DINNER TIME - MMM-HMM

So what does a girl do when her office closes a little early?
Go home and cook herself a proper dinner!
Voila!
Citrus Shrimp with Mango Salsa served over rice. Can you say YUM?
OK OK - the recipe...It's an adaptation of the Spicy Citrus Shrimp recipe in Jan 2005's SmartCarb Cooking Magazine. (They called for a few things I didn't have so I rewrote it!) Mom gave me the subscription for Christmas. Has a few interesting recipes in this issue - but some of the ingredients are "picky". i.e.: This recipe called for frozen orange juice concentrate - but only 3 Tbs -- and I didn't want to have an opened container of frozen concentrate right now, so I substituted OJ and some honey later. It worked fine. There are other changes that I made too...but I shouldn't go into them all since there are probably some copyright laws I'd think... needless to say - I changed it enough!

Kimberli's Citrus Shrimp
Serves 2-3 people
(depending on if you have salad or additional courses)
1 lb shrimp, deveined (I remove tails too) I cut it up the back to butterfly so that it curls nicely. I had also cooked it ahead (I had to thaw too much the other night so cooked it all without seasoning & put the extra, cooked, ready in the fridge.) You can, of course, use raw shrimp.

Sauce:
1/8 cup melted unsalted butter
3 Tbs fresh Lime Juice
3 Tbs Orange Juice
1/2 envelope SazÓn seasoning
1 jalapeno or chili pepper

In a small microwavable baking dish, melt butter in Microwave. Remove from Microwave. Squeeze lime juice into pan allowing bits of the lime to fall in! Mix SazÓn into the Orange Juice. Toss shrimp in flour and then add shrimp, gently turning & spooning sauce over shrimp to coat thoroughly. Bake 7 min @ 450F then take out and turn over. Bake 7 more minutes.

Rice:
I use a rice cooker. Pack rice into a 1/2 cup or 1 cup measuring cup and turn out onto the plate.

Mango Salsa
(a staple in my fridge and guaranteed to go when served with tortilla chips at a party)

Chop the following into a container with a sealing lid:
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1 green bell pepper, seeded
2 Mangos, peeled
1 jalapeno or chili pepper depending on the heat you want
2 scallions, chopped (green & white parts)
1/8-1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (reserve a little for garnish of shrimp)

Squeeze juice from 2 whole limes into the container.
Shake-shake-shake!



Place shrimp on plate, pour a little of the sauce over the shrimp. Put the mango salsa around the rice. Top with the cilantro garnish.
SLOWLY Pour honey over fork to allow a very thin drizzle over the shrimp only.
(Only a tiny bit is needed here.)

I enjoyed it an ice cold glass of Salmon Run Johannisburg Riesling (New York 2003) and a glass of water with lemon while watching the snow fall!

MMMMMMMM-HMMMMM!

Oooh - What Classic Pin-up am I?

The work week begins...

So much was packed into my weekend- I need a weekend from my weekend!
Friday night ended up being a cooking fest and voila - pot-o-homemade meat sauce is done leaving enough for Friday night (Dmitri and I), Sat night (Dmitri, his Mom, Sister and I) and enough for 5 additional meals (ranging from 2-4 persons) in the freezer. YUM!
By the time all was done, it was time to relax, watch a DVD (Things Change) and get to bed as the BF was beginning to fight a cold.

Saturday we got up early and cleaned, got the couch cover from the laundry, vacuumed etc. Wrapping up JUST as his family arrived. So as the coffee brewed I dashed to the bakery and the fruit market. Got some LOVELY blood oranges, kiwi and strawberries along with 8pc assorted croisants and scones. YUM! I love blood oranges and this is Peak Season everyone!
After eating our fill, we walked to Central Park to enjoy The Gates. I'll add my photos here later.
After an hour and a half walk we changed up and hopped on the subway to see the Matinee of Democracy. The easiest way to put it is if it were a movie - I'd say rent it. The story idea and the acting was quite good (great cast), but the actual written play was - a bit boring to start. So much so that we all nodded in and out of sleep for the 1st half of Act 1 - including ME - and I never do that! When I nodded awake I looked around and most everyone around me was also nodding off! The 2nd half of Act 1 was good, and Act 2 kept you sucked in - but it was a disappointment to have the 1st half of Act 1 be such a bore.
After the show it was back to my house for a belly-stuffing feast of homemade pasta sauce and garlic bread (with fresh garlic of course!)
My dear BF went home when his family left, as he was still feeling lousy, and I cleaned more.

