy the benefits of that.

I know this probably sounds a little defensive... but we just really want you to understand why we do what we do... & to stop judging us for it.

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of

2010-07-19T17:05:00.002-04:00

I keep forgetting I'm going to NYC this weekend.

With all the crazy planning for our cruise in August, with crazy things at work including a two day work trip to Atlanta this week, with the crazy schedule of having my brother in town, and with crazy life just keeping us running,
I keep forgetting.

Keep forgetting that I can spend as many hours in B&H as I want.

Keep forgetting that I will be able to rest my head in the amazing Library Hotel (and drink many, many decaf cappuccinos!).

Keep forgetting the peace that washes over me after a few hours of strolling through Central Park with no agenda.

Keep forgetting the feeling of dough in my hand as I enjoy my traditional midnight Times Square hot pretzel.

I've missed you, NYC.
I'm glad we'll have some time to get reacquainted this weekend.

Malley's Candies & Ice Cream Parlor

2010-07-16T14:50:00.004-04:00

Doesn't the name just sound like an old fashioned childhood summer?

My childhood was filled with Malley's ice cream, luckily not bound by any one season, so I was ridiculously excited to go back & explore the ice cream parlors that shaped my youth in Cleveland.
True story: when we drove past the one with the merry-go-round in it (yes, it really does, more on that in a minute), on the way from the airport to meet my brother in law for dinner, my excitement nearly caused us to drive off the road. Probably should have left the driving up to Brad.

The good news? They're still there. They're still exactly the same. They're still delicious.

The bad news? My hips are much bigger & my metabolism much slower than they were when I was six years old.

First stop: the Malley's ice cream parlor in Lakewood,
a.k.a. "the one with the garden veranda."

This is the Pink Elephant Sundae. Peppermint ice cream. Homemade whipped cream (I have dreams about their whipped cream, it's so good). Hot fudge on the side (this is key, since it keeps your sundae from melting prematurely). Spanish peanuts with the skin still on (this is also key).
This sundae was SO much better than I remember it being!

To ensure that we properly gave nostalgia its due, we stopped at the Malley's in North Olmstead, a.k.a. "the one with the merry-go-round," on the way to the airport.
It too did not disappoint.

This is the Peanut Butter Cup sundae. I don't think I ever had it as a child, but I should have. Note the fudge on the side again. Also, make no mistake about it: the focus of the camera fell squarely on the fudge & left everything else a little fuzzy. My camera clearly knows excellence when it sees it.

This is the "North Olmstead pink pachyderm" which is the namesake of the awesome Pink Elephant Sundae. Divine, no?

Last, but certainly not least: the merry-go-round. In the restaurant. And yes, it goes around (albeit extremely slowly). It's fantastic.

Five for Friday

2010-07-16T10:55:00.002-04:00

1. BREAKING NEWS: We had an earthquake this morning. I was asleep & woke up to the building shaking, & then creaking. Brad had already left for the gym & didn't feel a thing.

It was only a 3.6 & actually felt more like a freight train going by or a fighter plane flying low overhead - both things which happen relatively often. I got up, turned on the TV (which wasn't reporting anything), checked Twitter (which had a few posts) & went back to sleep.

Such a random event for this area!

2. I hope you've been enjoying the photos from our visit to Cleveland - I've enjoyed sharing them, since it was such a personal trip for me. Stay tuned for a continuation of the Americana theme this afternoon :)

3. Next week, I will be in Atlanta for work on Tuesday & Wednesday - pretty excited to experience the Westin "heavenly bed."

Friday morning, I'm headed to NYC for a long weekend - watch for a special "New York City version" of next week's Five for Friday. On my agenda: a sunrise walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, a visit to The Strand (can't wait to see the 18 miles of books!), discount tickets to a show & dinner at my favorite restaurant.

4. I'm looking forward to both these trips, but not nearly as much as I'm looking forward to cruising away from the stresses of life with Brad on a nine-night cruise in just 27 days!

