Lentil Soup: A Tale of Two Attempts

Hello! How are you? I'm doing quite well. It rained all weekend! But not that hard, so it wasn't a total inconvenience, fortunately. However, I didn't get any rainboots, like I had planned, and my clear bubble umbrella hasn't arrived yet, so I had to use my crappy little black one. That aside, since it rained, I drank lots and lots of delicious tea and Kedem Tea Biscuits, which was a great idea.

Today, the only thing that could make my rainy Sunday even nicer, would be if I had some delicious hearty soup. Problem solved!

Please excuse the lousy photograph; I didn't think to shoot the soup until after it was packed away neatly in some tupperware.

Funny story, which relates to the title of this post: So, I followed diligently the recipe, and I boiled the water (no problem) and I added the lentils. I left them to boil and bubble and all that, and when 20 minutes rolled around, I checked on them. For some genius reason, I thought that they weren't done yet, so I went back into the living room with my friend and watched some more T.V. (it was House...I'm so easily distracted by medical dramas, especially ones that are so deliciously predictable). And then, BAM, "OH NO! THE LENTILS! I FORGOT!"

And they had transformed into a mushy, pasty, stuck-to-the-bottom, burnt mess. And it smelled terrible. So my roommates and I decided to open the windows (good idea) and open the door to the hallway (probably a good idea, but offensive to other kids in the dorm). People were walking up and down the hall sayin' "Woo it stinks! What's that smell?" Ha-ha, mortifying sort of. I'm sorry!!

As a result of this minor/major catastrophe, I had to run out to the supermarket and buy more lentils and salt. Second time around, I was very very careful to keep an eye on the lentils, and it all worked out splendidly. Devilishly good soup, and so spectacular with a dollop of yogurt on top! And since I made the whole recipe, I have a bunch for leftovers during the week. Excellent!

Hope everything is going well with you. See you on Wednesday, lovelies!

Oops!

Uh...I don't know what happened, but it seems that I sort of missed Mid-Week Magic Hour!! Ahh!! I'm so terrible. I posted on Monday, and I was thinking, hey I'm so ahead of it that I don't have to worry about MWMH for a while, but how wrong I was. It's still kind of this middle of the week, right? Maybe?

OK, well I'll give it a go anyways. So I was browsing around the internet for neat finds, and I came across this fantastically multi-use super cool way of relaxing...TO THE EXTREME.

So get this: it's a candle, right, but you can use the warm wax for massage oil. Oh my god, is that neat or what?? It even has a low melting temperature (thanks to some physicist no doubt!) so you don't have to worry about scalding hot wax. It's sexy...possibly.

Yeah, I had to share that with you all. (All=?? how many of "you" are there? 2?) Anyways, I feel like sharing.

In other news, it is blustery and cold today, and it's supposed to start raining in the evening and not stop until Sunday! So I simply must go out and buy some wellies. Oh, and I ordered the umbrella that I've wanted for a while:

It's one of those darling clear bubble umbrellas! I am so very excited, but unfortunately it won't arrive until after this weekends approaching rainstorm. Oh well, I am sure this won't be the last that I will be seeing of Mr. Rain. Since I've arrived in NY it has already rained like 5 or 6 times, which is completely incredible to me, since it rains about that much for the entire year in California.

So, until a later date, I bid you adieu.

First Day O' Fall!!

Hello!! I know I just posted yesterday, and here I am today, and it's not Wednesday, and so it's not Mid-Week Magic Hour, and yes I know this. But I just discovered Polyvore and I can't get over how cool it is! So instead of writing my essay, which needs to be 6-8 pages (the first draft of which is due Wednesday), I'm shopping and oogling and oggling all the pretty things.

So let's play a game. A game called, what outfit would Lizzie compose if she had an infinite amount of money and it needed to be under an autumnal theme. Well, this is it:

Oh ho ho how cute and fun! Go to Polyvore, and you can make one of these neat little magazine-like spreads and look very professional and cool.

