Stir Fry Monday!

Tonight we tried out our electric wok for the first time--something we've been anticipating with great eagerness. First, Matthew carefully studied the manual:

While I chopped up some veggies...

And marinated strips of chicken in San-J Thai Peanut sauce.*

Then we cooked the chicken in small batches, and later added the veggies--the heartier ones (like carrots and broccoli) first:

At last, we had our plates filled with yummy chicken stir fry...

...and so we ate it all up (Matt, apparently, did so with gusto).

*This was our first time using the San-J Thai Peanut stir fry sauce. It got an "Eh" rating--definitely not bad, but nothing to get excited about. Next time we'll doctor the sauce up with some chili powder and red pepper flakes, and we'll throw some peanuts in with the veggies.

Something Pretty

I can't wait to serve milk for brunch in our lovely new Wedgwood carafe (it demands organic only, don't you think?). But until then I'm happy to display in it bright roses plucked from behind the house.

Gone to the Birds

I know spring is really here, because birds are trying to build a nest in the wreath on my front door. You can see that they've started to unravel the twigs in the bottom left area of the wreath, as that section used to be secured tightly like the rest and is now starting to come loose. I sat on the stairwell for longer than I care to admit, camera aimed at the door, waiting to catch a shot of the birds stuffing twigs and grass into the nooks and crannies. One of them flew in the door, saw me, and hightailed it back out so quickly that I couldn't get a shot...

Movie Review: Marie Antoinette

Thanks to Netflix, I have the opportunity to see a variety of films I never would have considered paying $8-11 to see in the theaters, plus many other documentaries and indies that are difficult to catch on a big screen. Our latest viewing was of Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, starring Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman. This film was hyped quite a bit before it premiered at Cannes, and then got a lot of bad press when it was reportedly booed after that screening. But I learned a long time ago to see or read what I want and make my own judgments rather than letting critics, so-called experts, or even friends dictate what’s good or bad. Plus, I love Coppola’s first film, The Virgin Suicides (also starring Dunst, coincidentally), and I also have liked other films that re-imagine familiar or historically-significant stories using unexpected settings and modern music (for example, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge). So I went into Marie Antoinette with an open mind and expecting to, at the very least, enjoy the spectacle.

And that’s pretty much what I got—a lot of eye candy and not much else. Halfway through, Matt and I remarked how little dialogue there was. Seriously, all of the actors could have been deaf mutes and we would have barely noticed. As for the story, there wasn’t much of that either. As I mentioned to my friend Reynold later, it was like the difference between reading a biography and looking at a child’s picture book telling of the story. A really beautifully illustrated one, but a 2-hour-and-3-minute long picture book nonetheless.

Coppola goes out of her way to make sure we develop a sympathy for Marie, and it’s quite effective. You get a real sense of just how young (only 14 when she left Austria and wed Louis) and inexperienced Marie was, and how she was not only a product of her environment but also a victim of the culture at that time—all of which combined to make her quite misunderstood. And Kirsten Dunst plays the role superbly, in my opinion—letting us see the “real” and vulnerable person behind the perfectly-coifed and ornately-dressed Marie Antoinette we are used to seeing in oil paintings. And that’s the one-dimensional image her subjects had of her as well, so when the mob comes to storm Versailles you do feel for her and wish they could have better understood all sides of the situation—something that is usually possible only after the realities of that moment in time have turned into history.

So there were some interesting characters portrayed, and Marie’s character goes through some development. But the real and lasting impression left by this film is all visual. If you like lush colors, ornate costuming, still life portraiture, frilly shoes, close ups of pastries, and film as artwork all set to a catchy 80’s post-punk soundtrack, then you’ll enjoy looking at this film. But just looking, I’m afraid, as there isn’t a whole lot of substance beyond the surface. And I, personally, prefer my films to stimulate my brain as well as my heart and eyes.

Thankfully Reynold happened to have a copy of the PBS documentary on Marie Antoinette’s life, which he lent to me and that I’m eager to watch in order to balance out my experience.

