10 hobbies- then and now

• scrapbooking
• cooking
• collecting vintage postcards
• photography
• writing
• organizing offices
• creating inspiration notebooks
• blogging
• wine and cigars
• travelling

hobbies, then:

• tae kwon do
• reading
• creating inspiration notebooks
• journaling
• all things cinema
• all things leros, greece
• daydreaming about the future
• piano
• organizing family photos
• ballet

eh. somethings don't change.

what i did this morning

• double checked my to do list: figured enough items have been crossed off on it that i will create a new one for next week.
• cooked for pup
• ignored fixing the bed
• took pictures of pup
• wondered if i should post pictures of pup up...and figured a no.
• peeled potatoes
• boiled greens for dinner
• made my famous garlic mashed potatoes...mmm mmmmmmm
• found out LML was going to a farmers market- (freudian slip: instead of market i had written rocket.)
• figured it would be cool to ghostwrite someone's book if i liked the idea
• went through my list of agents to contact
• walked by the unmade bed
• tweaked ideas for the second part of 'A Coincidence Away'
• wondered what's going on with the postal service that i haven't gotten any great mail or any mail in a couple of days. bastards.
• refused to vaccum until later
• wanted the rain to go away
• sat here and wrote this.

what did you do today?

happy heart day

happy valentine's day- a day that gives an excuse to tell someone you love them and have chocolate can't be all bad, i figure. not that this is the only day you should be doing just that :)

after some tea, and watching my favorite cooking channel TV show on demand of Extra Virgin, i am still kind of icked out. i have to get a blood test today (i figured what better day than today to humor myself) and i'm squeamish. of course, i would be. egads.

i had a wonderful and extremely busy week last week that will take me two weeks to blog about :)

how was your week? did you do anything out of the ordinary, travel somewhere new, or take a culinary adventure?

looking back at all the photos i snapped last week, i have so much to share with you!!

___________________________________________________________________

that was this morning, before i got my bloodwork done.

after my complete checkup, the doctor felt around my neck (i had an upper respiratory infection last month and it's still lingering with a side of ear infection...) and there is a bumpy ?node (that's how he wrote it) on my left side.

ew ew ew.

so i have to go to the radialogist (sp?) next week so they can scan my neck.

ew ew ew.

it freaks me out because i don't know what it is. the doctor said that he wants to be thorough but to take the antibiotic anyway (i am) and not to panic.

ewww! i'm panicking, hello?

do we remember who i am? panic girl?

 eewww wwwwwww

so please note, if i am irate or sound weird in this next week, that's why.

drinking wine til i'm drunk while i'm on antibiotic- good idea or bad? what do you think?

love me,
eew eew
the globetrotting gamine with the swollen node.

so happy

hi and happy sunday, bloggie friends :)

as i write this to you all, i am winding down with some blackberries and a cup of chamomile saffron tea going over the events of the weekend. spending some time with my friends was the downtime i needed to feel refreshed. i am truly blessed to have such happy, amazing (and busy!) people in my life.

we talked about life, love, doggies and food. our new travel destinations and ideas, plans and whatever has been going on while we've been snowed in! i love them so, so much.

this week, i am hoping to get out there and get some things done that i've said i was going to do on my blog and post about them...which brings me to my february list (do you believe that it's the 6th already? Geez)

Let's look at my progress, which is not as great as i think it should be...


YAY:

 

finish writing two of my novels
i am not going to lie and say that i have done much in this department. i was feeling totally unmotivated this week to even try to write down a word, fearing that i would ruin the harmony of my books' ideas. but i got amazing ideas this weekend!

finish illustrations for my second children's book
this item i have been working on diligently, with some advice from my good friends who are much more advanced than i am in the illustrating/drawing/painting realm.

stay in touch
love, love, love my friends. and i am apologizing to them in advance (i'm sorry!) for sending you out old cards, letters, and holiday greetings from yester-year. lol

spread joy
i am definitely going to try to spread some more joy. hopefully we don't get hit with more snow and ice to have that happen.

 say i love you more
this is the goal i've kept up best. i kind of think that i'm driving poor LML crazy...