Here's what's up there::
-Oscar de la Renta Cable Knit Sweater
-Burberry Kentisbury Coat
-Donna Karan Moleskin Riding Pants
-Marc by Marc Jacobs Crazy Bow Hairband
-J. Crew Ombre Washed-wool Scarf
-FredFlare Pine Cone Candle
-Hunter Wellington Boots
-Target Bubble Umbrella

Total Cost: $3,600 even

I know you want to buy me all of that. See you Wednesday...

Success in the Dorm Kitchen!

I did it! I made something in the dorm kitchen, and it worked! Granted, I did make brownies before, and they worked out, but this was the first legit dinner that I've made using our mini/fake stove. It's more of a hot coil with an Easy Bake Oven underneath it, which is funny because I always wanted an Easy Bake Oven as a kid, and I never got one, and now that I basically do, I hate it.

But, enough complaining!! The food was successful and tasty and I had leftovers too.

[NOTE: Thanks to a very astute reader named Taylor, i just realized that I forgot to actually write what I had cooked! It's once again the Big Bowl Quinoa from 101 cookbooks, which I made before, and simply had to make again because it's so easy and so delicious.]

So I cut, and I chopped, and I stir-fried, and it smelled like grilled onions with garlic and everyone in the dorm room/hall said that it smelled good. Score! Food for me, not for you! Ah-ha-ha!

In other news, I was quite productive this weekend. I went to the Union Square Farmers Market again on Saturday and I took a lot of photographs, which I got to contact and print today. I should scan them in and post them here...when I get around to it. We actually have a nice scanner or two in the darkroom, but I digress. While at the farmers market I watched this band from Santa Cruz perform, and they were quite good, so I bought their CD! Check Blackbird Raum out; they're a little like Gogol Bordello and Beirut and all that alt-folky-gypsy-hippie stuff. And one of they play washboard, accordian, musical saw, wash-tub bass, mandolin, and banjo. Cool.

And now I am watching the Emmy's and I swear, I always think that these award shows are going to be entertaining, but they are really boring and disgusting. It's just so nauseating having a bunch of vapid Hollywoodians all in the same room patting themselves on the back. Eck...

Okay, see you on Wednesday for Mid-Week Magic Hour! (Yessss, so excited)

Wednesday...?

Okay, I think it's still Wednesday, so this still counts as me updating my blog on Sundays and Wednesdays. Yesss! Okay, so I think that Wednesdays should be special days here at my blog...days that revolve around me sharing cool things that I've found on the interweb during the past week. Yes, that sounds like a good idea. So, what shall these Wednesdays be called?

• Wednesday Wonders?
• Wonderful Wednesdays?
• Mid-week Magic?
  

I like Mid-week Magic. Or what about Mid-week Magic Hour? Yeah!

Okay, so here is our very first Mid-week Magic Hour, or MWMH for short. If you don't like this name, gimme a new one. I want your thoughts...

So, what shall I post about for this fine Mid-week Magic Hour? I know! A SUGAR SHAKER!

As of right now, my roommates and I are keeping our sugar in its normal paper bag inside of a ziploc bag. Not only is that super inconvenient, but its ugly too! No good! So maybe I will buy this darling little sugar shaker from Happy Day Vintage. I think that would be a good idea.

I other news, I tried to make cookies tonight, but I over did them and they became hard as bricks. Quelle tragédie! And now I'm sure that my friend thinks I am a terrible baker, because she has never tried anything else that I have made, except for some brownies. I need to redeem myself!! Fast! Perhaps I will make those Maple Walnut Cupcakes I mentioned in my last post. Or maybe some Apple Pie Cupcakes! Yeah! I just don't know...the oven that we have is microscopic and it is devilishly inconsistent, which was why I thought the cookies should be cooked for an extra 10 minutes, which caused the terrible burning disaster. Oh well, another time then...

So, I hope this is a start to something supremely fabulous, these Mid-week Magic Hours. Until we meet again, my friends (which will be on Saturday, FYI!)

Deer Illustration!

Greetings!

I wish it was fall. Really badly. It was 90 degrees today and so humid! I don't know what to do with myself, and mainly, my hair. All I want is for it to be 65 degrees, cloudy, and beautiful. I want to buy excellent apples at the Farmers Market in Union Square, and make apple cider, and use cinnamon, and make these Maple Walnut Cupcakes with Candied Walnuts! And yes, I know I'm going to completely eat my words when October rolls around and I realize that my poor California-skin can't handle the real cold. Hopefully by then I will own a warm coat, but so far I have been unsuccessful in buying one of those.

