Scenes from a Brunch: Get Fresh

We visited New York twice in December and, apocalyptic snowstorm notwithstanding, I could get used to frequent weekend jaunts to the Big Apple, especially for the eats. When we were there a few weeks ago, we rallied a bunch of Brooklyn friends for brunch - not really that difficult, considering all of the delicious options. On Bri's recommendation we settled on Get Fresh, which was particularly handy as a) Bri lives just a couple of blocks from the restaurant, b) I was sleeping in her spare room, and c) I was oh-so-slightly hungover. Coffee and eggs in close proximity were critical, and Get Fresh did not disappoint.

I ate huevos rancheros, which I cannot resist ordering when I see them on a menu. They were simple and delicious, and I was reminded that I should really make them more often at home. I also managed to sample the Louisiana crab cakes, steak and eggs, and french toast, and all satisfied. Get Fresh is a lovely space with covetable solid wooden farm tables, and overflowing with equally-covetable cookbooks. They graciously seated our group of 8, or maybe 10 (we lost count), including babies and toddlers and their various accoutrements, and kept the coffee flowing. An afternoon of manicures and pre-Christmas shopping in Park Slope made me extra-miss living in Brooklyn, and reminded me that it sure is handy to have a boyfriend whose family lives in a place you love.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sprink Pinkles, originally uploaded by Kitty LaRoux.

I don't care if Hallmark did invent this holiday to sell more cards. I hope Valentine's Day is just one of many this year that are filled with chocolate, kisses, and pink sprinkles.

I love you guys.

New Year's Eve

I don't like New Year's Eve.

It's weird, because I love holidays, in general. I love colour themes and food themes and dressing up and presents and desserts, and New Year's Eve has all of these, if you apply yourself. I also love unbridled optimism, which is New Year's Eve all the way. Not to mention gratitude. And resolutions! I pride myself on these things!

But New Year's Eve? No thanks.

I admit I'm into the food themes. I can't argue with pork for luck and fatty wallets (not to mention that pork is delicious, in any form) and black-eyed peas, symbolizing coins for wealth. And colours, yes! But gold or silver for New Year's, maybe kind of? And black and white? It does have a certain cache, but it isn't universal like Halloween's black and orange, or Chrismas's red and green, and I just can't fully commit. Optimism is awesome, for real, but can't you make that resolution on November 15 just as well as you can on January 1?

Scrooge much? I know. Maybe it's the expectations; that you're secretly hoping that your party will turn into a Bacardi ad. Also that your arms should look fabulous in that shimmery tank top, even after all that Christmas morning bacon.

I'm way grateful for everything that happened in 2009. I've been unemployed - by choice! - for most of the year. I've made amazing new friends, and, mostly thanks to Facebook, reconnected with people I haven't seen in 10 years or more. I lived in Buenos Aires. I learned to speak Spanish, más o menos. I opened a restaurant. I tasted 40 new fruits! I trekked to Machu Picchu, had my passport stolen - and replaced! - in Bolivia, and spent the Winter Solstice in the southernmost city in the world. Gratitude, anyone? And yes, here I am in Buenos Aires on New Year's Eve, celebrating with a wonderful human being (with whom I plan to spend many a New Year's Eve!) and two sweet sweet kitties (who aren't Memphis, but are still lovely).

OK. Maybe gratitude trumps, because I have a lot for which be thankful, and after writing this post, maybe even a newfound affinity for December 31. Happy New Year, friends, and may your 2010 be that much better than your 2009. xoxo

Slam, Fight, Bright Light

Feeling pretty psyched.

Ushuaia is the world's southernmost city, and at a distance of 1000km, the closest to Antarctica. In other words, the end of the world as we know it. We timed our trip to be here for the solstice, and here we are. We aren't quite far enough away from the equator to experience a midnight sun, but it's now after 10 p.m. and the sky is still light.

And I feel fine.

Happy Halloween!

There's a very special (read: frightening) new Fruit of the Day available to get you in the mood. In case you're wondering, we're dressing up as backpackers this year, and I think our costumes are very convincing. Happy Tricks or Treats!

Fruit of the Day: Carambola

Ay carambola! What is this fruit of which you speak?