How on EARTH have I collected so much stuff? I'm trying to go thru and organize and clean - which I had been making good progress on until the flood in my apt last fall. Now with my travel schedule this spring I feel like I'm visiting my house to change suitcases between trips - and everything is, once again, a pile. I haven't ever actually unpacked at any apartment I've lived at and when I've had to move it's been a situation where I have 2 days to pack and move or else loose the deal etc. SO things have gotten stuffed into random boxes as they fit rather than in an organized fashion! I'm actually considering hiring a professional organizer. Not because I can't do it myself - but because it's causing me such great stress that i think it would help my well-being! Have any of you ever used one? Hints/ recommendations or one to try?

Sunday was more cleaning, catching up on a DVD of Sex and the City (netflix!) and getting a bit of my knitting project done. Since I knew I'd be exhausted from two back-to-back trips, I decided to break my rule and [shudder] ORDER IN FOOD for the Oscars gathering!

My weekend vent:
I dashed across town (A $10 cab ride) to get pizza and salad at the famous Patsy's Pizza. What a damned ordeal.
Firstly let me state - I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the ones located both in Murray Hill and on 10th St & University Place (convenient to our Tues Night SnB!) It is THE BEST PIZZA in NYC and the plain old house salad is AMAZING! But - in thinking about it I decide that I should go the closest one to my apt. So I went to the one between 117th & 118th streets & 1st Avenue, the ORIGINAL one - yes - the middle of nowhere.

I walk in, it's 5:30pm on Sunday, fairly dark and mostly empty.
Waitress: "How many?"
Me: "One, I need to place an order to go."
Waitress: "Two doors down."
I leave and walk two doors down and enter -- this door leads me into the kitchen.
Kitchen Staff (yelling): "You shouldn't be in here, what do you want?"
Me: "I need to place an order to go."
Kitchen Staff: "Two doors down."

I walk out and go two MORE doors down to find a high wall with a brick oven and two people working plus the angry kitchen staffer making sure I came in the right place, shaking her head at me.
Me: "Can I see a menu please?"
Pizza Guy: "We don't have any, you have to go to the restaurant."
Me: "They sent me here."
Pizza Guy: "I can't help you Lady." Turns his back.
Me: "So I just came 27 blocks to get this specific pizza in a city filled with Pizzarias and you can't help me?"
He points to the left meaning - go to the restaurant.
I walk back to the restaurant and am greeted by the non-smiling face of the original waitress.
Waitress: "What?"
Me: "They don't have a menu there and sent me here to see the menu."
Waitress: " The kitchen is closed now, all we have is Pizza and Salad."
Me: "That's all I am looking for."
Hands me a menu - which upon opening is completely different that the other two locations downtown.
Me: "You don't have the same menu as the other locations?"
Waitress: "No, they pay us to use the name, but that's all."
Me: "We, they have multiple sizes available for everything - how big are your pizzas?"
Waitress: "Thin crusted, 8 slices - I'd get one for every 2 people."
Um - so - no size? I look around and see these huge pies -- she's smokin' crack, 1 pie for every 2 people...
Reluctantly she takes my order, which I'm SUPPOSED to give at the take out window TWO DOORS DOWN...I order 2 pies and 2 salads and go to the deli next door for drinks.
I decide to go back to the to go window to get the pies because I think she'll send me there anyway.
So, I sit down in the only chair, just behind the soda machine and begin to knit as I wait for my food.
Footsteps into the pizza oven area.
Waitress: "Has that red-headed chick come back? Ain't SHE a piece of work?"
Pizza Guy: "She's alright to me."
Waitress: "Hmph - she's F*ck#n Crazy. I hate crazies."
Pizza Guy: "She's not crazy."
Waitress: "Fine, I'll send all the crazies to you."
I stand up and JUST miss her as she leaves the pizza area. The Pizza Guy sees me there and turns red.
Me: "Tell your waitress that next time she goes to bad-mouth a customer, make sure that the customer isn't sitting in your chair waiting. This will definitely be that last time I order from this location."
Pizza Guy gives me an apologetic look as I pay. I had to walk about 8 blocks to find a cab as there wasn't even traffic on the wide streets on Sunday at that hour.
It's too bad - I was going to suggest that we use them to cater a big corporate event that we may be having in NYC. I plan to write to the manager a letter - I have NO PATIENCE for rudeness in the restaurant biz, I was a waitress and worked in a kitchen for many years and my ass would've been SO FIRED if I had ever treated a customer like that.
I'll gladly continue to visit the other two locations - especially since they are only connected by NAME -- too bad the original makes the other two look so bad. It seems that all of the reviews online are wrong when they list them all as one big happy family.

