I'm in Atlanta!
Today:
Yummy lunch with Mike and Kelly
Manicure (which I haven't smudged yet...but it's only been half an hour)
Now Barnes and Noble to write my last Christmas cards and read my book
An excellent start to the end of 2012!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Saturday, December 29, 2012
baking adventure
i baked! for the first time in months! it was glorious. i made roasted apple spice sheet cake, and halved the recipe, baked it in a 13x9 pan, it it was still too much, leading to a little bit in the center of the cake that wasn't all the way cooked. horrors! other than that, the cake was DELISH, and the kind of thing you can eat in the morning and pretend it's breakfast. (there are apples involved!) note: this fantasy that cake is breakfast is only acceptable while on vacation.
speaking of vacation: i have enjoyed 8 days of my 32 day winter break. 32 day winter break! it's absurd. it is perhaps my only 32 day winter break ever, so i plan to enjoy it.
sunday: to atlanta!
january 2nd: to texas!
sometime around january 11th: back to north carolina!
stay tuned for more adventures.
speaking of vacation: i have enjoyed 8 days of my 32 day winter break. 32 day winter break! it's absurd. it is perhaps my only 32 day winter break ever, so i plan to enjoy it.
sunday: to atlanta!
january 2nd: to texas!
sometime around january 11th: back to north carolina!
stay tuned for more adventures.
another belated photo
let's go duke!
our boys did not win the football game, but it was realllllly close and we had fun anyway, even though it was collllllld.
our boys did not win the football game, but it was realllllly close and we had fun anyway, even though it was collllllld.
Friday, December 28, 2012
photos (from two days ago)
we went for a walk...stella the dog kept up, even with her arthritis.
there were horses to be seen.
and i found a treasure! (and by "treasure," i mean "cool old saw leaning up against the wall of an old house.") but we couldn't get it out of the ground, so stay tuned for photos when we go back with a shovel.
there were horses to be seen.
and i found a treasure! (and by "treasure," i mean "cool old saw leaning up against the wall of an old house.") but we couldn't get it out of the ground, so stay tuned for photos when we go back with a shovel.
Monday, December 24, 2012
things i have done since i got home:
1. slept. a lot.
2. eaten. a lot.
3. finished gone girl and started the fault in our stars. reading is SO FUN when it is the kind of reading you want to do.
4. done last minute shopping with mom and dad
5. wrapped christmas presents
6. played many rounds of ticket to ride, which somehow costs twice as much on amazon.com now as when i bought it
7. did a puzzle with mama
8. helped dad cut down a tree, which was not as bad as it could have been.
9. made my first imovie!!! i am incredibly proud of myself for learning how to use imovie. stay tuned for the result.
merry early christmas!
1. slept. a lot.
2. eaten. a lot.
3. finished gone girl and started the fault in our stars. reading is SO FUN when it is the kind of reading you want to do.
4. done last minute shopping with mom and dad
5. wrapped christmas presents
6. played many rounds of ticket to ride, which somehow costs twice as much on amazon.com now as when i bought it
7. did a puzzle with mama
8. helped dad cut down a tree, which was not as bad as it could have been.
9. made my first imovie!!! i am incredibly proud of myself for learning how to use imovie. stay tuned for the result.
merry early christmas!
Friday, December 21, 2012
a photo a day
My flight out of La Guardia is delayed. Ugh. Based on the number of people sitting on the floor of the terminal because all the seats are taken, there are others in my boat.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
new york fun / a photo a day
today was a touristy day in new york - hooray!
when i've visited new york around christmas time in the past, one of my favorite things i've done is walk along 5th avenue and look at the fancy window displays. this afternoon i rounded up three friends and we set off to see three stores that my new york city guidebook recommended.
first stop: barney's. at first i was confused...why are there tv screens (um, excuse me - i have just learned that they are called "microtiles") in the window? where are the elaborate displays involving mannequins? are we at the right place? and then a 5 minute long animated video began, complete with sound coming from outdoor speakers, that was incredible. minnie mouse is walking down 5th avenue and sees a pretty dress in a window. begin dream sequence where she buys the dress and has a runway show with the black disney princess (tiara), daisy duck, and cruella de villa (don't ask questions about why it is these people in the show - logic is not important). when it was over, we leave the dream sequence and mickey has bought the dress for minnie in real life. aww, mickey.
actually, you can watch the video here! (of course it's on the internet...) it's got nothing on the surprise and excitement of seeing it on the sidewalk this afternoon, though!
(not pictured: obligatory stop at fao schwartz.)
next stop, bergdorf goodman, which was pretty incredible and exactly what i was imagining. (we got the traditional and the 21st century version of a window display in the span of 20 minutes - pretty cool.) this was my favorite window - poodles in a circus!
cartier, looking all pretty:
then past rockefeller center!
and then to saks 5th avenue, which was lame compared to the other two and not worthy of being photographed.
it was so festive to walk down 5th avenue with hot drinks from starbucks and gawk at the beautiful windows. you may have gathered from reading this blog that the little things in life make me SO happy sometimes, and one of my friends here, dominique, is the same way. we were pretty ridiculously giddy the whole afternoon. it was crowded, but not claustrophobically so, and felt so christmas-y. good day.
i thought this would be my last day in new york before heading home to NC on a 12noon flight on friday, but i got 5 (literally) automated voicemails from delta while i was at a party tonight informing me that my flight was canceled and i was now on a flight on saturday that was not direct, but had layovers in both DC and atlanta. um, NO. i called and they very quickly and easily switched me to a flight on friday night...and the only seat available was first class. i have never flown first class before! this is very exciting and i am pretty sure my new silver status on delta may have assisted in the ease with which this change was made. woo hoo!
