Where I Have Been

Oh wow, dear readers. October and November have been two of the busiest months since graduating. Weddings, working, traveling, and a 10 kilometer run have made it a little difficult to concept creative, inventive, and unusual posts. And even now, all I can think of is the excitement that has passed these weeks. But instead of doing a traditional (and dull) journal, please enjoy a few haikus!

Beginning of October

Epicurean.

Lived it up with M & M.

Glee and hamburgers.

Olives, cheese, and bread,

Manhattans we did consume.

Who bought me that beer?

Wedding in Tennessee

Driving in the rain.

Zaxbys made a good last meal,

Thought I'd die in car.

Todd and Sally wed,

D'burg was alight with joy,

bowling and bad bars.

Halloween

Max is from a book.

Bookish costumes don't win first--

When you're crossdressing.

Weekend in Austin

Cheer and a cheeseball

in the shape of a pumpkin

And late night tacos.

Perfect vacation.

Halloween is all the time

For weird Austinites.

10K Military Mud Run

Mud runs are so hard.

Not on legs, but sinuses.

My nose ran real far.

Going to a concert with a cold. (Due to aforementioned Mud Run)

Edward Sharpe concert.

The Palladium Ballroom.

Fell asleep on floor.

Well, dear readers, that pretty much sums up my life. I will return to blogging more regularly, I promise! In the meantime, tell me of your life (in haiku form, of course). A haiku is simply a line of 5 syllables, followed by a line of 7 syllables, followed by a line of 5 syllables. For more information of the nuance of a haiku, visit here. Best haiku gets a cookie!

Good Morning, Vietnam!

cà phê sữa đá, sin muhoi!

Or as they say in English, "Iced coffee with milk, please!"

Today, dear coffee-lovin' readers, I have an offering of the caffeinated variety. Thanks to the French occupation of Vietnam in the late 19th Century, the Vietnamese have developed a method of making coffee that will please coffee aficionados and novices alike. And beyond being delicious, the feeling you get as you sip this wee bonny beverage is akin to a kick clear to the ceiling. Ideal for working in an office with low lighting. Or any kind of lighting, for that matter. A real godsend.

To make this delightfully tasty kick-in-the-pants, you will need the following:

One strainer. Like this one!

To purchase one of these charming little strainers, click here.

Next locate the following:

1 cup boiling hot water

1 spoon

1 large glass filled with ice

3 heaping tablespoons of the strongest coffee you can find

1 coffee mug

Sweetened condensed milk to taste. (I like to use 2 heaping tablespoons)

Ok. Here's what you do with all that.

First, take your mug. Put your sweetened condensed milk in there. Yeah, that's right. It will look like a big, off-white, glob of delicious. Next, take your precious little metal strainer, and set it on top of the mug. Like a little house! So cute! Put your coffee in the strainer. THEN place the musher on top. I call it the musher because it mushes. I have accidentally put the coffee over the musher before, not pretty. THEN add your water, and place a cap over the whole thing.

Next, put plenty of ice in your tall glass. It should look like a coffee house photo op. It's true, see below. (Photo thanks to Wandering Chopsticks, a lovely little blog that samples a wide variety of culinary delights.)

Then, you wait. Yeah, I know. Tough in the morning. But it is the perfect amount of time to do a preliminary circle around the office, check out Sandra's new bangs, and watch a YouTube video. You can do it, I know you can.

Once you have completed those tasks, remove the strainer, stir your coffee with the milk, and pour over ice.

When all is said and done,

heaven.

Cheap, easy, strong, and tasty. The archetype of all coffee. Kam ung, Vietnam!

A Wee Bonny Gift

Today, dear readers, I have a gift for you of the visual variety. My dear friend and photographer Brian Tropiano sent these for a little Bonney viewing. Enjoy these gems from a gem of a friend.

For more about Brian, please see his website and blog!

