I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

Archives for January 2010

Date night

Dear James Cameron-

Congrats on creating the highest grossing piece of crap. Price and I went to see your movie last night. We both knew nothing about your movie- no joke. Neither of us looked into what it was about at all prior to going. So we happily forked over the $25.00 (plus service fee) to see your movie in 3D at an IMAX theater.

I guess you should be glad that we knew nothing about the movie because if we had we would have saved our money and stayed in and played some wii. About 15 minutes into the movie I realize that it really is going to be SOOOOOOO predictable. Good guy, bad guy, save the earth message. We care about the earth- we recycle, use reusable bags, compost, etc- I get it. It’s an important thing that everyone can relate to. Anyway, my problem was the predictability plus I kept thinking that I had seen the movie before, just with a few changes.

This nagging feeling continued on until I remembered FERNGULLY: THE LAST RAINFOREST. That cartoon that came out in 1992 with tone loc and tim curry- as the creepy sexy slim thing. You have kids- granted they were born after this movie came out but you are in the MOVIE BUSINESS. I would think you see a few of them for work related research. And If not, why did no one have the balls to tell you that Avatar is a future version of Ferngully?? Also, both movies were released by 20th Century Fox, did no one there consider the similarities???

Hoping that you are satisfied with having the top 2 grossing movies of all time and you retire now. With your new found free time you should sit down and google “Avatar Ferngully” or ” James Cameron Ferngully” and you can find things to the liking of this.

Signed-

Nicole and Price

Most exciting part of the night was getting jellybeans (juicy pear is my all time favorite) and then going home to write this. Oh yeah and watching a clip of Tone Loc rapping in Ferngully.

   

But I don’t want to!!!

I don’t want to go to work tomorrow. I love having fantastic weekends but hate that they come to an end.

On Friday Price surprised me with cake. I have revolted from boxed cake mix- except for funfetti. I love funfetti!!! So when I saw he posted a picture of the cake on facebook during the day on friday I was thrilled because he made me a cake. It was so unexpected and so nice.

Plus my friend Natalie and I went to a Yelp Elite Event!  Great event with great food, booze, and some cornhole. I love yelp!

 

On Saturday we had plans to go to the Museum of Science to see the Harry Potter Exhibit early on in the day to beat the crowds, instead we slept in until 10.30. Although we had a late start and had to deal with crazy crowds we had a good time. I even got into a little bit of a friendly debate about NASCAR at the bar where we had lunch. Which lead Price to say “Never a dull moment” as he pulled me away from the guys outside. But guess what- I totally won beat 4 guys in that one 🙂

I was disappointed that the people at the MOS working the Harry Potter Exhibit were such Nazi’s about taking photos. There really should have been a few opportunities to take some good HP stuff. You cound not even take a picture of the poster outside the exhibit!  Crazy! At least they had a chess piece from HP and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Price and I are now MOs members so we are looking forward to going back to see other exhibits. Plus there is a network of 300 museums and zoos that have a reciprocal program so we can get in there- including the Bruce Museum (Greenwich CT) and the museum of Science and Technology (Syracuse, NY).

And then I scrapbooked, watched football, and we made a turkey today. Which is an amazing feat since we cooked it in that tiny thing over Price’s shoulder. It was good but I made crappy gravy. Oh well, at least the turkey was a success.

So i’ll have to brave the rain and the 50 mph wind gusts that we predicted for tomorrow. happy monday.

 

Project 365

Project 365

I always wanted to do Project 365 because I think it’s a fun way of quickly capturing what’s going on in your life, one day at a time. I started it this year and I hope that I can stick with it- I’m not one for consistency. I have never been able to keep a reliable date book or a diary when I was a kid because I would do it daily for a week and then leave it for 6 months. Hopefully posting the pictures on the blog will help me.

Plus, I am determined to have a full set for Shuttercal. I’m kinda OCD when it comes to having complete sets- like glasses, silverware, plates, etc. This all started when I was younger with crayons. I would freak if I lost or broke one because the set was ruined. I’m quirky but I think this will be cute to have. Check out ShutterCal to have a cute way to organize your 365 photos.

Oh happy day

I celebrated my 25th birthday with

a beautiful flower (gifted in a flour sifter) at my desk from Helen

maple layer cake with maple buttercream frosting from Julie, plus she gave me the cutest bunny earrings from Figs and Ginger

 

 

   

pizza with price

This has become a tradition for my birthday. It’s the fifth year making pizza together on my birthday. We make pizza at other times during the year but we have to do it on my birthday… it just would not be my birthday without it. I have the same toppings on my pizza every time, pineapple and jalapenos, but this time pricer also got some ham to make it a real hawaiian pizza. I think this was our best pizza yet.

and

flan cake from kellie that we ate before I remembered to take a picture! Damn!!!