Heaven in a Paper Wrapper

S'mores cupcakes. Need I say more?

Another Something New

We got so spoiled in the months just before the wedding, when I'd come home nearly every day and the front porch would be piled high with boxes--lovely gifts to open and admire. It's been so long since we've received any packages (3 lonely weeks), that I was unreasonably excited when the FedEx man came to deliver our new Rosendahl wall-mounted wine holder.

I was first introduced to Rosendahl by the lovely Miss Brandi many years ago when she gifted me with a beautiful yet functional water carafe. I'd been looking for a unique but useable wine storage solution for a while--ever since Matt expressed an interest in collecting varieties of wines to sample--and when we were at Mike and Brandi's some time ago we both admired this lovely holder. And now it's ours, too. Yay! (Hope you don't mind, Morris family. You know that saying about imitation being flattery, right?)
Notice that we're proud to display our "2-buck Chuck" right next to the imported stuff! The bottom bottle sports a tag that reads "Do Not Open Until Your 1-Year Anniversary"--a sweet wedding gift from Tim and Karen Bren, who unfortunately were unable to attend.

Sale Alert!

I never shop at Albertson's, but last night I needed a few things and it was close by so I ran in. One of the first things I saw when I walked in was a display of energy-efficient flourescent lightbulbs--10 FOR $10! This is a fantastic deal (made possible through an Edison promotion), considering these bulbs normally cost $4-7 each. I don't know how long the promo is slated to run, but if you're interested in jumping on my Earth Day Resolution bandwagon, get to an Albertson's today and pick some up.

Lovey Dovey

Today Matt and I are celebrating our one-month anniversary. Feel free to gag if that's too sweet for you...

Earth Day 2007 Resolutions

On a scale of 1 to 10--with 1 being the slovenly resource-wasting loser who fills his trash bin with beer cans and routinely throws litter out his car window, and 10 being a full-blown granola tree hugger--I've long considered myself to be about a 6 or 7. I go out of my way to place any recyclables I can into my recycle bin--all cans, aluminum, plastics, cardboard, grocery bags, non-Styrofoam packing materials, etc. I turn off the water instead of letting it run while I brush my teeth or wash my face, never run the dishwasher or washing machine unless they're full, and am somewhat fanatical about turning off lights around the house once I leave a room.

But lately I've been feeling convicted that I'm not doing quite as much as I could or should be doing to 1) preserve and protect our environment and 2) live healthier in my own home. Earth Day is the perfect time, I figured, to make some small changes in my normal routine, and last Friday Oprah did a show about simple things everyone can do to live more green. Most all of her ideas were realistic and do-able, although Matt and I both wondered aloud how practical it would be to own and haul around 10+ canvas grocery sacks and net produce bags to replace using the store's plastic or paper ones. But for the most part, I was inspired by how easy and affordable many of the suggestions were and, in fact, implementing many of them could actually save us money in the long run.

So here's my resolution list for 2007, and I challenge you to make some for yourself! Let me know which ones you're thinking about adopting, and we can hold one another accountable.

1) Get a membership at http://www.greendimes.com/, which I actually did this morning, so yay for me! Producing junk mail for just one year uses 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water. For $36 per year (about a dime a day), GreenDimes not only reduces by 75-90% the amount of junk mail (including unwanted catalogs) that come to your house, but they also plant one tree for you every month for a year! Also, fewer credit card apps and home refinancing offers coming to your house lowers your risk of identity theft. Normally it's $3 for every additional name you want to add in your household (for example, mail coming in Matt's or my maiden names), but for a limited time you can add up to 3 additional names for just $1 each. One last selling point that will probably be of interest only to Yvette, but Matt Damon is on the board of directors. Check out their site!

