Sunday, January 24, 2010

Passport Control: Mexico

Ooooh, Mexico.  You're so warm and beachy.  And your resort towns are so depressingly mediocre.  Eight days is not enough time to get off the beaten path, and in my experience those trips are more fulfilling than relaxing.  We needed relaxing.  And we got it, mostly.  As long as you don't mind paying $17 for sunblock.

Honestly, I didn't love Mexico.  It makes me sad to even say that but it's true.  Our mistake was choosing resort towns - and Mexico does a resort town like nowhere else.  Every ten steps it's, "Hey lady, buy my stuff, hey lady, take a picture with the monkey, hey lady, Cuban cigars?"  I understand the social implications of this but frankly it's exhausting.  And ignoring them makes me feel mean.



We did lots of great things, of course.  We snorkeled the reefs and in two cenotes (underground caves), enjoyed the sun and waves and danced under the stars.  We had our most fun time... at Margaritaville.  You know I'm not kidding!  (Since we don't have chains in SF, it's actually kinda fun for us.  How lame!)



Playa del Carmen and Cancun are more expensive than America.  The beaches are gorgeous and the water is crystal blue, so maybe it's worth more money.  But the Mexican food is terribly average - how is that possible?!  I dreamed of Taqueria Cancun at 19th & Mission the whole time.  Sad panda.  The list goes on, but who cares.  We made the vacation fun, got tan and enjoyed ourselves.  But next time it's Hawaii.


Friday, January 8, 2010

Feed Me: Adventures in Curry

Everyone should date a chef.  Simple dinners turn into fantastic treats that don't require leaving the house!  Last night I made yellow curry (with bottled sauce!), which I thought was pretty good.  Justin was less impressed, and made a different, more creative and infinitely better version tonight.  I would pout, but I'm too full.

Justin's Yellow Curry (no rice necessary)
  • yellow curry powder (preferably bulk, not jar)
  • water
  • tofu
  • onion
  • potato
  • peas
  • garlic
    There's no measuring!  He just estimates the amounts as he goes along.  It's like science without the math.


    • Cut up all your ingredients
    • Make fairly small (1 inch square) pieces of potato, as they take the longest to cook
    • Heat a frying pan, then heat a little olive oil in the pan
    • Saute the ingredients for about 10 minutes, till hot
    • In second, larger/deeper pan, heat approx 1 cup of water
      • (You can use milk or cream, but this gets pretty thick with just the potatoes)
    • Add yellow curry paste to water, to taste
    • Add sauted ingredients to curry mixture
    • Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer
    • Simmer approximately 25 minutes
    • Stir occassionally, and don't get your ingredients stick to the pan
    • As liquid in pan absorbs, add some water to keep simmer going
    • Test potatoes - fork should go through very easily
    • Plate & serve, delicious with naan!
    I ate it all before I thought to take a picture.  It's too much pressure anyway!  Just taste it all along.  I suggest watching Food Network's 'Worst Cooks in America' while you cook - you could never be this bad.  You'll be inspired by your own greatness, as you sit down to some really impressive curry.

    Friday, January 1, 2010

    brand new same old you

    Happy New Year! We had a fun, low key night and were home at 11:50 PM.  That's what the old folks do!  Haha, we had a really good time and I'm starting the year feeling great.  Plus the Winter Classic is on, so I'm watching them play outdoor hockey at Fenway Park.



    I had a really good 2009, so I'm a little sad to see it go!  I also accomplished many of my resolutions - getting my finances in order, starting Spanish class, hitting the gym, wearing my hair curly - that I'm having trouble coming up with any for this year! A few have come to mind:

    1) Visit Hawaii - Only people from the West Coast go to Hawaii.  If I ever leave, I will have missed my chance.  So I'm putting it on the list.

    2) Practice Spanish - Turns out I've forgotten how to do homework.  Maybe I can get an internship ordering in every Mexican restaurant in the Mission.

    3) Wear all my clothes - If I don't wear something, give it away.  What is some of this stuff?!

    4) Visit home more often - Too bad my parents don't live in Hawaii!  But we are meeting in Florida, that counds.

    5) Plan a big trip - I don't have to take the trip this year, but I want to decide on my next destination and get the plan in action.

    Monday, December 28, 2009

    Las vacaciones ahora, por favor.

    Wow, my Spanish is really impressive.  Good thing we're booking ahead, so our rooms won't depend on my pseudo-French accent.  I sound like maniac version of the girl chef from Ratatouille.  But we got our Cancun hotel - Avalon Barraca Cancun!  It's boutique, small(ish) with outdoor massage and so pretty it makes you want to do this:



    This is an actual photo from their website.  And we might just be taken by the urge to do this ourselves.  At least I will, right before we come home.  Right before I throw myself into the ocean and swim like hell for Cuba.