20 minute activity three times a week
yep. activity is all that's been going on while i've been tucked away in this house- there is ALWAYS something that pops up that i need to do.

wash windows
not yet.

wash walls
not yet.

clean grout
not yet, but i am prepared.

scour pots and pans-
i shined one up real nice, and will post the pictures tomorrow!

polish wood
not yet

research my spring activities
i have SO started this item!

donate, donate
i am setting up donations and  ideas for sites i would like to volunteer at. i am uber-excited about this.

cook/bake new things (this is where 'the kind diet' resolution comes in)
on the menu tomorrow is my next try for lentil soup via the kind diet. i really love this book and can't wait to delve into it a little more.

begin making appointments for activities in springtime (march and on)

 feb. 14th begins my first appointment on the list. i am so excited.

i am just so happy today!

lots of love and enjoy the rest of the weekend!

(i am not watching the superbowl, but i AM squirming while my LML watches Taboo. Eeps.)

today's agenda

(it was warmer in Montreal!)

i am planning a fun filled day for me- yet again!- who is mostly iced into a now-igloo.
i can honestly say, that looking outside, i have never seen plants actually encased in ice. it's beautiful, but dangerous. my whole family went slip sliding between yesterday and today, and i KNOW if and when i go out there, i am going to hurt myself.

not looking forward to it.

so i have things to do today to keep busy:

it will be my first time making pumpkin/apple soup.
i have already begun working on the illustrations for my children's book...
and i am pen-pal-ing again...

so if you want to receive a friendly note, let me know.

i am off to work on my craft!

what are you up to today? i hope in any event you stay and remain happy, toasty and warm!

blessed.

everyday, i wake up and count my blessings.
this takes me a long time-
usually i will continue counting my blessings throughout the day...

and today was no exception.

today was not the first time i learned that i have a wonderful, fun and supportive family.
today was not the first time i thanked my friends for being there.
today was not the first time i nuzzled noses with my assistant.
today was not the first time i cooked dinner, crossed things off my to-do list, did some writing,
and told LML that i love him.

i am extremely thankful for so many things
that i don't have enough fingers and toes to count them.

i am VERY thankful to my bloggie friends <3 because you all make me smile
and support me
no matter what.

i am VERY thankful to whoever it was that has purchased my books- YAY! and Thank You!

i am also thankful that i get to be snowed in this weekend with my soulmate and furry friend, with my family just a phone call (or tiny walk) away!

what fun things do you have going on this weekend?!

food fun

Recipe for my Special Okra (Copyrighted, seriously)

one bag of frozen okra...mmmmmm

make sure you have bakeware to throw them into...

chop up some tomatoes...

bay leaves (2)...

salt and pepper to taste...

oregano...

splash of vinegar...

splash of lemon juice or lime juice...

sometimes i add a little mint

or in the place of pepper- cayenned pepper

toss it around and

put it in the oven for

about an hour and 30 minutes...

taste one and if you likey

great...

if not, cook for another 15 minutes.

tell me what you think. this is my comfort food,

a spinoff from my 'the kind diet' project.

what's on your menu's this weekend?

share with me :)

monday wishes :)

good wishes to you on this pretty but cold in NY monday morning.
what did you all do this weekend? (no matter what you did, i hope you had a blast!

after a long weekend filled with running errands, food and friends- we're back into the routine of the work-week.
i know LML doesn't have it as easy as i do, but with the Monday schedule of cooking, vaccuming, cleaning, laundry and other misc., sometimes it gets annoying.
However, I get through the day with this guy's help:

today, it's my goal to get everything done- right down to my regularly scheduled monday programming, along with having some fun meeting an amazing friend for lunch and finishing this manuscript. maybe working on my january checklist.

the question remains: can i get it done?

what are your plans for today?

love me,
the globetrotting gamine <3<3

menu- turkey veggie chili

what to do when you're stuck at home on a snow day?

there's the shoveling,
cleaning,
and take out the crock pot!

ah i love it!

what's better on a cold day, i figured- than turkey veggie chili?



 

clean and boil the beans til soft

brown the turkey!!

start setting up the spice part of the ingredient list

chop an onion...

that little white ball in the photo is an onion

they should look like this when you're done

chop up the pepper after cleaning

and the carrots and garlic, too

that's what the set up should look like before you throw everything in the crock pot.

in the order you've seen it here, of course.

give it all a quick stir.

check in on it every now and then

see if you'd like more tomatoes or tomato sauce

as time goes by.