Pals came over to watch the Oscars and inhale the food (Salad was good but pizza at other locations is better) and wine. Ahhhhhhhhhh. I knit and Popcorn aplenty (movie theater style and Kettle corn) was consumed by all! Love my WhirleyPop popper! Sandi won the prize - a lovely bottle of Merlot - for guessing the most winners right - she guessed 13 correctly!
Back to work I go! Happy Monday All!

Hey - whatcha think of the new colors on Dmitri's Blog? It used to be just black...and I told him it didn't make me want to stay and read...so - whatcha think? Drop him a comment and let him know! :-) Cheers!

Where does all the time go?

This weekend is ALREADY CHOCK FULL! OY! How?

1. I have to CLEAN - Like a MAD WOMAN tonight (D's Mom's 1st visit to my place! See # 3.) And I decided (must have been during a jet-lagged haze) to take all of the needed frozen meats out of the freezer to make a giant pot of my pasta sauce to freeze for meals. (??) So the meat is now thawed and I will have to get at it first thing tonight.
2. Get to the laundry EARLY on Sat pick up the freshly washed couch cover etc & then to the Silver Moon Bakery (the best in NYC!) and green grocer for the breakfast fixins. (There's no time for a "real" breakfast in the schedule.)
3. Dmitri's Mom & Sister will come tomorrow for breakfast, then to join in a walk thru The Gates, followed by a Matinee of the Broadway show Democracy and topped off by dinner probably at my neighborhood Japanese spot Tomo.
4. I've 2 (two) yes 2 small knitting samples to make for a project I'm involved with...deadline looming! I'll be knitting through out #6!! (Which also means all WIPs are to be put on hold!)
5. I have to make up the goody bag for Sunday night's winner (thee who guesses the most right! See #6) & print out the Ballots!
6. I've friends coming over for some Dresses Caddiness and Fun with Oscar Night.
7. Fall asleep totally exhausted at the thought of the schedule for work next week! OY!

Oh - and as promised to Lolly:

See, Orange can be VERY VERY COOL! :-)

A FEW NOTES ON THE UK TRIP

It was chilly and snowy in Meriden, England (and the surrounding area) but fun to be with the UK crew :

And the Obligatory cuteness from Jackson:

We enjoyed our time at The Bulls Head Inn. An Inn that fulfills what we as Americans expect a quaint English Country inn/pub should. And - it's the actual Center of England in the Inn. See the plaque that's in the carpet on our way to our rooms:

Work went well, but it's always better when with good friends! Thanks for a lovely time!

My Secret Pal ROCKS

• I arrived in the office today to find a lovely Envelope Box on my desk....ooooh PRESENT TIME from my SECRET PAL!!! So...before I even had my coat off I had torn it open - WEEEEEEE!
• 
  Contents:
  ~Ghirardelli Milk Choc filled with Caramel Squares (um.. YUM!)
• ~Valentine Pasta in Red and White (which I'll share with my BF)
• ~A SUPER CUTE Red and White kitchen towel with Pigs on it (Did I mention that all of my Kitchen Appliances are RED???)
• ~Necco Sweethearts - YEAH!!
• ~A Jazzy Red Candle (ooh-la-la!)
• ~Splash Eyelash yarn -- which for the record I love! I seem to have mislead my dear S.P. into thinking I don't like eyelash yarn... I havent' anything against it...I just loath the particular eyelash I'm using for THE SCARF because of the stiff sections (which this Splash doesn't have at all!)

THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU - A MILLION TIMES THANK
YOU!

Now for the curious one... I got HOME from the airport to find a package containing a windowsill type herb garden kit & book... But who's it from??? No note...and it seems to have been shipped directly from the company... so... to whomever sent it -- THANKS! Super cute! I'll plant them when I return from my next China trip for this season in April!

I'm still at work (nearing 8pm...) and don't forsee me making the SnB I'd hoped to! Argh!