Because I Promised You Rainbows

At the start of this bonny little blog, I dared to promise rainbows. And while it took several months to locate a brilliant symbolic spectrum, dear readers, I love you so. I found you two! Behold (and look closely).

Double rainbows. And doubly good wishes for a happy Friday! I will leave you with the lyrics from my favorite Irish blessing. (I don't know if I just had too many lucky charms as a child, but rainbows make me think of the Irish.)

The Lord bless you and keep you

The Lord lift his countenance upon you

And give you peace

And give you peace

The Lord make his face to shine upon you

And be gracious unto you,

The Lord be gracious unto you

Amen, amen

(Photo by Preston Mitcham, iPhone 3G. Special thanks to PM for being so handy with the technology)

The Ubiquitous Sandwich

Dear Readers,

I am here today to write about one of my very favorite things. Yeah, that's right. You got it. Sandwiches. Sandwiches, you may know, have a long and illustrious history. Although it has been rumored among food enthusiasts that the hallowed "Duke of Sandwich" created this delightful meal by ordering his roast beast between two pieces of bread, the truth is more interesting; though less alliterative. The first recorded sandwich was actually consumed by a rabbi! For more on this stunning man, please see The History of Sandwiches.

Today, though, I am not here to discuss roast beast. Far surpassing Rabbi Hillel the Elder's wildest dreams, the sandwich is now synonymous with a wide range of delicious flavors -- from tangy to sweet, savory to salty, and all flavors in between. Yes, indeed. From its humble beginnings of roast beef and bread comes a meal that can include curry, bell peppers, vegetables, tofu, feta, parmesan, basil, salmon, and any other flavor under the sun. Everybody has his or her favorite sandwich, (I, for one, love turkey, lettuce, mustard, and cheddar on toasted wheat. Scrumptious.) and some adventurers have devised highly creative variations on a theme. Today, I come with two humble offerings. The Caitlin and The Susan. Behold.

The Caitlin

The Caitlin is a filling treat. Devised in California, this sandwich utilizes the contrast of its two main ingredients: the avocado and a fuji apple. Caitlin, in her Caitlinish ways, deftly juxtaposed the creamy green with tart and crisp. Combined with herb roasted turkey and Swiss cheese, this sandwich carries satisfaction to the tastebuds like no other.

Instructions:

Lightly butter (or spread olive oil) on two pieces of fresh french bread. Toast bread lightly. Slice avocado, apple, and cheese in thin slivers. When toast is ready, layer avocado, cheese, apple, and turkey evenly. Enjoy this gourmet sandwich with a light crisp wine or beer. I'm telling you, this thing is a meal. And fortunately, since it uses all the ingredients sparingly, you can create another swiftly -- and guilt free!

The Susan

All vegetarians, take heed! I have a delicious breakfast sandwich made of ingredients that have never eaten breakfast themselves. The Susan is a creation that utilizes some surprising ingredients. Susan invented this sandwich in Baltimore when she was earning her undergraduate degree in classics. And though I had a skeptical ear at first, thinking, "Oh Susan. You have read too much Cicero and have lost your mind," this combination is truly delicious.

Instructions:

Start with a bagel. Toast said bagel. Once toasted, smear a little cream cheese on the top. Next, add basil leaves. Yes, you read correctly. Fresh basil leaves. Chopped. It helps with the chewing. Next, add honey. Sweet, herby, scrumptious. So good, and you would never imagine. Unless you are Susan, of course. Thank you, dear friend. Eat with a cup of tea, I say.

In summation, the sandwich is a noble meal. Carbs, proteins, and veggies all mingle to pack a flavor punch. Like Susan and Caitlin, I challenge you to get creative in the kitchen! Come up with something new, and tell me all about it. Hillel the Elder will be so proud!

