Big A’s “little break”
For those of you sick of looking at Banana Crunch Muffins and wondering where I’ve been, I’ll simply state that,
I went to a friend’s house for a few days.
It was GREAT seeing her again,
and I just loved spending time with her husband. Magically, after all these years, it seems they never change.
Their estate is breathtaking and there is so, so much to do!! With glorious weather, scrumptious food, and adventure rides that literally took my breath away (not kidding), it was a most memorable visit.
As we said our farewell bippity boppity boo-hoos, I promised to be back soon.
A happy ending, indeed.
“A”
Summer’s Best (two days)
Guess where I spent two glorious days? Yes…that’s the Empire State Building and, I say it loudly and proudly, “I LOVE NEW YORK”!! My friend, Lisa, and I decided to lose ourselves in the frenzy of the city and we hit the pavement running. This photo was taken as we stepped outside our hotel, the Affinia Hotel at 371 7th Avenue.
We wandered toward Broadway and soon realized we were in an area that was bursting with shops that sold costume jewelry. Some were (excuse me) “wholesale only”, but there were plenty who were open for retail and gladly accepted our patronage! Uh, oh:
We met up with little a and the whirlwind began. First stop, Eataly for lunch!
Roasted red peppers, grilled shrimp with speck and roasted fig, and grilled scallops with marinated cucumbers and vidalia onions. We ordered three items…we shared…I regretted it. (It was SO good that I wanted to eat it all myself. That’s happened to you….right??)
And, we strolled by the dessert section:
As tempting as these beautiful pastry were, we chose to try the gelato…mine was banana…I wanted to lick the cup.
Next stop, New York Cake & Baking Supplies. Mecca.
I had to exercise restraint (not easy) because I knew I’d have to lug my purchase all around the city. A small stainless bowl and some decorating supplies. I’m convinced that the reason my attempt at macarons failed was because I had the wrong-size piping tip. Let’s see if success comes with the 809.
Dinner? We went to Spice Market.
The food here was simply INCREDIBLE. I wasn’t sure if Southeast Asian cuisine was my “cup of tea”, but now I’m convinced that I can eat it morning, noon and night. Each and every day.
I can’t remember the names of all the foods we experienced, but the crab samosas, halibut, chicken, short ribs, radish salad and sticky coconut rice were all ah-mazing. And just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite:
along came the CHOCOLATE DIPPED WATERMELON! The coating is made with Valrhona chocolate, toffee crunch and a sprinkling of sea salt. Incredibly delicious. (didn’t want to share this either) And…there’s a cookbook, Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges. Looks too complicated for me, but seems worth $26.40 just for that sticky coconut rice recipe!!
Next stop, the Marquis Theater to see Follies:
We had front row orchestra seats for this engaging and entertaining show. Seeing Bernadette Peters perform live was a total thrill for me, and an experience I’ll never forget.
After the show, we went to “The View Restaurant” at the top of the Marriott Hotel. The restaurant revolves 360 degrees, v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y and, from the heart of Times Square, you can see:
That’s the top of the Chrysler Building. Honestly, I would have preferred if the floor stayed still, and it was me doing the walking around. Enough fun for one day!
The next day, little a wanted Lisa (an award-winning cook extraordinaire) to experience Kalustyan’s spice store:
Sauces and spices and rices, oh my! Shelf after shelf, and room after room, of so many things I had never even heard of! Lisa bought a few things, but I left wishing that I knew how the heck to use anything other than salt and pepper.
We had a huge lunch at Hill Country, a barbecue restaurant where, quite honestly, the brisket was better than the ribs, and there were lots of tasty sides to choose from. Back to Eataly, more walking and shopping, exhaustion set in and we were ready to head home!
With little a as our tour guide and my dear friend, Lisa, at my side, the two best days of summer were guaranteed. My heartfelt thanks and sincere gratitude to them both for that “Mary Tyler Moore hat-toss” feeling ;-), one that I won’t soon forget.
“A”
And to you, Ashley, if you happen to read this blog…your kindness and generosity were overwhelming. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Mother Bear Project – My first bear!
Here she is…at last…my very first contribution to the Mother Bear Project! I had visited their booth while attending Stitches East, back in November, and I purchased the kit to crochet an adorable bear that would be sent to comfort children who are affected by HIV/AIDS. You can read all about this very worthwhile project by visiting their site.
All of the yarn (except for the scarf) was included in the kit, and I used size 3 crochet cotton to embroider the eyes, nose and mouth.
I’m really looking forward to creating more bears to send off, and I’ve already gathered yarn from my stash to make another. Maybe this one will sport a sassy little purse or wear a sparkly, ruffled skirt and have a great, big bow on her head! Or…maybe he’ll be a dapper little dude with overalls, like Corduroy.
If you’re a Ravelry member, you’ll find some great inspiration there…check out the huge variety of bears created by the oh-so many talented knitters and crocheters. I’ll be adding mine today!
“A”
Ring Bearer Pillow (Nana’s gift)
My dear friend, Beth, is a delightful lady who is very creative, and very Martha Stewart. She loves to entertain and woo her guests with seasonal feasts and beautiful table settings. Each guest always receives a small take-home “favor” at each place setting, such as mini-pumpkins in the fall that have been hollowed-out and filled with fresh mums. Pretty dishes, sparkling crystal and starched linens complete the inviting look. Beth and her husband, Tony, are wonderful hosts and have a warm way of making you feel supremely welcomed.