so, bottom line: i have an additional 7 hours in new york tomorrow, so i will be plotting more fun touristy things to do! stay tuned!
when i've visited new york around christmas time in the past, one of my favorite things i've done is walk along 5th avenue and look at the fancy window displays. this afternoon i rounded up three friends and we set off to see three stores that my new york city guidebook recommended.
first stop: barney's. at first i was confused...why are there tv screens (um, excuse me - i have just learned that they are called "microtiles") in the window? where are the elaborate displays involving mannequins? are we at the right place? and then a 5 minute long animated video began, complete with sound coming from outdoor speakers, that was incredible. minnie mouse is walking down 5th avenue and sees a pretty dress in a window. begin dream sequence where she buys the dress and has a runway show with the black disney princess (tiara), daisy duck, and cruella de villa (don't ask questions about why it is these people in the show - logic is not important). when it was over, we leave the dream sequence and mickey has bought the dress for minnie in real life. aww, mickey.
actually, you can watch the video here! (of course it's on the internet...) it's got nothing on the surprise and excitement of seeing it on the sidewalk this afternoon, though!
(not pictured: obligatory stop at fao schwartz.)
next stop, bergdorf goodman, which was pretty incredible and exactly what i was imagining. (we got the traditional and the 21st century version of a window display in the span of 20 minutes - pretty cool.) this was my favorite window - poodles in a circus!
cartier, looking all pretty:
then past rockefeller center!
and then to saks 5th avenue, which was lame compared to the other two and not worthy of being photographed.
it was so festive to walk down 5th avenue with hot drinks from starbucks and gawk at the beautiful windows. you may have gathered from reading this blog that the little things in life make me SO happy sometimes, and one of my friends here, dominique, is the same way. we were pretty ridiculously giddy the whole afternoon. it was crowded, but not claustrophobically so, and felt so christmas-y. good day.
i thought this would be my last day in new york before heading home to NC on a 12noon flight on friday, but i got 5 (literally) automated voicemails from delta while i was at a party tonight informing me that my flight was canceled and i was now on a flight on saturday that was not direct, but had layovers in both DC and atlanta. um, NO. i called and they very quickly and easily switched me to a flight on friday night...and the only seat available was first class. i have never flown first class before! this is very exciting and i am pretty sure my new silver status on delta may have assisted in the ease with which this change was made. woo hoo!
so, bottom line: i have an additional 7 hours in new york tomorrow, so i will be plotting more fun touristy things to do! stay tuned!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
a photo a day
after my class today, i went to the met! columbia students get in for free (most other students have to pay a reduced price, but somehow columbia is special), so this was an extra incentive to go.
i learned that tourists like the met. it was packed with accents from many languages.
the indoor space is set up beautifully - lots of natural light in various atriums (atria?):
two of my favorite pieces of art: this is a crocodile from egypt around the year 0. i liked him. i also liked that he got to sit above some water in the egyptian hall. i bet he likes being near the water.
there was an andy warhol exhibit and this was my favorite piece from it.
i also really liked the matisse and picasso stuff they had, but i forgot to take pictures. oops.
hooray for a new york adventure on my first day of freedom from school!
i learned that tourists like the met. it was packed with accents from many languages.
the indoor space is set up beautifully - lots of natural light in various atriums (atria?):
two of my favorite pieces of art: this is a crocodile from egypt around the year 0. i liked him. i also liked that he got to sit above some water in the egyptian hall. i bet he likes being near the water.
there was an andy warhol exhibit and this was my favorite piece from it.
i also really liked the matisse and picasso stuff they had, but i forgot to take pictures. oops.
hooray for a new york adventure on my first day of freedom from school!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
all my papers are DONE! after my ethics class tomorrow morning i'm done with classes, too. first semester, you're almost complete!
this is bittersweet - it has been a busy and at some times hectic semester, but i love my cohort and my friends here and my classes, and it's crazy to think that in another 5 months i'll probably be moving away from new york. part of me really doesn't want this year to end. another part of me has started to miss teaching and working in a school.
in the 3 hours since i finished my paper, i have gotten bored. bored! i am ridiculous. apparently i don't know what to do with myself when i don't have papers and reading assignments hovering over me. i've made plans, though: tomorrow afternoon i'm going to the met, and thursday i'm going to see the tree at rockefeller center, look at the window displays on 5th avenue, and maybe take a walk on the highline. a new york day! i can't wait.
friday i fly home, which i'm also very much looking forward to. baking* + eating + time with family will just be the start of my awesome winter break. hooray!
*family, get ready. i plan to bake up a storm - i miss it so much and i have lots of recipes saved up for us!
this is bittersweet - it has been a busy and at some times hectic semester, but i love my cohort and my friends here and my classes, and it's crazy to think that in another 5 months i'll probably be moving away from new york. part of me really doesn't want this year to end. another part of me has started to miss teaching and working in a school.
in the 3 hours since i finished my paper, i have gotten bored. bored! i am ridiculous. apparently i don't know what to do with myself when i don't have papers and reading assignments hovering over me. i've made plans, though: tomorrow afternoon i'm going to the met, and thursday i'm going to see the tree at rockefeller center, look at the window displays on 5th avenue, and maybe take a walk on the highline. a new york day! i can't wait.
friday i fly home, which i'm also very much looking forward to. baking* + eating + time with family will just be the start of my awesome winter break. hooray!
*family, get ready. i plan to bake up a storm - i miss it so much and i have lots of recipes saved up for us!