Hopefully in these next few days I'll get to the few photos and bit of a story about my quickie UK trip. I'll also post a photo of the ADORABLE dress I'm working on for my Niece's 2nd Birthday -- the one I bought the yarn for at Flying Fingers...I've finished the first row of Polka Dots and am 2/3 finished with teh second and final set...which means I'm nearly 1/2(+) done with the skirt! Wooooo-whooooo! I bought her some ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE SHOES in the UK...it's the one thing I splurge on there -- even if the exchange rate TOTALLY STINKS. She's worth it!

Dmitri (the BF) posted a photo of his scarf -- he's pluggin' away at it! Go check it out...it's his second project!

Nighty night all!

UPDATE: One more thing to add...Thanks Lolly for putting this link on your blog! For the Dulaan Project... It's right up my alley... How the heck am I going to fid the time to knit all of the things that I Want to knit???

TAG, I'm IT

I've been TAGGED by Lolly...and let me NOT be the one to skip over a TAG!
Today's meme is about TIVO...
TIVO? I don't understand that crazy Jive-talk sistah!

How much space is left on your TIVO?
Um - I haven't even had CABLE in almost 10 years...and the apartment that I had it in, well - it was my roommates only hobby.
Now I travel for my job too much to pay $50/month for Basic Cable. I get 9 free TV stations now (well -- 12 if I include the 2 Spanish and one Asian channel.)
I have a VCR and an All Region DVD player that I bought in Taiwan (so I can buy DVDs all over the world and play them all at my house.) <-- it's a Karaoke player too! :-) Have you ever bought a DVD of a TV series and if so which one?
Nope - but I've been Netflixing Sex and The City & 24.

• What was the last TV show you watched before reading this message?
  The Today Show

• List five shows you won't miss:
  Won't miss is a very strong term... I don't have ANY --- I know, I know -- it's UNAMERICAN! The best I can do is tell you shows that I'm happy if I catch...there's a surprisingly long list...
  Friends (I loved that show), Will & Grace, Scrubs, Alias, 24, Desperate Housewives, Sex and the City (TBS?), Any Miss Marple Agatha Cristie movie on PBS, Are You Being Served?, Dr. Who...especially with Tom Baker (yes - I'm one of those people), Gilmore Girls, Everwood, The Carol Burnett Show, I Love Lucy, The Medium.
  Usually I try to fill my nights with exploring NYC as affordably and excitingly as possible -- which IS POSSIBLE if you research out the options and hanging out with friends (and going to SnB's!)......see below for last night's outing! Of course - when I AM HOME and the tube is on...I get sucked in (probably since I didn't really watch TV as a kid or in College) but I can knit and watch along no problem.
  
  

Three peeps to pass this on to?
Dmitri - because he's building a computer that will TiVo without the cost of TiVo...and I'm encouraging him to blog more!
Michelle - because I love her blog and wonder what TV shows she finds entertaining!
Norma of unraveling because she knows how to yodel (I wanna learn!) and also loves to make up new lyrics to songs just to embarass her friends/family (I too do that!)

Of course, you don't have to do it, folks... just for fun! :)

LAST NIGHTS FUN! FUN! FUN!

Last night I got tickets to go see a theatre production that is set up like a Live Radio Show. This one is called http://www.radiotheatrenyc.com/. What fun! As the poster reads..."Tough dicks, luscious dames, flying bullets, victims dying..." AND it fit in to my budget for the week! Tickets were $3/ea through my ticket membership and you got a free drink ticket too... With which I chose a mint tea over a bevvy since I had a long night of cleaning and packing ahead of me! (Can you STAND the EXCITEMENT!)

In May 18th they will start the production of War of The Worlds!!! You can find them at: www.radiotheatrenyc.com

Today I'm all packed and off to Birmingham,UK for a few days of working a trade show. Although I'm the designer, I go to the UK shows to "prove" we're an American company and that we don't just use the name "New York" for it's cache.
I'm NOT luggin' the laptop (YEAH!), so I may only have the one shot to pop in over until next Wednesday! I had HOPED to be able to pop in on the Birmingham, UK Stitch-n-B*tch group which meets at the Public Library on Saturdays... but they will likely be done when we've finished setting up the booth. Have a GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE...

YARN-O-HOLICS UNITE!

Yep - that's me with the giant smile on my face!! Why you ask? I'll tell you! Saterday Dmitri brought me to Flying Fingers in Irvington, NY! Yeah!!!! As we approached, I saw the van... Dmitri was keeping an eye on the street numbers...when we finally were close he noticed the van that was parked right outside the store.

You all should go to Flying Fingers!

