you can't spell inspiration without rat. what?

As much as I have been uninspired in the kitchen I have even more so been in a rut in the crafting realm. And we are not even going to start the conversation about why I haven't done any art in over a year. I might need a therapist for that one. Once again, as with the food, something clicked last week. Not only did I plan and successfully pull off a last minute doozy of a bachelorette party, with burlesque and dares and goody bags! But I also made the aforementioned birthday wine, and this little lovely outfit for a good friend of Jesse's family's (and good friends of mine now too) little girls first birthday. I never made it to the party, late work day and it was scheduled in Everett right in between work in Ferndale and bachelorette party in Seattle (I'm sooo sorry I missed it, and I promise the gift is in the mail). But, this is what little Brooklynn Rose turning one inspired in me.

(I'm trying to see how many times I can use the word 'inspire' in these posts...)

Girl Eats World

I haven't been cooking much lately. I'm not sure if it is the weather or the diet (i'm still getting used to cooking light and without gluten), but I haven't been inspired. I've still been reading about food, cookbooks, blogs, Bon Apetit, and this great book about the history of the food establishment in America called, The United States of Arugula. And yet, nothing. Even when we eat out I've sought out comfort over interest. We still eat at home, it's just been staples: rotisserie chicken from Freddy's, burgers, salads. My usual drive to try something new, something trendy, something seasonal has all but left my world. Until now. About a week ago I made dinner. I cooked. I went to the grocery store and let it inspire me. I let the weather determine that we were not cooking inside. We were going to grill. And we were going to eat asparagus and we were going to have wild king salmon. And I was inspired. I had almost forgotten about this meal until I just loaded my photos onto the computer and up popped the pictures from that night. And my mouth watered again, and my chopping finger started twitching, and my flavor sensors started beeping...while we may eat out tonite (date nite!) you can count on me ordering something seasonal, trendy, and out of my comfort zone, and Sunday nite dinner will be just as inspired, I promise.

The Menu that brought me back to life:
Grilled heirloom grape tomato, goat cheese, red onion and arugula salad, lightly dressed with balsamic vinegar.
Asparagus a la grill, brushed with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Grilled Tapenade encrusted King Salmon

sometimes.

today's facts so far:

-dancing makes everything a little clearer.
-i like sitting on the ground staring at my new little tomatoes.
-donkey likes new outfits.
-i love new shoes.
-i also love salads.
-alice waters may have invented the mixed green salad we've come to love and expect.
-jesse is making a smoothie!
-i want a cookie.
-yesterday felt like 5 days, morning time, nap time, lake padden time, kayak time, walking time, boulevard woods time, gf beer time, dinner time, drinking time, dancing time, 2am breakfast time, sleeping time.
-noon is working lady time at the gym.
-2 o'clock is old man time at the gym.
-I will never know what 6 am time is at the gym.
-martha stewart, swoon.
- TOMATOES
-i have been taking pictures of all of the things i've been doing with the intention of posting my heart out. i guess i've just been living and not reliving lately. and that is ok. expect some reliving soon.

Limited Edition birthday wine!

Today was a co-workers 21st birthday. Remember those? Most likely you don't. All of our friends turned 21 in what felt like one long spring. Strange shots were taken. Strange clothes were worn. And thankfully we all made it out alive. I was lucky in that I was the first to turn 21, so there were no elders to take revenge on little me. And even though I got off with nary a hangover I still, to this day, take my revenge on the poor newly 21s.

My co-worker (assistant manager to be exact) is a little different though, I don't take her for much of a partier. Or rather, she's a lot more mature than all of us were at her age. She is perhaps a little too responsible for her young age, and I hope that she realizes sooner than later how to let loose and have a little fun. All work and no play....as Jack would say. She smartly took the day off today so I am bringing her birthday surprise to work tomorrow.

A bottle of inexpensive wine, with a fancy personalized label (above). Everyone deserves a little something fancy and with an alcohol content of 11% or more on any of their birthdays. While I appreciate the simplicity of the label I designed I felt she'd appreciate a little more razzle dazzle. And thus the sparkle, the ribbon, and the butterflies...just a note, the toothpick candles they make now work really nicely in the cork of a wine bottle. A little birthday wine anyone?

Ph3\/3R p17(|-|

I chose Silver Lake, which is a lake high up on a mountain that has no cell service. When I came back down to the 'real world' I had 16 new messages awaiting. Panicked that something terrible had happened I uncharacteristically opened them, whilst driving, to see what was happening. This is what was waiting for me. The entire movie Fever Pitch, relayed via text message from my brother. I saw this movie in the theater. His version is way more hilarious. Just sayin'.


[From]: greg [Sent]: 2009-05-31 19:02:38

I'm by myself, lying on the couch, watching the jimmy fallon and drew barrymore hit romcom Fever Pitch on TV. Just sayin'.

19:06:04

This movie sux butt, btw.

19:12:27

Omg she might be prego!

19:19:05

False alarm.

19:20:03

Shes sad tho :( also his phone is a baseball mitt lolz

19:21:14

Uh oh relatonship issuez

19:22:15

The red sox are totally ruining her life

19:23:55

Relationship advice from a middle schooler lolz

19:26:02

Gross tongue kissin on the dance floor

19:29:53

Thingz were fine again but now the red sox are ruining thingz again ohno!

19:37:34

They totes broke up and now he's a slob n shit

19:38:10

And the sox are losing again ohno!

19:41:14

He wants her back but theres a dude at her place ohno!

19:44:15

Omg she isn't taking him back, I think he's crying.

19:48:48

He wants to sell his season tix but his sox friends are all like nowai omg y?

19:52:27

Shes all like omg he's so sweet he's sellin the tix 4 me but don't do it!

19:53:09

Lolz shes all runnin across the baseball field to stop him from signing away his tx

19:54:50

Omg she wants him back everythings good again

19:56:26

And he kept the tix and the sox win the world series everythings perfect, phew

19:56:26

And he kept the tix and the sox win the world series everythings perfect, phew

19:56:31

The end

bacon. blueberry waffle. mixed berry smoothie made with love.

I can't decide what to do with the rest of my day. I've already done nothing, well, besides eating waffles and bacon and a fruit smoothie from Jesse. I have the whole (half at this point) day ahead of me and these are the three wonderful things I can choose from to do...they all sound perfect and I can't decide. You pick for me, thanks.
Option 1: Riding bike (mind you I'm solo today, no friends or husband man, which is lovely, but may weigh in on your decision), ahem, riding bike to Boulevard park (about 5 miles) to get iced coffee and to veg' on grass reading good book.

Option 2: driving up the mt. baker highway to Silver Lake park, a big park with a big lake, where friend Heids and her boyf will be. Will rent row boat with besty, drink sparkling alcoholic things and generally relax. On a lake.
Option 3: There is a garage sale of epic greatness supposedly happening in Bellingham. The listing says there is vintage and antique furniture and then goes on the mention like 4 Eames pieces by name. Ahem, woah! This could also be done on bike and many others may be hit up to. Shopping. Outside on a nice day shopping.



Do you like how since I couldn't decide which one of these fun things to do I just stayed inside blogging instead? I'm leaving the house now. You can vote if you want but I'll be gone doing anything but internetting....

xoxo,
gossip girl.

seven is not a lucky number.

this is me not going to bed. this is me just now getting home from work. this is me wishing i was already asleep. this is me being too sleepy to move. this is me being too sleepy to sleep. this is me updating my blog. this is me finding it terribly sad that I have to be back at work in seven hours. this is me enjoying my husbands sleeping flailing arm spasms. this is me...zzzzzzzzz