    Now let's hope I can make it to January 15.  In the back of my mind, I've always wondered where my limits lie.  Where, exactly, is the edge of my sanity?  Well three solid months of complete chaos, panic and that slow, sinking feeling have left me almost completely defeated.  My "Goonies never say die!" attitude went under a bus sometime before Thanksgiving, and I've been floating facedown in the pile of work on my desk for weeks now.  Hence the tequilla-flavored light at the end of this tunnel causing such rapturous blog posts when it hasn't even happened yet.

    Also, Justin bought me this for Christmas.  Hot damn!  I'd better get some extra turbo kickboxing in before we leave!



    Hasta pronto! (Must get keyboard with upside-down exclamation point.)

    Tuesday, December 22, 2009

    Fun While it Lasted - My 2009 Awards

    I used to be so pop culture savvy.  I think this was the year I turned into my mom.  Next year I'll be watching the 24-hour "Law & Order" channel whenever there's a commercial break on QVC.

    Favorite TV Show
    Winner: Castle - Love the sass and the Nathan Fillion. 
    Runner up: The Amazing Race - Where water slides end the world.

    Favorite Movie
    Winner: Inglourious Basterds - This is not a paid endorsement.
    Runner up: Avatar - repeat viewings may result in recount
    (Caveat: I only saw about 12 movies this year.)

    Favorite Song
    Winner: "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga - Played 200 times in 2 days.
    Runner up: "Sober" by Pink - She never ceases to amaze.

    Favorite Guilty Pleasure
    Winner: "Hot Mess" by Cobra Starship - Sign it out loud at the gym.
    Runner up: Pawn Stars on History Channel - Antiques Roadshow with weirder stuff and cranky fat guys.

    Favorite Food
    Winner: Pluot - Where have you been all my life? 
    Runner up: Root beer - I don't drink soda anymore. Really.
    Honorable mention: 53% Dark Chocolate from Whole Foods

    Favorite Trip
    Winner: Machu Picchu, Peru - Whose idea was it to walk there?
    Runner up: New Orleans Halloween - Barefoot on Bourbon Street.

    Favorite Concert
    Winner: Jimmy Buffett "Summerzcool" - My 15th-ish, Justin's first.
    Runner up: Better than Ezra - Spectacular.

    Favorite Place in SF
    Winner: Ferry Building Farmer's Market - see "plouts"
    Runner up: It's a Grind Coffee House on Polk - Outside on a sunny day.

    Best Dance of 2009
    Winner: Bollywood Flash Mob - Lightbulbs!
    Runner up: Big fish, little fish - cardboard box.

    Best Discovery of 2009
    Winner: Travel Book Club - I have found my people.

    Best Commitment of 2009
    Winner: Gym classes at lunch - Core Central and Kickboxing with Libby at 24 Hour Fitness!

    Best Habit of 2009
    Winner: Conscious food consumption - I feel better, literally and figuartively.

    Best Idea of 2009
    Winner: Financial planner - 1 hour that changed my life.

    Best Books of 2009

    I keep a list, which says I read 59 books this year.  Considering a lot of them were 700+ pages, that's not too bad!  My Amazon Wish List is well over 130 more titles, so bring on 2010.

    Best Books of 2009
    1) The Sword of Truth - Terry Goodkind
    Oh how I do go on about these books.  I'm counting all 9 that I've read as one entry, because it's pretty much taken over my life.  It's a big commitment, but among my favorite things I've discovered this year.

    2) The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson series) - Rick Riordan
    Thrilling end to a whiz-bang smarty-pants series - I actually laughed and cried while reading this (on the bus, of course).

    3) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Jane Austen (with help)
    As hilarious as it sounds, and still it holds the rapture of the original story.  File under: Wish I had thought of this first.


    4) The Magicians - Lev Grossman
    Brilliant, meticulous and packing a few wicked surprises, I loved the idea of Harry Potter-esque idea a twisted tale for some very messed up high schoolers.

    5) The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
    Brutal and brilliant, with stunning prose, this book was transported me to a dangerous, fascinating place in recent foreign history.

    Bonus: A Song of Fire and Ice - George RR Martin
    To avoid scary the non-fantasy fans, I'm tacking this on as a freebie.  Less magic, more intrigue - this series reads like historical fiction from a world you've just discovered.  And there are dragons (only a little!).

    Worst Books of 2009 
    Caveat: I did not finish these books.  Life is too short.

    Maps and Legends - Michael Chabon
    I can't believe I just typed that!  This book of short-story memoirs read like a self-indulgent inside joke that I had no interest in getting.  Like watching someone else's vacation slide show - boastful and boring. 

    A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again - David Foster Wallace
    See above.  No more uber-literary short story memoirs for me.

    Wednesday, December 16, 2009

    Hunter Mtn Opening Weekend!

    Dust off your Gaper Gap and tell Jersey to put on their best stonewashed jeans.  Hunter Mountain is open for business!

    Shane's first video of the season - sign me up, I'm desperate for a tuck run down the Belt Parkway.