Monday, December 17, 2012
this green ginger tea is badass, and is totally helping me write my ethics paper.
the website's imagery is that we should enjoy this tea "alongside a fruit muffin, a good book and time to read it." CHEESY. i laugh at this imagery.
i enjoy this tea "alongside a bag of baked lays, an ethics paper, and a healthy sense of panic about the paper's due date."
the website's imagery is that we should enjoy this tea "alongside a fruit muffin, a good book and time to read it." CHEESY. i laugh at this imagery.
i enjoy this tea "alongside a bag of baked lays, an ethics paper, and a healthy sense of panic about the paper's due date."
Sunday, December 16, 2012
a photo a day
This is what it looks like when, at 11pm, the fire alarm goes off in my dorm and they evacuate the building. We are now in the dining hall. Classic.
Let it be noted that no one in my suite left until the security dude got on the intercom system and told us it was not a drill. Now that I know they will do that, I am clearly never leaving for just the alarm again.
Update! 6 minutes in the dining hall and we're back in our rooms. Good times in student housing.
Let it be noted that no one in my suite left until the security dude got on the intercom system and told us it was not a drill. Now that I know they will do that, I am clearly never leaving for just the alarm again.
Update! 6 minutes in the dining hall and we're back in our rooms. Good times in student housing.
busy girl makes time for homeland
with just under a week until i head home for christmas break, i'm a BUSY girl. i've completed three final papers and have two more to go...one of which i'm in the middle of. i'm spending lots of time in the very crowded library (turns out everyone is as busy as i am!) trying to crank out some quality writing.
i made the mistake - actually, let's not call it a mistake - to start watching homeland on netflix. it's a tv show that won a bunch of awards last year so i decided to see if i liked it. answer: ENORMOUS YES. the premise: a prisoner of war returns home to the us after 8 years in captivity. a cia agent thinks he's been "turned" and is actually a spy for middle eastern terrorists. we as the audience don't know either way and there are little clues along the way to keep us questioning. i got the first disc last weekend and after mike and kelly and other claire left i watched three episodes back to back on sunday night. i got the second disc wednesday and watched all three of those episodes that night. this weekend: the three episodes of the third disc. because i only get three episodes at a time i can't TOTALLY ruin my life by being sucked into it and watching tv instead of studying. i can say with certainty i would be watching far more than three episodes a day if i had the whole season in my dorm room right now. thank you, netflix, for moderating my supply of this show i'm addicted to.
now, back to writing this ethics paper so i can finish this disc of homeland tonight. tom walker!!
i made the mistake - actually, let's not call it a mistake - to start watching homeland on netflix. it's a tv show that won a bunch of awards last year so i decided to see if i liked it. answer: ENORMOUS YES. the premise: a prisoner of war returns home to the us after 8 years in captivity. a cia agent thinks he's been "turned" and is actually a spy for middle eastern terrorists. we as the audience don't know either way and there are little clues along the way to keep us questioning. i got the first disc last weekend and after mike and kelly and other claire left i watched three episodes back to back on sunday night. i got the second disc wednesday and watched all three of those episodes that night. this weekend: the three episodes of the third disc. because i only get three episodes at a time i can't TOTALLY ruin my life by being sucked into it and watching tv instead of studying. i can say with certainty i would be watching far more than three episodes a day if i had the whole season in my dorm room right now. thank you, netflix, for moderating my supply of this show i'm addicted to.
now, back to writing this ethics paper so i can finish this disc of homeland tonight. tom walker!!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
in other news...
i always look forward to the atlantic's year in photos - here's part 1. beautiful and poignant.
i always look forward to the atlantic's year in photos - here's part 1. beautiful and poignant.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
what i'm listening to right now
"do you love me," by guster
this is perfect music for getting ready in the morning, assuming you have passed the grumpy threshold (for me, the grumpy threshold is the first 10 minutes of being awake and it is INCREDIBLY grumpy).
this is perfect music for getting ready in the morning, assuming you have passed the grumpy threshold (for me, the grumpy threshold is the first 10 minutes of being awake and it is INCREDIBLY grumpy).
Overheard in the library this afternoon - an exact transcription:
Girl 1: I'm going to get a tattoo over winter break.
Girl 2: Cool! What will it look like?
Girl 1: It's going to be my favorite Bob Dylan quote written in Cambodian Sanskrit.
Oh. Dear. Lord. Have you ever heard such a blatant attempt to be original while sounding totally cliche at the same time? Cambodian Sanskrit? Whaaaaat? What alternate universe am I in??
Girl 1: I'm going to get a tattoo over winter break.
Girl 2: Cool! What will it look like?
Girl 1: It's going to be my favorite Bob Dylan quote written in Cambodian Sanskrit.
Oh. Dear. Lord. Have you ever heard such a blatant attempt to be original while sounding totally cliche at the same time? Cambodian Sanskrit? Whaaaaat? What alternate universe am I in??
Monday, December 10, 2012
some things to help you procrastinate today (can you tell the end of the semester is here and i don't want to do work any more?):
visualizing us birth and death rates (shout out to nora for telling me about this!)
50 best animal photos of 2012
visualizing us birth and death rates (shout out to nora for telling me about this!)
50 best animal photos of 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
a photo a day
It's shocking how different Times Square is from "my" New York, the neighborhood around Columbia. Lights! Tourists! More tourists! It is very Christmas-y and festive, though...I will give it that.