5 hours on your timer...

dinner is served :)

i'll let you know how LML likes it tonight <3

last night's dinner menu

i was cleaning out that pantry

so i took out the breadmaker,

and the semolina pasta flour

and figured, let me use it :)

so there goes the semolina flour and other ingredients. i always add herbs to mine to

make it taste nice.

that was after some rolling. i brushed the top with almond milk

this was the second

(yes, second)

loaf of the day.

i had the ingredients, and figured, why not?

we can use it for dinner and freeze what we don't use til next time.

oh, there's the second batch being stirred.

ah, dinner.

"take out the tilapia and season it" LML said.

so i did.

and he cooked it because i burn things.

leafy yummy greens.

sauteed in e.v.o.o with garlic, of course.

hands down, with the tomato salad

it's one of my favorite dinners ever!

what is your favorite dinnerm?

following the kind diet- menu

yesterday, my mushy puppy slept all night...and then from 7 am til 3pm.

again.

i was bored, so i went on a cooking-kick

i took the leftover quinoa from my pantry and decided to use it

because it makes me feel better

and i love it

then, i cleaned (very good) the spinach.

and sauteed it with e.v.o.o and garlic.

mmmmm

and i mixed it up and ate it.

i felt better :)

Autumn Menus

dear bloggie friends:

i find it a form of therapy lately, for me to be cooking.

my new fave to make? wraps...wraps!

they are truly delicious, and if you have a mostly-veggie diet i find that making a wrap totally plays up ones nightly menu. I won't tell you all my secrets for the one below...but to sautee the spinach and mushrooms with onions and garlic is SUBLIME! YUM!

 Of course, there are nights when we all just want to be taken care of...and the nights when me and good friends go out for sushi (pictured here)

This is not the first time we've eaten at Homura Sushi...it's awesome!

Though the service this time was a little bit, odd- shall we say.

But the Sushi, as usual, was awesome...

and then there was one!!


love me,
the globetrotting gamine

happy monday!

doesn't it drive you crazy that

you have so much to do on mondays?

not me!

i love it!

in fact, i believe i am obsessed with mondays-

i love making my to-do list for the day

that turns into the to-do list for the week :)

i love hearing people gossip

about what happened over the weekend

while i am on line waiting for some java

and dunkin' donuts...

i love to try to figure out how long

it's going to take me to finish the four books i'm reading

only to daydream about which other one i will be

acquiring at barnes and noble...

cooking...

a chicken roasting in the oven

crafts...

my office project

organizing...

all cabinets and drawers-again!

and figuring out...what else i'm going to do today <3

i know the clock turned back on sunday early-morn

but there's still not enough hours in the day!

what are you up to on this lovely wintry-morning?

october menu- cooking festivities!

what it looks like when you cut off the bottoms of the baby bok choy!

throughly cleaned before being sauteed with garlic...yum!

whole wheat bread in the breadmaker...all you do is shop...

throw in the ingredients...

and it does all the work for you!

what shortcuts do YOU use in the kitchen?

a million things

there are obviously amillion things the universe is throwing at me because I have absolutely no time to myself! no time to blog, especially next week :(
no time to yoga...shall ask eatsgrass if she wants to go to a class with me! or me with her...

the great thing is, since my whole ex-friend debacle- i have found so much more time to see MY *actual* friends! people who i haven't seen in a long while, people who i wasn't able to see because of said friend...
and i'm HAPPY. albeit exhausted, but happy.

thank the heavens.

i have been writing my books, looking for summer courses for july-september, and keeping in touch with the world, so to speak.
i have spent more time with family...and cooking!

i miss ghosting around blogs. namely:

Dragonfly Interiors

Suburban Yogini
Coffee and Paint Drips

and eatgrass

best. blogs. ever. hands down.

so love to you all on this beautiful monday morning.
hope you do everything you set out to do this week!!

more soon!
love
mg

where was the last place you had it?

you know, i really hate that question...you lose something and some numb nuts asks you...
well, where was the last place you had it?

if i knew, would i have lost it?
grrrrrrr...

regardless of my brain status this morning, i thought i'd share something fun that popped up in my ticker tape of a mind last week...
i was making pasta:

and i realized i had these things:

brown sugar, vitamin e oil, and an empty tubby

so i made my brown sugar scrub and it was amaaaazzziiiinnng!!!

so try it when you can!
love,
mg

i heart st.patrick's day

birds were singing

sun was shining

and i was playing in the yard...

well, i was done playing in the yard when

i figured...

let me bake some cookies!

and this is what *that* mess looked like:

When Bored...