2) As I use up and run out of household cleaning supplies, replace them with natural and non-chemical eco-friendly products. Some of the brands mentioned on Oprah were Mrs. Meyer’s, Seventh Generation, Method (which I know is carried at Target and many grocery stores), and Shaklee. Shaklee is actually running a promotion right now where you can get 33% off their starter pack. I’ve got to say, I’m a whore for good packaging, and I was surprised at how cute the design and packaging is for all of these companies. I’m especially drawn to Mrs. Meyer’s….

3) Finally take my old household paint, electronics, cell phones, and computers to a certified recycling/reuse/disposal center!

4) Replace all of the light bulbs in the house with compact fluorescent bulbs. While they may cost more upfront, they last for 8-10 years and use 70-75% less energy. We already have a few of these, but my goal is to get them all switched out within the next 2 weeks.

5) Stop buying bottled water, period. And try to minimize buying carton items like milk or cream, since paper products with a wax coating can't be recycled.

Color Me Highlighted

So I decided not to cut off all my wedding hair. While I went through a spell a couple of months ago when it was driving me crazy and I hated how long it took to dry it, etc. recently it's started growing on me and I just wasn't ready to hack it all off. I did take off 2 inches, though, so it looks all shiny and healthy again, sans-splitends. I also got some purdy highlights! My previously blah brown hair has been snazzed up with shades of, as my hairdresser describes it, "butterscotchy caramel" and "iced tea." It's very natural looking and pretty subtle, but it's definitely fresh and spring-y looking. I love it, and maybe when I go back in 8 weeks I'll have her do even more. Your thoughts?

Upcoming AmCat Shows

I just got word that my friend Tom's (of "Matt and Denise's wedding" fame) band has some more shows coming up. Matt and I will definitely be at the Friday-night show in Whittier, but I'd consider going to the Thursday-night show downtown if anyone else was interested. Let me know!

Club Good Hurt
When: Thurs., May 3, 9:30 pm
How much: $10 at the door/$7 with promo flyer, which I'd be happy to forward to you

Ambrose Pizza
When: Fri., May 4. 8-10 pm
How much: Free! (not the food, though, of course)
Where: 6717 Greenleaf Ave., Whittier (mid-uptown)

BTW, if you haven't already, visit their site and buy their album!

Kitty Catty

Matt and I have been talking for a long while about getting a kitten--maybe even two. We both like having a pet, and a cat is so much more practical than a dog when you live in a townhouse and don't have a yard. Plus, they're CUTE. But we've decided to wait a little while until we're more settled into our married life routine and the house is back in order. I mentioned to my friend Jeannie that last night I'd dreamt someone gave me a kitty as a gift, and she sent me this photo. Thanks, Jeannie!

I'm Famous, I Tell You

Just for the heck of it, I searched for "spacelady" on Google. I got tired of looking for myself after scanning page 3 of 35 . . . . But then I typed in "spacelady's planet," and guess who popped up in the #1 slot? ME.

Recordmania

Matt has a lot of records.

I Heart My Husband

Last night Matt was lying on the bed, just hanging out while I put away laundry and did my normal bedtime routine. At one point I walked into the room and he was just lying there staring off into space with this grin on his face.

Me: "What are you smiling about?"

Matt: "I was just looking at my wedding ring."

Me: "And that made you smile?"

Matt: "Yes."

Recipe Review: Baked Apple Dumpling Pie with Vanilla Custard Sauce

This recipe is from Ken Haedrich's fantastic cookbook, Apple Pie Perfect, which contains "100 delicious and decidedly different recipes for America's favorite pie" (thanks to Carol for turning me on to this book). This is the 4th of his pies I've made, and every one has been phenomenal. I'd planned to make this for Easter dessert, but we all gorged ourselves on malted milk balls, jelly beans, cheese, and veggies before dinner was even ready, so we decided to nix dessert. So last Tuesday I made it for just Matt and me, and we're still happily snacking on it. Here's the recipe followed by my notes:

Raisin Walnut Mixture
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons raspberry preserves
4 golden delicious apples

Glaze
light cream or milk
granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the raisin walnut mixture ingredients in a food processor. Pulse repeatedly until it's finely ground, then set aside.