Anyways, for my drawing class we had to make a drawing of...anything. Which I thought was a pretty lame project, but whatever. I did a little gouache painting of some deer in a cemetery, taken from a photograph that I snapped a few years ago when I was in Monterey for a wedding.

One of the several photographs that I combined together
to form my illustration:

Et voila! The photo doesn't really do the colors justice, but I'm still working on trying to photograph my artwork properly. I am happy with the result, but I wish I had done something better with the background. I feel it just ends rather abruptly, and I didn't do a very good job at incorporating the fogginess of the cemetery that day. Oh well! Maybe I'll put in in the Etsy shop, if I feel so inclined...

So, yeah, that's what's been up. I'm trying very hard to post every Sunday and every Wednesday, because that's usually when I have the most free time. Because Wednesday classes don't meet again until the following Monday, so I don't have that much homework on those days! Or on Thursdays. I really love this whole 3 day weekend thing. It's quite excellent.

Well, until next time...(which should be Wednesday!)

Making Stuff Again

Okay, so I haven't posted a craft-related entry in quite some time. I realize this. So, I figured I had to change that, considering that I hadn't necessarily stopped crafting all together--I've just been a little/hugely busy, and I don't have a sewing machine (tear!! this saddens me greatly). But, I have been able to knit and crochet, and I have produced something. Technically it is only half of something, and I don't even know if I'm going to finish the other half, but I will post about it anyways. Because I feel I should.

So without further ado, I give you my very first knitted sock!

Hurray! Cheers! Woo!

Except, not so much. I really don't like the sock, aesthetically. Plainly put, I think the stripes are ugly and the fabric was a poor choice. Also, it's all a little saggy, especially around the ankle/stripe region. Hmmm...part of me says "That's enough! Knit a new pair of socks from a prettier pattern, with lace, and with nicer yarn that is thinner and less bulky and of higher quality!" but the other half of me says "You've already got this far! And it was so easy! Just do the other one so you can have a pair of socks for the winter, instead of just one warm foot!"

What should I do? Be a one-socked-wonder for the time being as I work on a completely new pair, or should I finish this rather ugly one? I'm leaning towards scrapping this stripey sock and beginning a new pair...but I want to get some secondary opinions!

In other news, I bought a nice little pencil holder at this store called Muji in Soho (I was tipped off by Kristina, by-the-by). I really like its simplicity and all that.

Lookin' good

So yeah, that's what's goin' on for me. I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to buy art supplies and film and everything that I need. I'm blowing through money like a wind blows through ... something poetic, and it's crazy. Life's crazy! Ah! I need to get a handle on things, and then get a job. Good plan.

(P.S. It was cooler today, and it rained and thundered and stormed yesterday, which was SOOOOO exciting for me)

Lacoste : Yes!

Lets talk about how great the first portion of Lacoste's Spring 09 Ready-to-wear collection is:

I think it's pretty fab for several reasons.

1. The colors and fabrics are gorgeous. They are the perfect dusty, sandy colors and they looks especially great paired with these skinny little waspy white models. For reals!
2. When I got back from India, I really wished that turbans would be in-style, and that girls would start wearing them. In India, obviously, its only a man thing, but I thought that it was so so so awesome and elegant that I wanted to figure out a way to wear one myself without looking like a moron. Case closed!
3. I love how these are draped. The flow and cut to each piece is oh-so-perfect. And the shoes are very nice too.

All in all, go Lacoste! However, I did not like the rest of your line; it was very...Lacoste-y. Too sporty, bright, jocky/tennis player-ish. Yeah, I know that's your thing, but you are so good at fashion too!

(P.S. I got 8-cent unlimited serving size frozen yogurt at 16 Handles in the city today. EPIC!)

Neat-o

How much does this storage chair rock??

A lot, to be sure. It's from fawn & forest, which you should browse through because its pretty cute and designy. If you know what I mean.