When Bored is a new series of posts I've decided to add since I've had a lot of practice this week- having the flu and being snowed in...

So my first idea is obvious...

bake, bake, bake.

It'll make you feel more productive, the house will smell nice, and you'll have a lovely treat for yourself or someone special after dinner :) Brownies and cookies work nicely with this idea. Feel free to decorate appropriate dessert with sprinkles, frosting, food coloring and gel tubes!!

Love,
MG

Weekday Menu 2

Yesterday was another sick day that I took cooking and tea-ing it. There is my wonderful assistant keeping an eye on my holiday Peeps. ( I love peeps!)

If you look really closely, you'll see that the peeps and my assistant are the same color :)

I got the idea from a dear friend of mine to combine cookies and brownies. The results? Stupendous, LML said! Victorious I was as he's NEVER liked my brownies before. He always tells me that I shouldn't be cooking or baking anything, and that I should get used to not doing so. Sometimes, I have no idea what the man would rather have me do if I am not at least preparing treats. I'd feel helpless. In any event, on to the masterpiece! I'll take you through it step by step! (Now that the NKOTB song is playing in my head...)

Step 1:

Stir the brownie mix together well. I used EVOO instead of butter, but whatever you use is fine. (My EVOO comes from a farm I have been to in Greece, so I cannot guarantee your results will be the same as mine were! You can also mix butter and evoo to make it yummy!)

Step 2:

I stirred chocolate chips into the brownie mixture :) It's a little whisper I had in my head to do, and it worked fabulously!

Step 3:

Prepare the cookies! I got these cookies, but if you want to make it from scratch, that would work, too. Sugar cookies are out of the question. Chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies do the trick just fine!

Step 4:

Empty the contents of the brownie mix...

Step 5:

Into a bake pan.

Step 6:

Are you sure you  mixed the cookies well enough? When you KNOW you have, form your cookie balls onto a bakesheet!

Step 7:

Plop said PB cookie balls on top of brownie mix in bake pan. Make sure your oven has been preset to whatever the BROWNIE mix box temperature is. I put mine on 360 and checked on them periodically.

Step 8:

Stick a clean butter knife or fork into the brownie mix. If only a little stuff comes out of the brownie pan, close the oven door, turn off the oven, and leave the brownies in there for another 10 minutes or so.

The end result looks like this:

ENJOY! We did!

Love,

MG

Weekdays Menu [picture heavy post!]

I know, I always do my weekend menu post. This week, since I am home and sick like a dog, I have a stay in-weekday menu...

So I took some pictures to share with you. On Monday night, after I met with my lovely lady blogger friend @ eatsgrass.blogspot.com, I picked up some sushi for LML to try.

He has yet to come with me to this place my dear friends have found- so I wanted to bring some home for him. We got to use our sushi sets (flatware?)...

That's the Halloween Roll from Bell Sushi. I'm sure I've blogged about it before, but isn't it beautiful?

 He loved it and now can't wait to go there :) My job is done.

Tuesday night I decided to make my baked chicken.

That's the chicken getting prepped to bathe in...

the eggs that I beat together with some spices. When I coated the chicken I dunked it in my special breadcrumb mix. I made it from scratch but you can use store-bought or mashed up corn flakes, if you like.

After I coated the chicken with the breadcrumbs, it looked like this:

LML said that the chicken was sublime :)

Score, again!

While I was waiting for the chicken to bake- this is what my assistant was doing:

Wish I could sleep like that. More on what I cooked/baked this week tomorrow! Pleasant dreams, bloggers!

Love me

the globetrotting gamine