We'll be spending time in Portland, Maine; Bar Harbor, Maine; St. John, New Brunswick, Canada; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; & Boston. We have a sea kayaking tour lined up in Bar Harbor, a visit to Peggy's Cove fishing village in Halifax & a whole list of things to see in St. John. Best of all, we will have three "days at sea" to sleep in, enjoy the adults only solarium pool & lounge, maybe get a (overpriced) massage & generally relax & unplug.

The best part? No flying involved! We cruise out of the Port of Baltimore!

5. I just realized the sweater I'm wearing at work is inside out. Luckily it's just a black cardigan. I think it has just been one of those days :)

Bonne weekend!

Fireworks

2010-07-15T12:06:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, baseball.

Today, fireworks.

This blog is getting darn right all American!

It's Tribe Time

2010-07-14T15:43:00.000-04:00

A lifelong Cleveland Indians fan, I was excited to go to not one, but TWO games while we were in Cleveland.

Saturday evening, Brad & I went to his first game at Jacob's Field (I'm sorry people, but it will always be the Jake to me). It was a beautiful evening for baseball & we got a rare treat: a Tribe win, in 10 innings! The game was followed up by some pretty spectacular fireworks, which were just the icing on the cake.

Sunday afternoon, Brad's brother treated us to a game, as an extremely belated Christmas present. While the Indians couldn't pull out two in a row, the great seats we had & the sunny, gorgeous afternoon almost made up for it.

list 20 - teachers that changed my life

2010-07-14T10:39:00.002-04:00

(20 lists down, 32 to go... thanks to Hula Seventy for the list inspiration)

Mrs. Krankowski - Second Grade -

I was a dorky second grader in a blue & gray plaid Catholic school jumper & ridiculously cute black & white saddle shoes. I thought I ruled the school, or at least the second grade, & took pride in the fact that I was a reading champion.

The biggest bummer in my life was the fact that I had constant headaches which made school more of a headache than it normally is. Surgery was the only fix to my headaches, as they were a symptom of a condition I had since birth.

It wasn't the surgery that bothered me, but the missing school & not being able to wear my normal school uniform afterward that did. Yet Mrs. Krankowski & my parents made it all okay. School work was managed; cute, frilly dresses were worn; & Mrs. Krankowski even allowed someone to sit in the classroom with me every day to eat lunch while I was still recouping & unable to navigate the crowded lunchroom. Once Veronica Mars & I spent the lunch hour not eating, but replaying "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel over & over until we had all the words down. Important work for second graders.

Mrs. Krankowski gets an A+ in my book for making sure I didn't fall behind when I easily could have. And having an awesome last name.

Mrs. Blaha & Mrs. Robinson - Fourth & Fifth Grade -
They get a joint shout out, since I had Mrs. Blaha in fourth grade & then both of them in fifth grade in what was actually a fourth/fifth grade split class (I think I understood the dynamics of it better than. But how two adults could control 45 10 & 11 year old's was beyond me. Brave women).

Both were (maybe still are) excellent teachers. They were the kind of people that parents dream about having for their kids. Kind, but stern. Patient, but just to the right amount. They helped me through some tough times in my personal life & both cried the day I left for my three-week exchange student trip to France (boy is that another post in itself!) & made the class send me an Aerogram on my birthday overseas.

Mrs. Blaha gets an A+ in my book for being the ideal elementary school teacher - TWICE.

Mrs. Robinson gets an A+ in my book for boosting my confidence in math (which I am still horrible at) & feeding my love of reading & books.

Ms Wood - AP English, 12th Grade -

I don't think Ms Wood has ever had a student - or at least an honors or AP English student - who would not say that she is one of the best teacher's they ever had. She was loved by everyone.

I still feel guilty about not reading "Doctor Faustus" (the whole class rebelled & did not read for some reason. This was not a coordinated rebellion though). I still remember everyone's reaction to my diorama of the book "A Walk to Remember" (gasps around the room at the crazy attention to detail. What comes out of my mouth? "Well, I guess this is what you get when you have no life." Classic.). I still remember the hug she gave me when I told her I couldn't complete a project on time because of some personal drama interfering with my school life - she told me everything would be okay (& it was). And I still have the poem she gave us on the last day of school tucked in the back of my yearbook.