 

Thank you to everyone who wished me happy birthday and for making it so great.

.

25 things while 25

I hope this year brings about positive change, a light heart, joyous moments, and many things learned and lived. I’m happy to be turning 25 today.

I’m totally stealing an idea and scrapbooking layout from Kelly Purkey. Last year she posted 27  for her to do when she turned 27 and she recently posted about how she did on those 27 things.

I’m working on my list of 25 things to do while 25. I’ll finish later and, of course, create a scrapbook layout.

1) Learn to crochet

2) travel to a new state

3) travel to a new country

4) read 2 books a month

5) see a celtics game

6) go on a roadtrip

7) learn to sail on the charles river

8) take a class on making bread

9) organize all my important paperwork

10) scan old family photos (copying what Price did 2 years ago)

11) go on a duckboat ride

12) try to ski (and not break a bone)

13) reach 500 yelp reviews

 

Suggestions??

I’m exhausted.

I ended my 24th year on a high note. This past weekend was busy and a lot of fun but I’m so ready for bed, and not the work week to start!

I went back home to go into the City (NYC) to see Avenue Q for my birthday. I love that I grew up so close to Manhattan. Just a 50 minute train ride and I’m in the city the never sleeps. I am no expert on the island or the 5 boroughs but I love being in New York. I always take a deep breath in once I get out of Grand Central. Some might think it is too busy, too crowded, or too dirty but I love it and I breathe in that energy. New York City is the exact reason I truly believe the Boston is a confused big town.

      

My mom and I saw Avenue Q on Saturday afternoon. (Price hung out with my stepdad @ Cigar Factory Outlet in South Norwalk to smoke cigars and play poker).  I have wanted to see Avenue Q for a very long time. I listen to the soundtrack often and find the whole thing hilarious. My favorite song is ” The Internet is for Porn.” My mom had no idea what the musical was about- just about a puppet that moves to avenue q. So when the song “Everyone’s a little bit racist” started she learned quickly this was no Sesame Street. The show was fantastic! Everything was great from the singing, puppets, songs, story, actors, music, and set. Fantastic. I love (off)broadway!!!!!!!!

  

Once we were back in CT we all got together for some dinner out at Cafe Mirage. I even got a candle in my bread pudding. so cute

    

My dad had to go to FL  but we will get too see each other in a few weeks to celebrate then. 🙂

Can’t wait to see what my 25th year brings!

PS- Yes, I am rocking red/orange/yellow cowboy boots in the picture outside avenue q. I got them in Santa Fé 2 years ago and the are so amazing.

Whoopie

I find the word Whoopie hilarious. One word and so many applications.

Whoopie cushion… whoopie pie.. making whoopie… Whoopi Goldberg. Or Whoopi Goldberg is a stretch but still great.

So when I decided to make Pumpkin Whoopie Pies in November I was so excited. 1) never had a whoopie pie before 2) first time making whoopie pies 3) Price helped. Price does not normally help me in the kitchen because I’m generally on a mission in the kitchen. Things are always so rushed so making dinner 1 person in the kitchen is easier than 2 bumping in to each other- one day we will coordinate the kitchen dance. At least there are nights when Price watches me cook while sitting on a chair while we chat about the day.

Maybe someone would argue that there is no need to scrapbook about baking Whoopie Pies but I enjoyed the night so much that I had to. Since I’m a goof about the word whoopie I gave it extra attention and made each chipboard letter different. Plus I really liked the pink polka dot paper from Stampin’ Up! so I had to use that and I basically worked the page around that.

Solid and patterned papers, chipboard letters, inks (white and soft suede), wire, and scalloped edge punch are from Stampin’  Up!, Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint in Worn Lipstick, ribbon

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is HERE!

Wishing for the summer

One of the biggest problems about scrapbooking, at least for me, is that by the time I get around to doing some layouts it’s another season and it makes me miss the crunchy autumn leaves, snows flakes falling, blooming flowers, or intense sun shining down brightening your day. I appreciate all the seasons for different reasons but my favorite is summer. I love flip-flop tans, lighter hair, BBQ’s, picking tomatoes and eating from them from our little garden, sitting in our adirondack chairs at night after dinner, etc. Sure it has its pit falls like gross T rides and burning hot steering wheels but my pros out way the cons a million times over.

So finishing a scrapbook page in January of a day in July is brutal. I want the sand between my toes, I’m tired of snow boots. I want iced coffee, no hot coffee or lattes for me. Counting down until Memorial Day weekend for summer to ‘begin’.

All Supplies are from Stampin’ Up! and title is cut from a Cricut cartridge.