Friday, December 7, 2012
i love christmas movies, and last year i rented white christmas and watched it for the first time and really enjoyed it. this year i rented holiday inn, another old christmas movie i'd never seen but that people speak highly of.
they are basically the same movie. they use the same set for the country inn where most of the action takes place. they have the same actor (bing crosby) playing the main character. they both highlight the song "white christmas." how is this allowed?
however, they are not the same movie. holiday inn has a black character (the cook, obvi) who sings a song about "darkies." bing crosby and the female lead WEAR BLACK FACE IN ONE SCENE. black. face. i almost couldn't finish watching the movie.
in summary:
holiday inn - 1942 - WTF, do not watch.
white christmas - 1954 - great movie, no black face, recommended by miss claire.
the end.
they are basically the same movie. they use the same set for the country inn where most of the action takes place. they have the same actor (bing crosby) playing the main character. they both highlight the song "white christmas." how is this allowed?
however, they are not the same movie. holiday inn has a black character (the cook, obvi) who sings a song about "darkies." bing crosby and the female lead WEAR BLACK FACE IN ONE SCENE. black. face. i almost couldn't finish watching the movie.
in summary:
holiday inn - 1942 - WTF, do not watch.
white christmas - 1954 - great movie, no black face, recommended by miss claire.
the end.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
videos to cheer you up
i just accidentally saw the photo of the man who was hit and killed by a subway train this week. did you hear about this, or is it only news in new york? (it's hard to tell...perhaps that's what living in new york is all about - you think you are the center of the country and your news is everyone's news.) a couple days ago a man pushed another man onto the subway tracks as a train was approaching. the man was struck by the train and killed. a photographer was there and took photos of the event - he says he was using his flash to alert the driver of the train that something was wrong. the new york post published (on its cover) a photo of the man on the tracks before the train killed him. this photo is now, obviously, all over the internet and i had been trying hard to avoid seeing it, but i saw it today accidentally.
could someone have saved him?
what would i have done?
ugh.
now i need something to cheer me up. these videos kind of worked.
jay-z rides the subway and a lady doesn't know who he is: http://gawker.com/5965706/jay+z-rides-the-subway-adorably-explains-who-he-is-to-an-adorable-old-lady
mariah carey and jimmy fallon sing "all i want for christmas is you": http://gawker.com/5965801/mariah-carey-jimmy-fallon-and-the-roots-perform-maybe-the-best+ever-rendition-of-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you
jason segel and neil patrick harris sing les mis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL--3y7V7Ks
could someone have saved him?
what would i have done?
ugh.
now i need something to cheer me up. these videos kind of worked.
jay-z rides the subway and a lady doesn't know who he is: http://gawker.com/5965706/jay+z-rides-the-subway-adorably-explains-who-he-is-to-an-adorable-old-lady
mariah carey and jimmy fallon sing "all i want for christmas is you": http://gawker.com/5965801/mariah-carey-jimmy-fallon-and-the-roots-perform-maybe-the-best+ever-rendition-of-all-i-want-for-christmas-is-you
jason segel and neil patrick harris sing les mis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL--3y7V7Ks
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
follow up on the vonnegut quote
anna sent me this link - have you seen anything more lovely? sigh. it makes me want to start reading a new vonnegut book. or teach a class. or do this assignment (is this a sign that i've been in grad school too long?).
http://mobile.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2012/11/kurt_vonnegut_term_paper_assignment_from_the_iowa_writers_workshop.html
http://mobile.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2012/11/kurt_vonnegut_term_paper_assignment_from_the_iowa_writers_workshop.html
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
a photo a day
My room is decorated for Christmas, thanks to some festive lights Becky and other Claire got me. Hooray!!
Monday, December 3, 2012
Sunday, December 2, 2012
a photo a day
the 116th street entrance to columbia university...
in october:
on december 1st:
so festive! hooray!
in october:
on december 1st:
so festive! hooray!
Saturday, December 1, 2012
november: 29 & 30
the weight of water, by anita shreve (my friend laurie told me about this book - she lives in new hampshire near the isle of shoals, where the book is set. it's fiction, but based on the brutal real life murder of two norwegian women on a semi-deserted island off the coast of new hampshire in the 1870s. i saw the movie when i visited her in october, and honestly...just see the movie. the book is fine, but this is the rare instance where i thought the movie was better - it stars sean penn and is directed by kathryn bigelow.)
i read a bunch of kindle singles this month - this was my thanksgiving break reading - and i'm counting them as a book: the trunk key, my wife's story, cornbread, the first light of evening, the rescuer, and my seinfeld year. (of these, most weren't any great works of literature, but were entertaining little readings. i would really only suggest reading my seinfeld year, which is written by a guy who was a writer on seinfeld for a year. it's a really interesting look into the world of an awesome tv show. if you haven't explored the world of kindle singles, you should - search for them on amazon.com.)
i read a bunch of kindle singles this month - this was my thanksgiving break reading - and i'm counting them as a book: the trunk key, my wife's story, cornbread, the first light of evening, the rescuer, and my seinfeld year. (of these, most weren't any great works of literature, but were entertaining little readings. i would really only suggest reading my seinfeld year, which is written by a guy who was a writer on seinfeld for a year. it's a really interesting look into the world of an awesome tv show. if you haven't explored the world of kindle singles, you should - search for them on amazon.com.)