Ms Wood gets an A+ in my book for making every. single. student. feel special.

Ms Robbins - yearbook advisor -

I graduated from high school ten years ago & still keep in touch with Ms Robbins. How could I not? She was so much more than a yearbook advisor to me, & to a lot of students over her career. She was a surrogate mom when I needed one the most. She made me confident in myself, in my leadership abilities & in my creativity.

Heck, she taught me how to type 80 words per minute.

How she put up with us, with all her yearbook students, for so many years I am not sure. But my Solleret is still one of my proudest achievements & I have her to thank for that & so many other things.

Ms Robbins gets an A+ in my book because she sent me an email yesterday asking when she's going to get to be a surrogate grandmother :)

Classic cool

2010-07-13T09:36:00.001-04:00

Is there anything not cool about this classic car I stumbled upon on the side of the road in Chagrin Falls?

Personally, I think the Tom Petty 8-track makes the photo :)

West Side Market

2010-07-12T13:14:00.004-04:00

I have a soft spot in my heart for Cleveland's West Side Market. Dating back to the 1840's, it's Ohio's oldest public market & a place where I used to roam the stalls with my Dad as a child almost every Saturday morning. On our recent trip to Cleveland, I was delighted to see that it hadn't changed one bit. It's a gem of a place & one that should be on any visitor's list. Not to mention that the Ohio City neighborhood that surrounds it has grown by leaps & bounds over the years & is home to many chic restaurants & shops now.

I spent a good amount of time strolling the aisles of this great gem, before stopping at the West Side Market Cafe for a most excellent breakfast the Friday morning I visited.

This breakfast was not only the healthiest thing I ate the whole trip, it was also one of the most enjoyable. There's nothing like a good breakfast, a hot cup of coffee & the truly important sections of the newspaper.

P.S. What do you think about the new photo size? Too big? I personally like the bigger photos, I think it really shows off the detail well, but maybe they're too big for some people's tastes. Let me know!

Five for Friday

2010-07-09T14:05:00.004-04:00

1. How 'bout that LeBron James, huh? I know, I'm sick of hearing about it too. So I'll just make one comment on it, to Dan Gilbert: the font you use means everything. Comic Sans? REALLY?

2. As you saw from yesterday's hot dog post, our trip to Cleveland was indeed epic, despite the LeBron decision hanging over the entire city (see exhibit A below).

We ate so much, my stomach literally hurt until yesterday. Things we ate that made my stomach hurt: pizza (x2, including once at the ballpark); beer (x a lot... ); hot dog with bacon and cheese, chocolate milkshake and cheese fries (all for lunch on Saturday); nachos (at the ballpark, but on a different night than the pizza); ice cream, regular (x2); ice cream, sundaes (x2). Pepto anyone?

3. Another highlight to our trip was going to see two Indians games, one of which they actually won! For a team that is 33-52 headed into the all-star break, we were really excited to see a winning game. Plus it was Brad's first game at Jacob's Field (I'm sorry, but it will ALWAYS be the Jake to me), the weather was perfect and our seats for both games were great.

4. This wouldn't be a traditional "Five for Friday" post if I did not comment on/complain about the weather. It is sunny an average of 66 days a year in Cleveland, leaving you an 82% chance of it not being sunny during your visit. Guess what? Bright blue skies every day we were there! What are the chances? Of course, then we came back to 100+ degree temperatures in D.C. this week, so perhaps it was the big man upstairs reminding us to enjoy sun and 80 degrees while we have access it!

5. Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not mention probably the best part of our trip to Cleveland: the Happy Humper. No, I'm not talking about some adult store or badly titled x-rated movie. I'm talking about this:

The world's most dangerous/thrilling piece of playground equipment ever. When I was in elementary school, we'd pile onto this thing way beyond capacity and have the time of our lives. Fingers were squished, flesh was pinched and more than one tush was burned on the black rubber. Yet, it was pure recess bliss. I was sure that the school district had wisened up sometime in the past 20 years and taken out this childhood play thing.