Something to be Happy About

Dear readers,

Well, what a week for the American celebrity scene. The United States and the world are mourning the loss of some incredible entertainers. Oftentimes, the death of a celebrity can be so jarring; mostly because we as a society tend to think of earth shakers like Michael Jackson as ageless beings. And though few people's day-to-day life will be changed by the passing of Michael and Farrah Fawcett (and I daresay nobody reading this blog), it serves as a reminder of our own mortality. Legends have passed, and so shall we.

Ok, ok. I know. It's not quite a bonny topic. But, it has been a pretty stressful week for us all. We lost an Angel and a King. Now to turn to more pleasant matters. Since we can safely say it has been a tough week news-wise, I thought it would be good to share some of the things I do to stay calm under emotional strain.

1.

14,000 Things to be Happy About, by Barbara Ann Kipfer. I was given this book for my 11th birthday and take it everywhere. The book is literally a list of 14,000 wonderful little things in life. For example:

- Blueberry pancakes

- Little girls in heart-shaped sunglasses

- "California Dreamin'" by the Mamas and the Papas

- Hand-knitted mittens

- Green ribbon

- France

- Spring in North Carolina

- Freshly sheared sheep

- Sweet basil

The list goes on that way for hundreds of pages. Calms me down right away.

2. Handel's Messiah

Ohhhh Handel. Mr. Baroque himself. With all that ornamentation and just... so many notes, it is impossible not to feel taken away. Or at least completely distracted by the listening experience. I would share the "Hallelujah Chorus," but I won't. No, no. "And the Glory of the Lord" will do just fine.

3. "The Belt Pose." Unlike the other two, you need a little room for this stress reliever. According to my yoga teacher, if you were to only be able to do one yoga pose for the rest of your life, this one would be it. The relief to the hips, back, and legs is marvelous. Its official name is Supta Padangusthasana, or "Reclining Big Toe Pose."

Basically, you lie on the floor, straighten out one leg, and stretch the other in the air using a strap (or belt). For more detail on this and other "restorative yoga poses," go here.

Whether mourning the King of Pop, sweating a relationship, or just fighting the day-to-day drag, give something uplifting a try! I am sure all of you have great little tricks for turning your day around and keeping you centered. What are they? Please comment!

"You make me feel good like a rock & roll band, I'm your biggest fan, California" -Joni Mitchell

Dear Readers,

 

I (of course) must begin this edition with an apology. I always go too long. But, this Bonney post is definitely worth the wait! In the past month, I have loved, lost, moved, and... traveled. Yes, indeed,  I traveled to the beautiful state of California for the first time. And what better place to start than San Francisco? Winding streets, delicious food, fragrant sea air, and a good friend to share it all. What a time. I would write for days about my experiences, but as they say in Italy, "Al contadino non far sapere quanto è buono il cacio con le pere."  Oh wait. That's "Don't tell a peasant how well cheese goes with pears."  

What is it I am trying to say? "El que quiera pescado que se moje el culo?"  Wait... that is Spanish for "Anyone who wants fish should go get his/her butt wet." Darn it.

I know there was something. What was it? "Un petit dessin vaut mieux qu'un long discours."  Ahh yes.  French for "A small drawing is better than a long speech." Well, I don't have any small drawings, but I do have some pictures, taken by the lovely and talented Caitlin Montgomery. Forgive the gratuitous use of my image. I just happened to be standing in the way of the view most of the time.

Muir Woods
is pretty gorgeous.
Don't you agree?

I'm now thinking about the possibilities of making that tree my permanent home. 

 

The next day, we went the other direction and saw the sea. The only sight that rivals the astounding Redwood is the Pacific Ocean. Scraggly coastline and twisting caves look out onto a blue expanse. 

Concrete has never been so lovely.
Taking flight!
Pottery cave.
Opens to yellow splendor: 
Not too shabby, eh?

Remember to play. 

And never be daunted. A good lesson for the month. Or life.

 

Caitlin, your pictures are beautiful, as are you. Thank you for being an inspiring friend and a perfect hostess. I can't think of a better way to see California.