What a lovely shop! Elise and her staff are wonderful...and the place was HOPPIN'! There really are the most types of yarn that I've seen in one place on this coast! I loved that they only had a few skeins per color on display - allowing many many more types of yarn to be shown...but the reserve was just a few minutes wait while the diligent staff picked your wishes from their vast stock located in a nearby building. The store has such a wonderful feeling - warm and colorful and energetic -- yet very very relaxing! Oooh - the COLORS - by now you all know that I've gotta have color!!! And the set up of this store fed right into my needs... I love the choices in needles from rosewood and hardwoods to bamboo and metal in every size your projects may need. I found every needle on my list - - - many of which have been there for months! Yippee!! The staff was very willing to help. I was asked a few times if I needed help - but never in a pushy way - HOW WONDERFUL!
Dmitri bought his first set of needles -- hardwood 7s like the ones I've been loaning him...and he bought a book...The Best of Knitters: Arans and Celtics...YEAH - now I can borrow a book from him!

I was very very good...I only bought the needles that were on my list, a cool sock book and Tahki Cotton Classic in Fuchsia and Bright Yellow for the Petite Chic dress from Minnow Knits for my nieces birthday gift. It's done on size 5 needles - - it'll take a while -- I have until April 8th!
NOTE: The link to the yarn is not to Flying Fingers because they don't have it up on their site yet... BUT... at F.F. it's only $5/skein whereas all of these other places in the net I've seen them at $6.50/skein!

Another Cheer for FLYING FINGERS!

Hip hip Horray!!!! Elise was kind enough to let me take a few photos for my blog - Thanks Elise! And of course - I told her I'd give her a shameless plug since I had enjoyed myself so much! Thanks Elise! There are also a number of lovely shops, restaurants and cafes in Irvington...so...perhaps you can make a day of it!

On another note... I've got a few THANK YOUs to jot down! Firstly - Dmitri cooked me a lovely Valentine's dinner last night (we celebrated a night early!) Yummy salmon! Mmmmmm! And today he sent me a georgous bouquet of roses - I'm a damned lucky gal!!!
Last but not least -- I got a very funny Ecard from my Secret Pal -- and yes - to you Secret Pal - it IS hard being a sex symbol! Ha ha ha! Thanks - it gave me the 4pm Monday afternoon laugh that was so desperately needed!
Tonight it's drinks with my friends - a whole room of Valentines! Weeeee!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Let's TRY THIS AGAIN, SHALL WE?

I just typed up a post - and for some reason (blearry-eyed tiredness?) I closed the window instead of publishing it? I NEED A WEEKEND - - OH GOOD - it's here!

Last night - DAME EDNA was FABULOUSLY FUNNY! Go see her if you've the chance!

I got in the mood last night to start up a new project since I've had 3 fully finished FOs and one 1/2 finished (one glove with the other one in the works) in the past week. So...
On the subway I swatched with this yarn (some from my last trip to China)...


(The pattern calls for size 17s??? WOW - I've been knitting on 2s and 5s lately...17s are HUGE!)

So the swatch is for the Seed Stitch Jacket in the Winter 2004/2005 VOGUEknitting International magazine...which I just noticed is on the cover... I'd love it in ORANGE, but I NEED to go thru some of my stash before enhancing it!


I can't decide if i think it's too HOLEY -- I think that it'll end up looking SLOPPY because of the busy yarn in a seed stitch...what do you think?
So -- now what do I use? I've a chunky black yarn - but black is SO BORING to knit with!

Oh -- and one more pic -- my "little" Loco this morning was snuggling with me as I watched the Today show - but was all ticked-off when the phone rang and I rose to get it -- he didn't even BUDGE! Too bad I can't ever snap a photo of him where you can really see just HOW BLUE his eyes are! They are amazing!!

OK - Home I go -- time to defrost my "famous" pasta sauce -- the LAST of the huge batch I last made! Then it's off to a movie!
Happy Weekend Everyone!

SO MANY NEW KNITTERS!

It was so nice last night to meet so many new fun knitters at the
UWS SnB!!
You all are picking it up SO FAST!!!
It was Dmitri's first visit to a SnB and he worked out the pattern he wants to do for project #2 - his new scarf. He's designed it himself - ambitous for only project #2!
We then walked up to Yuki (92nd and Amsterdam) to split a sushi platter and some tofu! YUM YUM YUM! Wonderful!