Let's turn it on its side, cut off the end, and see if you recognize the star of today's FotD:

Just in time to be star-spangled, we have a review of the carambola, a.k.a. starfruit. I'm sure you'll agree that it's the prettiest fruit ever. Unfortunately it wasn't the most delicious fruit ever: Our particular specimen were very crunchy and tart and possibly slightly underripe, and didn't quite pass muster as breakfast snacks. But they're enthusiastic, and sometimes that's what counts the most.

Happy U.S.A. Day!
UFF Fruit Rating:

Happy Canada Day!

According to the interwebs, the only thing resembling a national fruit for Canada is rhubarb, which isn't exactly something I've come across here in the tropics, and besides, it's a vegetable. Today's fruit, then, is red and white and summery and exactly what everyone who's celebrating a national holiday this week will have packed away in their picnic baskets: the melancia.

I'm sure this Fruit of the Day needs no English translation, and probably not much of a description, either. I will say though that this is the reddest watermelon I've ever seen! And it was the kind of juicy where you have to wash your forearms after you finish eating a slice. Good stuff.

I've completely forgotten how much fruit costs in North America, but as a point of reference, this hefty chunk weighed in at just over 2 kg and cost just under $1, and will provide us with multiple delicious snacks.
UFF Fruit Rating:

To celebrate Canada Day, I decided to introduce the butter tart to Brazil (in square form, and with a liberal adaptation of Canadian Living's recipe). It's a non-native species, but given Brazilians' propensity for sweets, the butter tart has already found many natural predators here. In fact, there wasn't even a square left for breakfast this morning. Good thing we had all that watermelon.

Groundhog Controversy!

Early this morning, Groundhog Day, several portly rodents were draggedcoaxed from their lairs to satisfy our collective need to know: When can we seal up our woolies and break out that kicky new spring cardigan?

Near Pittsburgh, the beast made famous 16 years ago by Bill Murray, Punxsutawney Phil (yeah, I had to look up the spelling - "Phil" just isn't a common name these days), saw his shadow this morning and presumably scurried back into his hole. If his night was anything like mine, he'd gorged on 7-Layer Dip and liberally consumed special Steelers-edition Bud Light, then had choked down an Iron City Beer after Santonio Holmes' game-winning touchdown. I'm not feeling the whole "being awake" thing either, Phil.

Here in New York, however, Staten Island Chuck didn't see his shadow and Mayor Bloomberg has declared winter officially over.

WHO SHOULD WE BELIEVE?

I looked to Canada's own Wiarton Willie to be the tiebreaker, but Willie doesn't have a strong Web presence and I couldn't find anything about his prediction this year.

For now, I'll keep the hefty sweaters at hand, but move the cardigan to the front of my closet - you know, just in case.

P.S. Happy Birthday Mom!

Christmas Hangover

After many festive Christmas celebrations in Waterloo, we're back in NY just long enough to unpack, catch the Rockettes tomorrow night, then repack for a quick trip to Los Angeles for New Year's. Then we'll start Hotbody January to burn off the Bailey's. It was all worth it, of course.

P.S. Remember Charlie, the young lad for whose birth I undertook the Amazing Race almost two years ago? He's becoming quite a character.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Snow Globe
Originally uploaded by Kitty LaRoux.

We're flying to Toronto for a few days and will return Monday with bellies full of Mom's homemade cookies and a CF card full of pictures of Charlie. Merry Holidays everyone!

Christmas Cookies!

Christmas Cookies!
Originally uploaded by hickswright.

I didn't take any pics of this year's Christmas Cookie-Baking Festivities, but as it was one of my finest showings I'm very grateful that Tyler did! At one point I had not one but TWO KitchenAid stand mixers whirring away. Good times. If you haven't yet made the Chocolate Toffee Cookies over at Smitten Kitchen, hie thee to the kitchen! And save a couple for me, because they sure didn't last long around these parts.

Happy Halloween!

A local non-chain drugstore, the Prospect Gardens Pharmacy, came through with an ample supply of Peeps Ghosts. It's a Halloween miracle! Fueled by a glass of - what else? - Ghost Pines Merlot, I spent the night baking and decorating and giggling at my creation. And while I did that, The Boy carved up a smoochy jack o'lantern. Happy Halloween!

UFF APB: Peeps Ghosts

My most favourite holiday of the YEAR is tomorrow (colours: black and orange! carving big ORANGE gourds! scary movies! ghosts! costumes! CANDY CORN!) which means that tonight I will partake in one of my all-time favourite activities. And after that I'll make the brownie graveyard. Making this thing makes me insanely happy, in no small part because the Peeps Ghosts are so perfectly to scale with the Milano cookie headstones. Also they're crazily cute AND delicious!

