Quick Friday Update - Ten Things

This will be quickie. (I know you're disappointed, but it'll have to do.) I suffered from some awful stomach bug/food poisoning thing this week - might have been karma, but probably bad thai. Lots of quasi-dramatic episodes requiring pulling over in traffic and vomiting into lavender scented dog poop bags. I can now say, after a lunch of beers and burgers, that I am back to fighting form. (Minus some residual heartburn).

The light at the end of this week? My bestest bestie, Lauren, is coming up tonight for homemade sorbet mimosas and dancinggggg with Carey, Evan, Mark and Brandon and anyone else who wants to see get down to 90s hiphop. #myfavorite.

I'm also seeing Aziz Ansari and Amy Schumer on Sunday with Jeff and maybe doing a Brazilian dance party tomorrow night with Grant.

In the meantime, things you should be reading/eating/doing/listening to:

1. Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me. [Stolen from my over eager FB status:] I want everyone I ever speak to again to read it and breathe it and love it as much as I have. It is simultaneously pure poetry and incisive and heart-breaking truth, tackling racism, family, and class lines. If there is only one book you read this year, please make it this book. It gave me incredible insight and inspiration.

2. Fools, Wild Child - my favorite folk artists back with a lil mo' modern stuff, but equally catchy and satisfying.
3. This video - I want to be a teacher like this and I want to be able to learn like this: Encouraging Students to Persist Through Challenges. (I may have teared up watching this.)
4. This house - I'm dead.

5. Pre-ordering the new Kinfolk Book. Kinfolk: Interiors for Slow Living.

6. Machiko got me a signed copy of Austin Kleon's Steal Like An Artist Journal. The journal asks you to take 10-15 minutes to go through creative exercises to keep you focused on your goal, while encouraging creativity and innovation. I've added to my daily writing exercises and it's been inspirational and a conversation started. For instance, I just did the "Ten things you want to learn exercise." I surprised myself with the fact that many of the things I want to learn, I've already been attempting. I just need a little extra push. PS have I said today how lucky I am to have Mach as a roomie?

7. Just signed up for the online Beginning Watercolor class through CreativeBug. Obviously I need some guidance - here's a portrait of Sophie I did a minute ago. As a friend said, "It looks like a giant mouse with eyebrows."

8.  From Buzzfeed, "19 Signs You're the Thirsty One in Your Group," to which my friends respond: "Amber, did you write this?" #noshame. Also, lol boys.

9. New podcast addiction: StartUp. Perfect for a nerd like me or someone wanting to start their own business or just wondering how the hell it happens.

10. Random music I'm playing on repeat:

Addicted. The Bread and Bacon Edition.

So now that I'm obsessed with baking French bread, (I've made six loaves in the last week), I've been experimenting with other things.

Last night, I made orange marmalade to go with fresh warm bread in honor of Mr. Breadman aka Grant Hartwell's visit. Just as I was nervous about baking, I've also been nervous about making jams/preserves, etc. But following through with some personal goals, I used a simple recipe and was quite happy with the results.

Orange Marmalade:
5 small oranges, cut in half, sliced thinly.
4 cups of water
2 cups sugar
roughly a teaspoon of cinnamon

I used a heavy pot and threw in the orange slices and water and brought to a boil. Boil until the fruit is tender. (If I could break the peel with the wooden spoon, it was pretty good.) Add sugar and cin, lower heat and stir until you get the consistency you're looking for. This took about 25 mins. Cool and spread generously on warm bread with butter.

This morning, Arianna and I took Sophie hiking and stopped by Highland Cafe for lattes. I drooled over someone's French toast and then realized I had leftover bread from last night. Done and Done.



Almond and Cinnamon French Toast
Egg mixture:
1 egg
Dash of milk
Cinn
Dash of almond extract

Stir up the egg mixture, heat up pan with a bit of veg oil. Slice French bread thinly and coat with egg mixture.
On medium heat, cook toast until golden brown on both sides. I threw on some sliced banana and some maple syrup for a quick breakfast.

But just in case you aren't in a sweets mood, I also made a legit "salad."

Warmed Winter Bacon Salad
Package of bacon
Two sweet potatoes
Package of shaved Brussels
Half of a red onion
Half package of Kale
a few oz of goat cheese
apple cider vinegar
salt/pepper to taste

This isn't healthy, but don't judge because you'll love it. (You can judge the fact we ate this with Scott's hot wings; my body is still recovering.)

Fry up bacon. Once crispy, throw in chopped and peeled sweet potato. Fry up till sweet potato is tender. Throwing in kale, cook until tender. Then throw in red onion and kale. Stir up, cook until tender. Add salt, pepper, and about a tablespoon or two of vinegar. Then stir in crumbled goat cheese. Inhale.

I'm getting back into my cooking mode, thank god. I just need to aim toward more healthy. But that'll be another post.

In other news, we did have a small house fire this past weekend. Everyone is okay but it was terrifying. Arianna and I were home when it happened and thank god for her sensitive nose and quick instincts. Because of the incident and for other reasons, I am bidding the Fig House adieu and headed toward a new place (at least temporarily) in... ATWATER! Its an adorable neighborhood with generous and amazing people. I am so excited to be a part of their community although I will miss the Fig House (even though I'll probably be dropping in a bit.)