Tone deaf boozie folks + singing= best Friday night idea

Last Friday night Price and I went to Jacob Wirth for their Friday night sing along. There is the guy, Mel Stiller, who plays the piano so you can sing along. This guy is some song savant. Sure he has been doing this since 1989 but I am soo impress that you can request like 500 songs for him to play. It  was our first time to we were a bit new to the yelling out song pages the overall protocal but we got the hang of it and had a blast. At first we were with some Meetup people and then Emily and her friend Kevin came. So a dinner and some singing turned into a 4 and 1/2 hour experience with horse voices at the end of the night.

Price is my ying to my yang. I am loud and a bit wacky but he is collected and quite, until he has a few beers. In fact I kinda skimmed over the fact that this meetup for a sing along. He was stunned when he found out about 2 hours before getting there. Luckily, he was a good sport and went along with the whole thing- just like the time we went to see Tony and Tina’s Wedding in NYC and he ended up getting pulled into the ‘show’ and going the can can.

I was so excited that I got 2 songs played that I requested. First Ring of Fire (#360) and Don’t Stop Believin’ (#369). How can you not love Johnny Cash and Journey?!?!?! For a while Mel was saying it was too early for Don’t Stop Believin’ until a few others yelled back how it was good then. But I think the $5 tip I put in the jar right in front of him helped too.

 

 

And here we have Kevin purposely butchering “you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling”:

Made my day

So I was having a ‘Case of the Mondays’ today. The thing that kept me going through the day was that I was wearing fleece lined pants today. Soo cozy….

Well all this craptasticness changed when I check my RSS feed at lunch and saw that Diana at Front n Center gave me the Beautiful Blog award. So trilled!!!!!

 So here I am out of my Monday funk getting to award a few of my favorite blogs with this lovely award and share 7 random things about me.

1. I have never seen Pulp Fiction

2. I can’t dance. Really, I have no rhythm. I try to count in my head but it only gets confusing.

3. Love the show Glee.

4. I’m currently growing my hair out for my Halloween costume. Needs another 6-8 inches.

5. I am agnostic but LOVE to read books on religion and too a class on world religions this past summer.

6. I can’t go to a place without yelping it.

7.  House centipedes terrify me to the point of frozen stuff or running as fast as I can.

So I pass this award on to…

Nutmeg Polymath

Fake Ginger

Emily- My Place

So now you have to pass this award on to 3 fellow bloggers and share 7 random things about yourself. Spread the wealth!

I’m scrappy

I spent yesterday scrapbooking and I loved it. I have been feeling so out of it since my stuff took over the office and there was not a free square inch on either desk. I cleaned up this morning and got to scrapbooking. I have a few pages that I needed to finish or completely start, plus I decided that I would scrap together all the Christmas cards we got this year. I always feel bad that we chuck them at the end of the year. It just seems so wrong since people spend money on them or take the time to take amazing photos for their Christmas cards. I’m still working on that since I want to add in more journaling and photos from the hoidays- I’ll post this later on.

Santa’s Helpers

Family Laughter

My 22nd Birthday

It seems fitting to have this since my 25th birthday is 1 week away. Maybe I’ll scrapbook that sooner than almost 3 years later!

Bacon-Chocolate Chip Waffles

Yep, that’s right… Bacon Chocolate Chip Waffles! I read about this recipe at Coconut Lime. I knew that I had to make it for our 5 year anniversary (1/2). It’s not that it was going to be complicated or fancy, just new and indulgent. I wanted to step things up from the typical scrambled egg, toast, yogurt, or leftovers (yes, leftovers.. in fact I had left over chicken tika masala on new years day.) So waffles and some Bailey’s would make for a better Saturday morning.

 

Bacon is a big deal right now. In fact I gifted bacon jam at Christmas. I have not yet tried the jar I kept for us, but I think the whole thing is just hilarious. Bacon in a waffle was quiet ingenious. Plus the chocolate is a perfect complement to it- sweet and salty are always great together. I have had a bacon chocolate bar from Vosges in NYC.

 

The waffles were simple to make and came out really well. The combination of chocolate and bacon provided a great balance of salty and sweet in the waffle. The bacon added a nice smokeiness to the waffle. I would not expect to enjoy smokey in my waffles but it was great. Even though we clearly knew there was bacon and chocolate in them it was still so surprising when we were eating them. Def out of the ordinary, but def worth a try! My only suggestion to this is to use the mini chocolate chips, and I say that only because my waffle iron did not seem to enjoy closing with the regular chips.

Bacon Chocolate Waffles

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

  •  2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 cups of buttermilk* 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup crumbled bacon
  • 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Process

  1. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
  2. Whisk together the egg, oil, vanilla and buttermilk in a small bowl.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine.
  4. Fold in the chocolate chips and crumbled bacon.
  5. Follow the instructions included with your waffle iron to complete the waffles.
  6. *If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can make your own with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar for every cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes

Recipe from Coconut Lime