Tonight we're off to see Dame Edna!!! I'm SO EXCITED!
Dmitri surprised me last week with the tickets! Yeah!!!!
I'll give you the dish on it tomorrow! G'night Possum!

CLAPOTIS UPDATE!!
For everyone that has asked me about what yarn I used for my Clapotis...
According to MeMoiJa, the mini-stripe Japanese yarn I used is Diakeito in the Reds combo...how does she know? Because she's using the PURPLES combo for her OWN!!! :-)
She's also using a second yarn - a Purple Daletta. How fun!
But then..I look thru her blog and find a photo posted of her purple Diakeito...and read her entry...and it looks much thinner than the yarn I used... I MAY just have to meet her for coffee when hers is done, per her suggestion -- to see for myself! :-)
MeMoiJa -- is your yarn at all fuzzy?
The yarn I used is 100% Merino wool too... Help!

And Finally -- I finished a little fun knit-up for my Secret Pal...
I can't post a photo of it until it ends in May...But lets just say it's fun...and PRACTICAL TOO! Hee hee hee!

FO ALERT!!!

It's been one heck of a week -- and it's only Wednesday!


(Note the muddy Kitty Paw Prints on my couch! He hopped up the MOMENT I took off the "kitty protective cover!" It was a lovely welcome home gift! )

I finished my JET LAG blanket for the Critter Sitter Challangeand handed it off to Katy yesterday! Yeah! Not exactly my usual colors - but it did allow me to get thru a bunch of bits-n-pieces in my stash. And it's SUPER CUSHY -- Loco was all pissy that I was giving it away. I told him he already has two chairs, a couch and a big bed to claim as his own and there's a dog or cat somewhere that doesn't have anything. He let me give it away...Begrudgingly.

My remaining piece of furniture from Levitz unexpectedly was delivered yesterday (I had 10 hours notice that it had been changed from Feb 24th to Feb 8th!)
Of course, I've been waiting since October (It'll be delivered by Thanksgiving!!) so I wasn't about to argue! Thankfully I was able to move all of my meetings around and voila!
Yeah -- now I can take further steps to ORGANIZE!! Hip Hip Hooray!

Sadly, my good friend Allegra is still fighting the flu, so our dinner plans have been postponed until next week -- FEEL BETTER ALLEGRA!! Thus - I'll be stopping in to the UWS SnB tonight. I'm working on a little something for my Secret Pal. :-)
My BF, Dmitri, will be coming to SnB tonight -- his FIRST! He's currently swatching to make a scarf - - - he can't decide what pattern to use...or needle size...
Today he'll be buying his first knitting book!

Yeah! I've got him HOOKED! Tee Hee!

We went to dinner last night at Sushi Samba Park. The food, as usual - was DELICIOUS at Sushi Samba. We had the Yellowtail Sashimi Seviche, El Topo (salmon, jalapeño, shiso leaf, fresh melted mozzarella & crispy onion) and I had the Carnival dinner special - a Banana crusted Monk Fish over some fabulous mushrooms! Dmitri had Chicken Teriyaki ~ Samba Style (organic chicken, aji amarillo, mashed peruvian potato & crispy onion). YUMMMMY!!! ...they've opened their new lounge SUGARCANE. It's got a nice atmosphere.
NOTE: SUGARCANE is donating 10% of their take today to Tsunami Relief! Go GO GO!

International PJ DAY A SUCCESS



Yesterday Dmitri and I went to one of the LYS's for the "SUPERBALL SALE"...I mean -- how can you turn down 40% off Noro and Rowan???
He bought some Rowan 4-ply soft in a luxe burgandy color to knit a scarf (project #2) with... it's 100% Merino. He spend the afternoon trying different test squares - one with yarn doubled, the other with it single strand. I LOVE the doubled...but he's afraid it won't be warm enough...there are a few wee holes in the knit pattern (it's Mama's Sophisticated Scarf from SnB Nation)... I think he should move from 8s to 7s, keep the strands doubled and go at it! I'll keep you posted!

I, of course, checked my sanity at the door of the yarn sale...
I can't even go into the stash enhancement (Cascade 220, Noro, Reynolds Odyssey...Berroco Softwist Bulky!) -- NO BUSINESS - NONE!
But - I did get the Rowan Magazine Number 36 (not on sale).
I'm adding the Mosaic Pillow and the Swirl Pillow to my Oooooh I wanna make THOSE list. Of course - there are some sweaters too! OY! Need to find more time to knit! Dmitri likes the Garth Men's Sweater -- I think we may have found the pattern for his first sweater. Phew!