When the first of her three daughters was married, Beth told me of her plan to cut apart her mother’s (Nana’s) wedding gown, and have a piece monogrammed and stitched into a small pillow for the ring bearer to carry down the aisle. Since Nana had passed on, Beth thought of this as a way to honor her memory and she asked me if I’d sew the pillow. (no pressure there, Beth :)
A couple of years later, a second daughter married, and we made her a pillow using the accent color of the wedding party. Well, daughter number three has no immediate wedding plans, but a niece in the family is getting married on October 10, 2010. Her bridal shower was yesterday, so guess what Beth asked me to do??
I was happy to make one for Bethany, but each time I have to cut into Nana’s silk, I have an anxiety attack. Luckily, the sewing Gods were with me and I didn’t have a slip-of-the-scissors or a major thread jam. In the past, we were able to use some of the dress’s covered buttons as accents, but Beth gave me these little pearl buttons instead. There was a fabric loop stitched into the seam, which I’m pretty sure was used to bustle the dress, and I used it to make a small band under which the ring bearer could slip his hand:
I used Warm N Natural cotton quilt batting to quilt the border around the monogram, and I stuffed the pillow with some polyester fiberfill that I had on hand. Finished size is approximately 5″ x 7″.
At first, I must admit, I was aghast that Beth could take a scissor to her mom’s wedding gown but, soon, the reality hit. Since no one wanted to wear this dress, why not turn it into an heirloom of a different sort? Thanks to Beth’s thoughtfulness and willingness to make that first “cut”, the grandchildren of the family will have a very special keepsake to accompany their fond and cherished memories of time spent with their dear Nana.
Congratulations and best wishes, Bethany!
“A”
Note to Little A: Let’s not even think about cutting into mine. You never know…70′s polyester wedding gowns could become highly sought-after collectibles.
Earth Day – reusable napkins
I was rifling through my enormous stash of cotton fabrics recently and I wondered, “what am I going to do with all this” and “how did this stash get so big”? (okay…you know as well as I do how it got that big.) But, now what?
As there were many colors, prints and coordinates to choose from, I thought that cloth napkins would be a great stash reducer!
I own a Janome serger (one of those specialty sewing machines whose sole purpose is to overcast the raw edges of fabric) and I used it to serge two 16″ squares of fabric together. They zip up in no time…as long as the thread Gods are smiling on you. (I’d rather drink sour milk than re-thread the serger)
I decided to present these on Earth Day because reusable napkins in the home are more environmentally friendly than paper. And I think they add a touch of elegance to everyday meals!
If you don’t own a serger, check out Molly’s handmade napkins at The Purl Bee. I thought these were so pretty that I went to JoAnn’s and purchased a 1″ bias tape maker. (I’ll be sure to share photos when I’m done.)
Here’s another earth-friendly project:
It’s called crochet biffer “shrug”. My friend, Teresa, found the pattern and crocheted this one for me using 100% cotton (completely machine washable and dryable). It slips right over the Swiffer head (I know you’re singing “Who’s that lady”) and does an excellent job of collecting pet hair and dust bunnies! I’ve also used it to shine floor tile that I sprayed with my Method brand “best in glass” window cleaner.
And, in honor of Earth Day, I vow to actually use my collection of pristine pink reusable Stop & Shop grocery bags, knowing full well that they may get dirty.
“The journey of 1,0o0 miles begins with one step”.
“A”
Super Simple Italian – Olive Sauce
My Italian-born mother-in-law is a wonderful cook. She has always made delicious “first-dish” pasta meals using relatively few basic ingredients and seasonings, and she has the gift of knowing how to blend these perfectly! On any given day, when faced with my favorite dilemma “what am I going to cook tonight”, my thoughts go directly to these tried-and-true recipes, learned by watching her prepare them time and again.
Olive Sauce is the first in my new series “Super Simple Italian”, based on Olga’s everyday meals, and I hope you’ll enjoy the recipes that will follow. Please bear in mind that these recipes do not lend themselves to exact measurements of ingredients (a lot has to do with personal taste) but I’ll do my best to give good approximations. With a supply of olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, flat-leaf parsley, salt, pepper, and pasta on hand, you should be good-to-go!
1 can Italian crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
1/3 jar Gaeta olives, pits removed
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf italian parsley
1/3 cup (+/-) olive oil
Black pepper, to taste
1 lb. linguine (I like Barilla)
Note: The olives are somewhat salty, so you might want to taste the sauce before adding salt.
Saute garlic, olives and parsley in olive oil until garlic is lightly browned. Add crushed tomatoes, and season with black pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer, immediately, on low, for approx. 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Boil pasta according to package directions, drain, and pour sauce over pasta.
“A”
thanks, google translator ;)
Cascading Colors – a sweet baby blanket
I knitted this pretty blanket for dear baby Annabel Maeve, the newest little member of our growing family!
The pattern is called “Cascading Colors Baby Blankie“, and the instructions and materials list can be found on the Lion Brand website. It knits up very quickly because you hold two yarns together and use size 17 needles! I purchased the recommended yarns because I just loved the striking color combinations. There was plenty of yarn leftover, and I used the Cotton-ease to make a colorful matching hat. (Did I remember to take a picture of that hat???)
Here’s another crochet edging for a fleece baby blanket. The book is Baby’s Choice Crochet Edgings for fleece by Terry Kimbrough, and the yarn is Cupcake by Lion Brand. I made it for baby Zachary, who will likely grow up to be his dad’s First Mate!
“A”






















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