Nope! There it is, in all its glory, on the playground of Ella Canavan Elementary School (a fine educational institution, I might add). It even has a twin. Warmed my heart.

Epic

2010-07-08T15:31:00.003-04:00

Our trip to Cleveland was epic in every way possible.

The food we ate; the amount of food we ate.

The nostalgia we rolled around in like Scrooge McDuck and a big pile of gold coins.

The baseball we watched (okay, most of that was just epically bad).

The small town fireworks we saw.

The small town charm we fell in love with.

For now I'll leave you with the above image of Saturday's lunch. But I will be back with so, so much more.

list 19 - things in my bag

2010-07-07T13:24:00.003-04:00

1. cell phone
2. BlackBerry with wallpaper image from Las Vegas
3. two chapstick - one Burt's Bees, the other a freebie from the Travel and Adventure Expo a few months back
4. SmartTrip Metro pass
5. point and shoot camera inside small case
6. keys with small business card holder
7. $.27
8. boarding pass from trip to Cleveland
9. wallet
10. checkbook and coupons
11. sunglasses
12. free samples of Starbucks iced coffee mix and Crystal Light lemonade mix
13. hair clip
14. magazines (some trashy, some not)
15. two pens
16. necklace from Barbados
17. book
18. reusable bag inside reusable bag holder

America is...

2010-07-01T11:40:00.012-04:00

Lady Liberty & skyscrapers

beaches and mountains

flags on front porches

flying Old Glory

baseball

honoring our Veterans

Happy Independence Day everyone! No Five for Friday tomorrow because we will be traveling to the city that rocks, Cleveland.

list 18 - things I would say to my 17 year old self

2010-06-30T14:23:00.002-04:00

… inspired by Brad Paisley’s song “Letter to Me” and Hula Seventy's list.

1. You are not fat. It’s stupid that you lie about your weight on your driver’s license. Ten years from now, you will look back fondly on the days that you weighed this much.

2. Some stuff is going to happen in the fall of 1999 that will be life changing. Go with your gut – it is right.

3. Study a little harder for your AP European History exam. I know the teacher is awful, but it’ll be one of the last times you take a class in school that you really enjoy.

4. Don’t stop playing the piano, despite what happens at Solo and Ensemble your senior year. Ten years later, when you pick it up again, you will be frustrated at how hard it is.

5. The last day of 11th grade might have been the best day of your life up until now, but just wait... it’s going to get SO much better.

6. The guys you dated in high school were not so great. But guess what? You’ll only have to seriously date one more person before you meet the amazing guy you’re going to marry at a much younger age than you thought you would.

7. Embrace being editor of the yearbook. I know it seems stressful and a lot of work at times, but Ms Robbins will turn out to be a lifesaver and a lifelong friend.

8. Quitting marching band was the right decision.

9. Read all the books you’re supposed to for AP English. You will regret not reading some of them later in life.

10. Don’t worry about not having tons of close friends. Your small group will stick with you through high school and, ten years later, you’ll still be best friends with one of them (but not the one that you think).

11. Not getting into the University of Florida is the absolute BEST thing that has ever happened to you. Trust me.

12. Put that camera you got on the last day of 11th grade to good use. Taking photos will always bring you true joy in life. And writing. Keep writing.

13. Doing horribly chemistry will not negatively affect your life, only your GPA.

14. College is not going to be anything like you think it will be. It will be a completely unique experience that will make you a stronger, more independent adult.

15. They are going to paint your high school tan. Come to grips with this now. It will be startling in the future.

16. You’re going to have great skin when you’re older. You’ll also never wear make up, so don’t feel bad about not wearing it now. But, please, please, please, start wearing daily moisturizer with sunscreen in it!

17. Enjoy this time living in Florida. It will be more short lived than anticipated and one day you will ache for the beach.

18. Go with your gut, always. It has yet to lead you astray.

hello, old friend...

2010-06-28T17:42:00.000-04:00

I'm awfully glad you're back in my life