One glitch: I can't find them this year. I've been to several Duane Reades, Target, a Food Emporium, a Walgreens and a CVS, all to no avail. My last hope is the Key Food in my 'hood, but if you've seen them anywhere in Manhattan or Brooklyn, please let me know. You could save Halloween - I'm just sayin'.

Unemployment: The Budget

Yesterday I figured that even someone who's unemployed needs to do her part for the economy, so I went to a mall. [On my way out of the mall I stopped at Orange Julius and had an old-school Strawberry Julius, which I vaguely regretted when I saw that it contains powdered sugar and dairy creamer (Wikipedia).] As I mentioned earlier, I was in the market for a purse, and had some crazy idea in my head that I'd buy a handbag, even though I somehow made it to age 33 without owning much more than a backpack and a tote bag. I went into Roots and wandered over to the bag section, not even sure where to start. One of the salesgirls came over to ask if she could help, and I confessed that I've never owned a purse. She looked me over and said, "Where do you put your stuff?" I pointed to my coat, out of which my wallet and cell phone were practically hanging with a giant arrow covered in sparkly dollar signs and "ROB ME" Bedazzled across the pocket. She suggested that if I wasn't used to carrying a purse (check!) that I might leave a handbag somewhere, and handed me one of the Roots flat bags. I LOVE IT! My wallet fits perfectly in that zipper pocket on the right, and my cell phone and camera in the pocket on the left.

Speaking of cameras, I'm in the market for a DSLR. Thanks to excellent recommendations from Amy and Elizabeth, I've narrowed it down to three choices:

Nikon D40
Canon Digital Rebel XTi
Olympus Evolt E510

The Nikon is highly recommended by everyone I know who has one, and was initially my first choice. However, the price of the Canon has dropped fairly significantly since I first started looking about a year ago, and I do love my current Canon point-and-shoot. The Olympus package is a bit more expensive, but it comes with 2 lenses and was recently rated Wired magazine's top choice for DSLR. Help! I'm pretty sure the next step is to go to a store and try out all three, but that process interferes with my general impatience now that I've decided to spend the money.

Unemployment: Day 3 continues with the happy surprise that Sirrah!'s first appointment of the day was canceled and she's back home, which means we will probably continue our Beverly Hills, 90210 marathon (we've watched about half a dozen episodes since I got here) with more of Kelly's eating disorder from Season 3. Good times, people. Good times.

Unemployment: Day 2

Well, it's after 10:30 a.m. and my accomplishments so far today include consumption of yogurt, granola and coffee, completion of half of the Post's "Canadian Crisscross" crossword puzzle, and petting a big brown dog.

Last night as I was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a glass of wine and reading the paper, Greg whispered loudly: "Uh, Sara, how long is your UNEMPLOYED friend going to be staying with us?" Heh.

I'm off to inject my weak American currency into the Canadian economy - will hopefully return with a new leather purse of some sort.

December 32nd

Hotbody January (henceforth to be referred to as HBJ) starts tomorrow. I granted myself a grace day because I needed bacon to combat my hangover this morning. You know how it goes.

This afternoon K-Dog and I went to see Juno. It was lovely and funny and sweet, and (as many movies do) it made me cry. When the lights came up at the end of the film, the woman next to Dog was also wiping away tears. She said, "I have a friend who always cries at movies, so when I'm with her we have to get extra napkins from the concession stand." Dog replied, "I have a friend like that too," and glanced over at me and my wet sleeve. The woman nodded knowingly and said, "My friend even cried during 'White Chicks.'"

Trump!

Happy New Year!

A UFF Christmas Letter

Dear Family & Friends,

It's time for the first-ever, possibly only-ever, Ultra Fine Flair Christmas Letter!

Let's just say that 2007 had its ups and downs. January included a trip to California and various forms of combat. Quote of the month: "Please! If you must throw up do it in the toilet not in the sink."

February included some deep thoughts and a nephew (born to my stepsister, in case any of you are wondering about Garth's fertility, which is still TBD). In March I baked some pies, then shit fell apart and I left my luggage at the airport and had my rental car towed within a matter of days. I also moved into the BP (but didn't actually blog about it until May).