Friday, November 30, 2012
what i'm listening to right now
i love christmas music that isn't TOO christmas-y. this one is perfect - "little wood guitar," by sugarland:
a photo a day
Aaaaand I have a new favorite Mexican restaurant in New York! Amazing fresh corn tortillas, black beans, Mexican cheese, avocado, and all the usual tomato/lettuce toppings. Heaven!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
job search update
that subject line makes it look like i have actual news, right? NEGATIVE. ha! i fooled you.
my update is that i am applying for jobs. the kinds of administrative-level positions that i want have an earlier hiring season than regular teaching jobs, and thus far i've found 6 or 8 jobs that i'm interested in and i have sent my resume and cover letter and references out into the world, hoping the people doing the hiring for those positions like what they see. i am applying for some jobs that i am technically qualified for (master's degree plus eight years teaching experience...), but probably won't get, like upper school principal positions. there are a lot of very experienced and qualified people out there, but my hope is that i might be considered for one of those jobs at a small school (those are the ones i've applied for) that are seen as entry level principal position. i'm also applying for dean of students positions or the school's equivalent. i believe i'll be considered for those and hopefully someone will like me enough to call me up. CALL ME UP, PLEASE.
i think we can all agree that i'm a planner. so as soon as i apply for a job - before i even hear a single thing from a school - i have already begun to imagine my life there. (i know i'm not alone in this, as my friend jenny does the same thing when she's done job searches in the past. oh jenny, how alike we are.) i have already imagined what my life would be like in the 6-8 cities where i've applied for jobs. what would i do on the weekends? where would i go grocery shopping? what would the weather be like? what airport would i fly into? can i picture myself in my little blue toyota corolla driving around this town? i am also planning on getting two kittens when i move into a real grown up apartment again...so i picture getting the kittens and them snuggling with me on the couch.
i am ridiculous.
this is why you love me.
my update is that i am applying for jobs. the kinds of administrative-level positions that i want have an earlier hiring season than regular teaching jobs, and thus far i've found 6 or 8 jobs that i'm interested in and i have sent my resume and cover letter and references out into the world, hoping the people doing the hiring for those positions like what they see. i am applying for some jobs that i am technically qualified for (master's degree plus eight years teaching experience...), but probably won't get, like upper school principal positions. there are a lot of very experienced and qualified people out there, but my hope is that i might be considered for one of those jobs at a small school (those are the ones i've applied for) that are seen as entry level principal position. i'm also applying for dean of students positions or the school's equivalent. i believe i'll be considered for those and hopefully someone will like me enough to call me up. CALL ME UP, PLEASE.
i think we can all agree that i'm a planner. so as soon as i apply for a job - before i even hear a single thing from a school - i have already begun to imagine my life there. (i know i'm not alone in this, as my friend jenny does the same thing when she's done job searches in the past. oh jenny, how alike we are.) i have already imagined what my life would be like in the 6-8 cities where i've applied for jobs. what would i do on the weekends? where would i go grocery shopping? what would the weather be like? what airport would i fly into? can i picture myself in my little blue toyota corolla driving around this town? i am also planning on getting two kittens when i move into a real grown up apartment again...so i picture getting the kittens and them snuggling with me on the couch.
i am ridiculous.
this is why you love me.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
my cousin's boyfriend josh introduced me to this website when we were hanging out over thanksgiving - i love it! where has it been all my life?
http://punchfork.com
go there. admire the pretty food. maybe make something.
http://punchfork.com
go there. admire the pretty food. maybe make something.
a photo a day
Have I mentioned that I love my friends here? Pizza and board games tonight for Ben's birthday - hooray!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
snow #2
this time it's a disgusting rainy-snow mix. it did not deter me from making a trader joe's run, though! go me!
this morning we took a field trip for one of my classes to the google headquarters in NYC. um, can i please work there? free food and drinks EVERYWHERE, awesome lounge spaces, games everywhere. i don't appear to have any of the credentials necessary, but i do enjoy gmail. is that enough? no? in this class we have been talking about the culture of a school, and we visited google to observe and analyze their culture. my analysis is: i want in.
this morning we took a field trip for one of my classes to the google headquarters in NYC. um, can i please work there? free food and drinks EVERYWHERE, awesome lounge spaces, games everywhere. i don't appear to have any of the credentials necessary, but i do enjoy gmail. is that enough? no? in this class we have been talking about the culture of a school, and we visited google to observe and analyze their culture. my analysis is: i want in.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
a photo a day, Thanksgiving edition
Yum! I conned my family into buying my favorite Thanksgiving item: canned cranberry sauce!
So thankful for all the family and friends in my life - I am a truly lucky girl!
So thankful for all the family and friends in my life - I am a truly lucky girl!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
a photo a day
9:30am, preparing to land in an INCREDIBLY foggy Chicago.
Half way to Iowa - can't wait to get there and let Thanksgiving begin!
Half way to Iowa - can't wait to get there and let Thanksgiving begin!
Monday, November 19, 2012
a photo a day
sore throat...headache...HARUMPH-A-SAURUS! i have no time for this! i have thanksgiving to celebrate!
willis swears by airborne...so i'm giving it a go...
willis swears by airborne...so i'm giving it a go...
Sunday, November 18, 2012
really interesting article with great graphics about the red-blue divide in america and how it's not as clear cut as the media makes it out to be:
red versus blue in a new light
red versus blue in a new light
Saturday, November 17, 2012
a photo a day
hundreds of tiny containers of prepared foods at my grocery store. hummus, pesto, other spreads so numerous and interesting you couldn't make them up on your own.
part of me wants to try every single one of them. another part of me realizes this is a bad idea.
part of me wants to try every single one of them. another part of me realizes this is a bad idea.
Friday, November 16, 2012
nerd alert
some grad school friends and i made a decision tonight that we are READING A BOOK FOR PLEASURE over thanksgiving break. the idea is thrilling. i pretty much can't wait. no one to tell me which pages to read, by when, and what guiding questions to consider while reading? i might be in heaven.
a photo a day
ice skating rink at bryant park!
i did not skate - i was there for the holiday market! didn't find anything great to buy, unfortunately, but it was fun to explore.
i did not skate - i was there for the holiday market! didn't find anything great to buy, unfortunately, but it was fun to explore.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
a weird thing about new york (an occasional series by miss claire)
on thursdays i walk half an hour into harlem for my field project, where a classmate and i are helping design a lower school social studies curriculum at an independent school. (is this an awesome project? yes. is it the subject of this blog post? not really.) the school is small and doesn't have a cafeteria, so for lunch my classmate and i walk to a nearby...okay, this is the point of the story.
facts, according to me:
1. harlem does not have many real restaurants. do you want a panera bread or something like it? doesn't exist.