After the Yarn Sale we hit Macy's -- last day of tax free shopping in NYC. He found some lovely shirts!

FUNNY STORY OF THE DAY! We stopped at my corner Bodega for some guacamole supplies and the two Korean ladies behind the counter said "Super Bowl eh?"
I said, "No, International Pajama Day." Look of confusion fell over them.
I continued, " We just went yarn shopping, now it's home for movies, guacamole and knitting the afternoon away in my Pajamas - it's International Pajama Day."
Smiling and nodding, "Wow. Hey, did you knit that scarf [Clapotis] around your neck?"
"Sure did!" I replied.
"Can I see it?" asked the older woman. She looked over it and began to ask a zillion questions of HOW and HOW LONG...then asked,"Where is there a nice yarn store - you said you went to one this morning?"
I ended up dumping my yarn out of my bag into other bags and gave her the bag with the store info on it!
Don't-cha just LOVE meeting new knitters/yarn people?

NEXT - it was off to I. PJ. D.!! Home!
Then it was time to MAKE THE GUACAMOLE!

I Immediately donned my new sock covered PJs!! A Christmas present from Deb!
THANKS DEB!
Action shot - practicing Continental BABY! Working on a blanket that needs to be handed in today for Critter Knitters, used up stash bits...it's super thick and cushy!

NOTE THE BRIGHT GREEN GUACAMOLE IN THE LOWER CORNER!!! See BELOW!

Thanks Dmitri for taking the pics!

GUACAMOLE CHEZ KIMBERLI
2 ripe** Avacados
1 fresh lime
2-4 cloves of garlic (I use 4 med size) - chopped up
1-2 T cumin (your taste)
1 t salt (your taste)
1 jalapeno - chopped up

Choosing a ripe Avacado ---
Pick one that is soft to the touch - not MUSHY - but soft. The "stalk end" should very easily come of when picked at.
If you can't find ripe ones - put into paperbag in a cabinet at home and wait -- ripening can take 4-5 days -- but double that if it's not in a paperbag.

Into your serving bowl put garlic, japaleno, 1T cumin, 1/2t salt.
Cut Avecado in half and using a big ole spoon, scoop out the flesh from one side into the bowl, popping out the pit. RESERVE ONE PIT!!! Mash everything with fork.
Season with more cumin/salt to taste...adn depending on how hot you want it, you can add some hot sauce. I prefer the flavour of Sriracha HOT chili Sauce (found in Asian grocers) to Tabasco ANY DAY.

COOKING TIP OF THE WEEK:
Once you've made the guac...toss in one of the Avacado PITS...
your guac won't turn brown. Promise!

Sadly - Jet lag got the better of me and I fell asleep on the couch at 8pm! (since my neighbor had decided that 5:30am SUNDAY was the best time for all of us to enjoy The Rolling Stones Greatest Hits...I finally utilized 311 (NYC's useful help #) and reported him to the cops. 25 minutes later he abrupty turned it off. Was it the cops of was it someone in his own building...he is my NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR!! I never even KNEW there was a tenant there when Jane lived next door - don't like new neighbor - inconsiderate he is!)

Oh well - got lots of sleep...woke at 5am (WAY WAY WAY TOO EARLY) but it gave me time to load in the photos and write this all up!

CLAPOTIS IS DONE...and FIRST GLOVE TOO!!
Finished length: 88" (approx 223cm)

I used two yarns in my Clapotis -- the first (mini-stripe) I don't have a wrapper for anymore - and it was in Japanese...

The Wide stripe is Fantasia - ski yarn - SIREN in Color 8.


And here, on the first test-run (before I had blocked it!) when Dmitri and I went out to dinner last night.


Now -- drumroll please -- the first glove - FINISHED!!!

Yeah --- now on to the blanket!

FO WEEKEND!!!

OK - Sorry for the rant on Levitz below...I just wouldn't want anyone out there in blogville to have such frustration...so heeeeed my warning!

YES FOLKS -- IT'S F.O. Weekend (weekend weekend weekend)...
In honor of International Pajamas Day!

The plans:

Finish my Clapotis...it's well longer than in this photo (I'm well into the decrease section!)


Finish my blanket to send to Katy for Critter Sitter SPECIAL CHALLENGE: SVU on Monday.

Sew in all the tails on my fingerless glove...and post a nice photo. I'm 3" into the match (thank you plane ride home!)