Charlie was the big news in April. Rereading those posts reminded me that this year was crazily awesome.

According to the archives, May was a tough month. You can read 'em if you'd like to put your life into perspective (trust me). Speaking of perspective, in June I started the Perspective series (which I love and should really do more of), and in July I ran in Central Park and listened to music in Prospect Park. In August I learned to cook in a "kitchen" the size of a postage stamp.

And in September I moved again, this time to Bachelorette Pad: Loft Edition. I flew to SF in October where I set a personal record in a half-marathon (2:12), and ate a delicious burrito.

In November I ran the NYC Marathon and spent 5 of 8 blog posts that month talking about it (SUCKAS!).

And that brings us back to... December! Tomorrow morning I'm off to Toronto for the week, where I will eat too many Timbits and try not to fight with my family - you know, the usual.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Love,
Gillian

Merry Christmas!

Kitty Cadeau
Originally uploaded by Kitty LaRoux.

Photo: Damaso Reyes

Baking: The Other Therapy

I rescheduled therapy tonight in favour of staying home to bake Christmas cookies. My return from Argentina was delayed yesterday by a missed connection in Miami, which turned into a day in Miami spent enjoying a decadent brunch at the Delano in South Beach (at which there was a HARPIST, for real, and quite possibly the nicest waiter I've ever encountered), a mani-pedi, a viewing of The Golden Compass (B-, mostly because I really enjoyed the animals and it made me miss Memphis, and also Dakota Blue Richards *really* reminded me of LaFarlow, and finally because Eva Green is just so nice to look at), and some kickass people-watching at the Lincoln Mall (during which the acronyms BBA: Big Boob Alert and HCA: Hot Chick Alert were used extensively).

Argentina was wonderful. I probably ate the equivalent of an entire cow, and enjoyed much wine and dulce de leche. I rode a horse on an estancia (that's Spanish for "ranch"). One of the highlights of the trip for me was dining at Casa Felix, which will get its own post because it was just that good.

For now though, I'm considering options for the coming year. Sparkly D inspires me as always and makes me think about change change change. While I'm not planning to move away from NY just yet, I'm plotting improvements for 2008. January has already been designated as hotbody month (which will hopefully work in my favour come Valentine's Day!). I'm also planning to run the Berlin Marathon in September.

My brain is also desperately in need of exercise, and as such I'm going to take some kind of course. Options include but are not limited to:

• The Artist's Diary: Digital Photography and Bookmaking (inspired by Ali's recent photos)


• A calligraphy class


• Artisan Breads


• A creative writing class of some sort


• Improv! (LaFar, I know you're going to vote for this one!)

The options are kind of outstanding, eh? In fact, in looking up those links I almost registered for half of them. Right now the improv class is pretty high on my list, as is that (or some other) photography one, and that bread class is happening this Spring, No Matter What.

The last batch of cookies is out of the oven and I have molasses in my hair and I'm tired and happy. Vote for your fave class(es) or make other suggestions in the comments if you're so inclined. I promise not to be offended.

Holiday Cheer

BP:LE is feeling a lot cozier these days. We could still use a good couch - I've been trolling Craig's List in my spare time and found a few promising items, but nothing worth investing in yet. I'm not even sure where we'd put it, but I dream of a couch that is long enough for me to stretch my whole 173cm out, and deep enough for me to do that while sharing with another person (or a cat, as the case may be).

We're 5 days into Advent, aka the countdown to Christmas! And presents! In my family, however, the presents get started good and early with our annual Advent Calendars, which my mom thoughtfully assembles and mails out (usually on or around December 1). Growing up, we had felt calendars with a little pocket for each day from Dec. 1-24. My mom made these calendars, and they hung on the wall by our stairs with a little gift in each pocket. Every morning Dos and I rushed to open that day's gift, which might have been a fancy eraser, or part of a Lego kit. Last year I made one for the G-Man and totally spaced on it this year - hopefully things will settle down a bit in January.

A couple of days ago I got some junk mail from the Oprah Magazine people that offered a life makeover. I rolled my eyes and thought, "I've already had about four this year."

Next week I'll be on hiatus, relaxing in Buenos Aires and enjoying all that city has to offer: Steak, wine, shopping, and siestas. Sweet, sweet siestas.

Hasta la vista, babies!