2. harlem has a lot of...7-11s. but without the gas station part. little stores that sell all the foods you would find at a gas station (chips, candy, sodas, beer, cigarettes) PLUS they are apparently required to have a sandwich counter.
it is at this sandwich counter where we get our lunch. well dressed white people? ah yes, we stick out like a sore thumb. no one cares, though, which is awesome. so we go up to the counter and order a sandwich and of course there is nothing vegetarian, so i get (POINT OF THE STORY!) an egg and cheese on a roll.
that is what you say. "i want an egg and cheese on a roll, please." a roll is hamburger bun sized, but smaller than a hero. that is important to know so you don't get an absurd amount of food. but egg and cheese on a roll is available everywhere, even for lunch...no one bats an eye. the cheese is american (duh), and the sandwich is delish. today's egg and cheese on a roll cost $1.75. one dollar! and seventy-five cents! it is the only food item in this city that costs less than you think it will.
this post is inspired, and my lunch choice validated, by my new smitten kitchen cookbook:
facts, according to me:
1. harlem does not have many real restaurants. do you want a panera bread or something like it? doesn't exist.
2. harlem has a lot of...7-11s. but without the gas station part. little stores that sell all the foods you would find at a gas station (chips, candy, sodas, beer, cigarettes) PLUS they are apparently required to have a sandwich counter.
it is at this sandwich counter where we get our lunch. well dressed white people? ah yes, we stick out like a sore thumb. no one cares, though, which is awesome. so we go up to the counter and order a sandwich and of course there is nothing vegetarian, so i get (POINT OF THE STORY!) an egg and cheese on a roll.
that is what you say. "i want an egg and cheese on a roll, please." a roll is hamburger bun sized, but smaller than a hero. that is important to know so you don't get an absurd amount of food. but egg and cheese on a roll is available everywhere, even for lunch...no one bats an eye. the cheese is american (duh), and the sandwich is delish. today's egg and cheese on a roll cost $1.75. one dollar! and seventy-five cents! it is the only food item in this city that costs less than you think it will.
this post is inspired, and my lunch choice validated, by my new smitten kitchen cookbook:
gmail is genius
i just sent an email with the words "i have attached..." in the body of an email, but did not attach a file. GMAIL WARNED ME OF THIS BEFORE IT SENT THE EMAIL. gmail, you are genius and i totally appreciate everything about you.
love,
miss claire
love,
miss claire
a photo a day
corn chowder for dinner!
when i was in vermont a couple weeks ago we stopped in a little store that sold, among other things, soup mixes! i bought the corn chowder one, and today followed the directions to make some DELISH soup. i doctored it up (as suggested on the back of the package) with half and half, creamed corn, and onions. hoo-ray.
and there's plenty left over for a couple lunches this weekend!
when i was in vermont a couple weeks ago we stopped in a little store that sold, among other things, soup mixes! i bought the corn chowder one, and today followed the directions to make some DELISH soup. i doctored it up (as suggested on the back of the package) with half and half, creamed corn, and onions. hoo-ray.
and there's plenty left over for a couple lunches this weekend!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
a week old - oops
oops - these are a week old and i never got around to posting them. my birthday week was chock full of fun - no time for blogging! here they are now - photos from my birthday weekend in vermont!!
kelly and mike at the ben & jerry's factory:
q and becky love ben & jerry's, too! look how cute becky is with her milkshake.
tickets to go on the tour at ben & jerry's!
group shot outside ben & jerry's! (i promise we did things on this weekend other than eat ice cream...it just had the best photo opportunities!)
q at the cabot creamery gift shop after a tour of their cheese making facilities...and LOTS of cheese tasting:
awesome picture of me and beck before a DELICIOUS dinner on saturday night:
it was SUCH a fun weekend with good friends. and then the american people gave me an obama victory as a birthday present. hooray for birthdays! exclamation points everywhere! life is good.
kelly and mike at the ben & jerry's factory:
q and becky love ben & jerry's, too! look how cute becky is with her milkshake.
tickets to go on the tour at ben & jerry's!
group shot outside ben & jerry's! (i promise we did things on this weekend other than eat ice cream...it just had the best photo opportunities!)
q at the cabot creamery gift shop after a tour of their cheese making facilities...and LOTS of cheese tasting:
awesome picture of me and beck before a DELICIOUS dinner on saturday night:
it was SUCH a fun weekend with good friends. and then the american people gave me an obama victory as a birthday present. hooray for birthdays! exclamation points everywhere! life is good.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
a photo (from yesterday)
the election watching party was a success! this is the joy we felt after all the channels declared obama the winner:
sometimes i wonder who these other people are who call themselves americans, as we seem to stagnate or move backwards on gay rights, abortion, women's issues. how can my fellow americans see things SO differently?
last night was a great comfort to me as a majority of voters elected obama, voted for marriage equality in several states, voted down candidates who talk about rape and women's issues in shocking ways. every day we get closer to the america i believe in.
here's my favorite part of obama's speech last night:
What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations. The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights. And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That's what makes America great.
love and charity and duty and patriotism. my grandma norma would be very proud of america for the way it voted last night.
today i'd like to wish a big happy birthday to marie curie, leon trotsky, morgan spurlock, and my girl joni mitchell. as has become a tradition, here's some joni to celebrate the day:
WHAT. A. VOICE.
additionally, mark your calendars: november 7th = first day of snow in NYC! flakes are coming down as we speak...
sometimes i wonder who these other people are who call themselves americans, as we seem to stagnate or move backwards on gay rights, abortion, women's issues. how can my fellow americans see things SO differently?
last night was a great comfort to me as a majority of voters elected obama, voted for marriage equality in several states, voted down candidates who talk about rape and women's issues in shocking ways. every day we get closer to the america i believe in.
here's my favorite part of obama's speech last night:
What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations. The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights. And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That's what makes America great.
love and charity and duty and patriotism. my grandma norma would be very proud of america for the way it voted last night.
today i'd like to wish a big happy birthday to marie curie, leon trotsky, morgan spurlock, and my girl joni mitchell. as has become a tradition, here's some joni to celebrate the day:
WHAT. A. VOICE.
additionally, mark your calendars: november 7th = first day of snow in NYC! flakes are coming down as we speak...