Start a new fun project for my niece...her 2nd Birthday is around the April corner!
What should I make her? I've got some LOVELY bright colored wool that I picked up in China...Orange and purple..and some Pink and green I think too...
I only knit her things in bright colors!

I mean -- Look how CUTE SHE IS!!!!

STAY AWAY FROM LEVITZ

I'm glad to be home. Really really glad.
I was greated by meowing kitty -- for the past 24+ hours. :-)

But how can you resist this welcome:



After dashing into work early yesterday (thank you jetlag)...I raced home to meet my furniture delivery -- which I was shocked to find out when I landed, had been moved ahead one day -- thank goodness I'd come home a day earlier than originally expected.

I ordered 2 matching wonderful Armoirs from the Levits furniture store in Yonkers, NY on October...

They were going to be delivered before Thanksgiving. The day of that November delivery I awoke, groggy after having spent into the wee hours moving the old furniture into my downstairs, cleaning the floor etc to prepare for my new - - NON IKEA - - furniture. At 9am I got the call it wasn't coming. This happened again a few weeks later.

Finally in early January just before I left for my 3 weeks in Asia I got the call that they were being delivered!! YIPPEE!
I raced home mid-day from work to wait... Of course -- these armoirs are in 2 pieces...the bottom with 2 drawers and the top with 2 doors...
Yep - you guessed it -- only the bottoms arrived that day.
So - shocked I was NOT when I answered the door yesterday and ONLY ONE of the top parts was there!!! ONLY ONE???
My salesman at Levitz had coddled me - promised me that he'd refund my delivery costs and was working on a deal to get me some more money back.
When I called him yesterday I found out that he's left -- great! And, no, the manager had NOT returned my call yet! AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL customer service...

So I await the date for the delivery of the remaining piece...

Now to call the furniture repair service -- which I paid extra for -- to let them know the piece delivered yesterday is DAMAGED. OY!
STAY AWAY FROM LEVITZ FURNITURE!!!!

INTERNATIONAL PAJAMA DAY

Don't FORGET [shudder at the thought!!!] that it's INTERNATIONAL PJ DAY this SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6th!!!

For a great photo journal of how it works... see UNRAVELING

For an angry venting on why it's SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE SUPERBOWL... see Jen La

And not to forget -- I got a lovely eCard from my Secret Pal while here in Japan! Thanks Secret Pal!

I'm sitting here in the Narita (Japan) airport...waiting in the Free Yahoo Cafe (located in Terminal 2 if you ever come thru...) My flight has been delayed... weeeeeeeeeee! I expected this. After 3 weeks of Asia-bouncing and not ONE - ZERO - ZIPPO flights　delayed... OF COURSE the flight taking me HOME would be delayed. The BEST news is that NOW I'll be lucky enough to get stuck in rush-hour traffic trying to get home to NYC. Ahhhhh. It's likely that I will miss both the visit from my BF (he was stopping by between meetings tonight), AND the Upper West Side Stitch-n-bitch meeting --- the anniversary celebration meeting. Hmph.

Perhaps there will be one hell of a tailwind and I'll land early.
Here's to hopin'!

PS --- I finished knitting the pinkie at the Pink Cow last night and the thumb on my glove on the bus to the airport!!!
I just have to sew in the ends and 1/2 of the pair is DONE DONE DONE! Yeah baby! I'll start it's mate on the flight home! Weeeeee!

Fish Testicals and Tokyo SnB

Now that I have your attention...

Reiko and I got to the Snb at The Pink Cow and had FUN! The gals (and feller) were nice -- as SnBers always are! Thanks folks! I think you may just see Reiko sooner than later -- she's been inspired to pick up the sticks again after a 10 year break!


Here I'm on the left next to Kat (of pinku rocks) and the one below Reiko is sitting in the same seat.



After SnB we walked to a very nice restaurant and had a lovely final dinner together. I leave here in 40 minutes for check out and my flight home...
Work is DONE and I'm commin' home baby!

I'll add all of the fun stuff...including the dish of fish testicals that I ate for dinner last night (very yummy!) when I get home. Loading photos in over dial up is Killin' me!

I'm heading to The Pink Cow tonight here in Tokyo to check out the Tokyo Stitch-n-Bitch! Tonight's there 1 year anniversary! Yeah! They usually meet the first and 3rd Tuesdays of the month...so I'm in luck!
I'll let you know how it is! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!