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
another great email
in my continuing series, "awesome emails from people i love," my dad sent me this email last night:
Nate Silver has Obama with a 92% chance of winning. Barack's giving a rocking speach in Des Moines right now. I'm voting first thing at the Halls Mills Community Center.
dad
on the phone just now he proclaimed that he had done exactly zero work today because he was so excited about this election.
i love my family.
gobama!!
Nate Silver has Obama with a 92% chance of winning. Barack's giving a rocking speach in Des Moines right now. I'm voting first thing at the Halls Mills Community Center.
dad
on the phone just now he proclaimed that he had done exactly zero work today because he was so excited about this election.
i love my family.
gobama!!
Monday, November 5, 2012
a photo a day
Day 3 of the best week ever: Susanna Hoffs (of The Bangles) at City Winery, the cutest venue EVER. And yes, that's Fred Armisen, inexplicably, on drums!
Huge thanks to Ben for inviting me along!
OMG she just played Manic Monday. Life is so good.
Huge thanks to Ben for inviting me along!
OMG she just played Manic Monday. Life is so good.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
a photo from yesterday
last night at 11pm we found out that our friend wendy had her baby - a week early, so we weren't even expecting it. surprises are so fun! this is the photo we texted her to visibly show our excitement.
wendy is a blog reader and a dear friend - i couldn't be happier for her and her new baby girl!!
flying into new york tonight on a tiny little plane from vermont:
as we were descending towards our landing, i look on the window of the plane, and it looks like we're right above manhattan. the view out the window is gorgeous: skyscrapers all lit up at night, bright lights that mark the road, all seemingly SO CLOSE - maybe we were 3,000 feet up at most? (my only measure is that the new world trade center memorial building is going to be 1,776 feet tall, and we didn't seem too much above that.) it's breathtakingly beautiful, new york city at night from the air. i am talking to the city through the airplane window like a loony person.
as we get further south i realize i should be confused, since laguardia airport is now north of us. i realize later that we must have been asked by air traffic control to circle for a couple minute to buy time - i can't imagine any other reason we would have taken this route.
then manhattan is dark - huge buildings on the south end of the island are totally black - the power outages that remain because of the storm. poignant at night.
then we're over brooklyn and queens and i can still see the city (those people on the right side of the plane MISSED OUT), though it's further away at that point. then we swoop into our landing.
i made you a pretty picture (i am basically a professional artist) to show our path - it was SO COOL to be able to figure out where we were as we were doing it - i felt like i was a real new yorker.
as we were descending towards our landing, i look on the window of the plane, and it looks like we're right above manhattan. the view out the window is gorgeous: skyscrapers all lit up at night, bright lights that mark the road, all seemingly SO CLOSE - maybe we were 3,000 feet up at most? (my only measure is that the new world trade center memorial building is going to be 1,776 feet tall, and we didn't seem too much above that.) it's breathtakingly beautiful, new york city at night from the air. i am talking to the city through the airplane window like a loony person.
as we get further south i realize i should be confused, since laguardia airport is now north of us. i realize later that we must have been asked by air traffic control to circle for a couple minute to buy time - i can't imagine any other reason we would have taken this route.
then manhattan is dark - huge buildings on the south end of the island are totally black - the power outages that remain because of the storm. poignant at night.
then we're over brooklyn and queens and i can still see the city (those people on the right side of the plane MISSED OUT), though it's further away at that point. then we swoop into our landing.
i made you a pretty picture (i am basically a professional artist) to show our path - it was SO COOL to be able to figure out where we were as we were doing it - i felt like i was a real new yorker.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
a photo a day
Free bus ride to the airport - thank you, New York City!
Smooth time getting through security!
The tarmac isn't underwater!
I think this weekend in Vermont is going to happen!!!
Exclamation points everywhere!
Smooth time getting through security!
The tarmac isn't underwater!
I think this weekend in Vermont is going to happen!!!
Exclamation points everywhere!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
october: 28
yep, that's right: just one book for fun this month:
central park: an anthology, edited by andrew blauner (a great book - a collection of essays about central park. other claire gave it to me as a going away present, and it was the perfect gift - the stories are short enough to read one before bedtime, and i love getting more perspectives on central park. my favorite part about this book is that it is filled with great essays that just happen to feature central park - not stories whose entire focus is central park. the latter could get a little dull, i think, but this book was really interesting. hooray!)
central park: an anthology, edited by andrew blauner (a great book - a collection of essays about central park. other claire gave it to me as a going away present, and it was the perfect gift - the stories are short enough to read one before bedtime, and i love getting more perspectives on central park. my favorite part about this book is that it is filled with great essays that just happen to feature central park - not stories whose entire focus is central park. the latter could get a little dull, i think, but this book was really interesting. hooray!)
i am a lucky girl - my grandma norma, who died in june, was a diehard lifelong democrat and my grandma jane is a big obama supporter living in a republican-heavy retirement community in florida. i got this awesome email from her today:
Hello fellow democrat,
Have you heard of the October surprise? – something unexpected that shifts the election one way or another. I think maybe Obama’s performance since the storm has helped him. Also his great relationship with Christie.
Grandma
LOVE IT.
Hello fellow democrat,
Have you heard of the October surprise? – something unexpected that shifts the election one way or another. I think maybe Obama’s performance since the storm has helped him. Also his great relationship with Christie.
Grandma
LOVE IT.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
this happened again.
i'm not surprised...subways are still closed, and without them professors and some students won't be able to get here. but you know what? i'm ready for the routine of classes again.
tomorrow will bring more studying in the library, more tv watching, more time on the phone with loved ones, more time with new friends here.
i'm not surprised...subways are still closed, and without them professors and some students won't be able to get here. but you know what? i'm ready for the routine of classes again.
tomorrow will bring more studying in the library, more tv watching, more time on the phone with loved ones, more time with new friends here.
a photo a day
my umbrella and i made our way to the one library on campus that is open today; i'm going to do some homework for a couple hours.
i didn't lose power, though the lights flickered a little last night. a cold rain is coming down and there are some broken tree branches on the sidewalks, but other than that we are totally fine. not so in other parts of manhattan - i feel lucky that i'm up high enough (my neighborhood is called morningside heights for a reason) that we were spared any crazy flooding.
several people in my program live in brooklyn and two live in connecticut - no clue if they're going to be able to make it in if we have class tomorrow...
i didn't lose power, though the lights flickered a little last night. a cold rain is coming down and there are some broken tree branches on the sidewalks, but other than that we are totally fine. not so in other parts of manhattan - i feel lucky that i'm up high enough (my neighborhood is called morningside heights for a reason) that we were spared any crazy flooding.
several people in my program live in brooklyn and two live in connecticut - no clue if they're going to be able to make it in if we have class tomorrow...
Monday, October 29, 2012
mini hurricane update
the photos and videos of the flooding and damage in new york are crazy - but i'm not experiencing any of that where i am! as of now i still have power and the storm is still just rain and high winds. whew! not much has changed since i posted earlier.
hurricane update
last night i went to bed with this vision of waking up in the middle of the night to crazy winds and rain. that did not happen. trashman came at 7:30 like usual, and i woke up at 9:30 to...pretty much what i went to bed to: winds and no rain.
a 109 square foot room is kind of like a prison cell when you know you can't leave...except it has a tv and internet access...so maybe it's not like a prison cell BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. i ventured out at 11 to see what the outside world looked like and find a place to study - the columbia website said that the main library was open as a study space. it had started raining and there weren't many people out at all. every business i passed was closed except the grocery stores - those are still open. kind of weird to walk through a normally busy neighborhood and not see many people around.
after an hour and a half in the library i was able to buy a bottle of diet coke and a delicious egg salad sandwich from the grocery store across the street from me. hooray! but the winds are DEFINITELY picking up and it's raining harder now. according to the weather channel the worst of it will hit new york this afternoon and into the evening.
the sense i'm getting is that the coastal areas are the ones really in trouble because of the rising waters there. i feel secure on the middle of this island...it's going to take a lot for us to be in any real danger.
the subways are closed again tomorrow, as are the public schools. we haven't heard about whether we're having class tomorrow but i can't imagine we will...
now: excessive tv watching. don't judge.
a 109 square foot room is kind of like a prison cell when you know you can't leave...except it has a tv and internet access...so maybe it's not like a prison cell BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. i ventured out at 11 to see what the outside world looked like and find a place to study - the columbia website said that the main library was open as a study space. it had started raining and there weren't many people out at all. every business i passed was closed except the grocery stores - those are still open. kind of weird to walk through a normally busy neighborhood and not see many people around.
after an hour and a half in the library i was able to buy a bottle of diet coke and a delicious egg salad sandwich from the grocery store across the street from me. hooray! but the winds are DEFINITELY picking up and it's raining harder now. according to the weather channel the worst of it will hit new york this afternoon and into the evening.
the sense i'm getting is that the coastal areas are the ones really in trouble because of the rising waters there. i feel secure on the middle of this island...it's going to take a lot for us to be in any real danger.
the subways are closed again tomorrow, as are the public schools. we haven't heard about whether we're having class tomorrow but i can't imagine we will...
now: excessive tv watching. don't judge.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
hurricane update
0 drops of rain have fallen so far.
i got take-out sushi from my favorite place...they were definitely still open at 8pm.
aaaaand that's about all i've got for you right now. from the radar it looks like it should start raining in the middle of the night. but then again, from the radar it looks like it should be raining right now and it definitely isn't...
trash pick up is continuing as scheduled tomorrow, so i'll be awakened at 7:30am like normal. GREAT.
i got take-out sushi from my favorite place...they were definitely still open at 8pm.
aaaaand that's about all i've got for you right now. from the radar it looks like it should start raining in the middle of the night. but then again, from the radar it looks like it should be raining right now and it definitely isn't...
trash pick up is continuing as scheduled tomorrow, so i'll be awakened at 7:30am like normal. GREAT.
FINE. i will admit that perhaps i should take more precautions in preparation for this hurricane. i have cash and made a quick trip to the grocery store this afternoon.
in addition to my class being cancelled for tomorrow, NYC public schools are cancelled, public transportation shuts down at 7pm tonight, and people who live in "zone a" have a mandatory evacuation order. i am not even in a zone, we are so high up, so don't you worry about me. but THE CITY IS DOING THINGS, so i have decided maybe this hurricane is really happening.
i'll keep you updated! as of right now it's not raining, though it is pretty windy outside...
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