2. In an ovenproof skillet or saute pan that measures 9 inches across the bottom and about 11-12 inches across the top, melt the butter and then stir in the brown sugar and preserves. When it's bubbling evenly (about 30 seconds or so) remove from heat.

3. Halve and core the apples, but don't peel them. Spoon the raisin walnut mixture into the cored centers of 7 of the apple halves, packing it firmly.

4. Lay the apples, cut-side down, into the skillet on top of the raspberry mixture. You should be able to fit 6 around the edges and one in the center. Finely dice the 8th one and scatter the pieces between the apples along with the remaining raisin walnut mixture.

5. Lay a 12-inch pastry dough over the top of the apple mounds. Rather than cutting the edges, tuck the excess dough straight down along the inside of the pan. Cut several large vent holes in the dough, then lightly brush with milk or cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

6. Place on center rack and bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees and bake for about another 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. Instead of cutting into traditional pie slices, serve by scooping out the little apple mounds along with the pan drippings.

Vanilla Custard Sauce
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups light cream or half-and-half
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a bowl.

2. Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium-sized saucepan. Once it's hot, gradually whisk it (about 1/3 cup at a time) into the yolk and sugar mixture. Once all the cream has been incorporated, transfer the mixture back into the saucepan.

3. Stir over medium-low heat (DO NOT BOIL) until it thickens enough to leave a path on the back of a wooden spoon when you draw a finger across it--about 5 minutes or so.

4. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl and then stir in the vanilla. Let cool to room temperature and then chill until cold. This will keep for 2-3 days.

So now my input. This was a really great pie. Not our favorite from this book, but a good solid 4 out of 5 stars. It's unique, which we both like, but I think it would be most appropriate for a more casual dinner or event--like a barbecue or something. The custard sauce, however, really ups the classy factor. It is GOOD, and I'm not even a fan of custards. It's smooth and creamy and not too rich, and would taste amazing over fruit at breakfast. I was a little nervous about making it because I don't really trust my judgment when a recipe says to be careful not to over-cook or, in this case, until it has a certain consistency. I prefer facts and strict rules that will guarantee my success: "cook for exactly 5 minutes, stirring counter-clockwise at a rate of 50 stirs per minute" etc.... But I just kept the heat really low, stirred it gently non-stop, and it turned out fine. We had it in the fridge for a couple of hours before we ate the pie, and it was definitely tasty. But it was noticeably better the next morning (when we ate leftover pie for breakfast!). So when I make it again I'll prepare the custard sauce the night before. So there's my first recipe review. If you decide to make it, please do let me know how it goes!

Sob, Sniffle, Sigh . . .

I was totally unprepared for how emotional I would get seeing ceremony photos for the very first time. This morning a coworker gave me a cd of photos that her husband had taken at the wedding, not knowing that I hadn't yet seen any pictures from the actual ceremony. After all, my closest friends and family who had already shared their pics with me were all in the wedding and therefore didn't have any! The tears sprang right to my eyes as I watched the slideshow three times through, remembering just how it felt to be marrying the man of my dreams surrounded by all the people we love most in the world. And also noticing things for the first time that I didn't have the time or attention to notice that day: how intensely green the grass and trees were out there in the garden, the brightness of the blue sky, the fabulous fabric and ribbons decking the aisle, just how handsome the men looked in those fab Dean Martin inspired tuxes.... I'm almost tempted to regret our decision not to hire a videographer, but in the end I'm still glad we didn't. Because this truly was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of day. For us, it was the perfect wedding. And while it may have been nice to see it all happening again, it would be just that--seeing it, like a "Very Special Episode of...." Nothing could match the experience of actually living it that day, and that's what I most want to remember anyhow.

It's Mrs. Spacelady Now

Yes, friends, it is true. No, it wasn't some dream or fantasy: I am now a married woman. Perhaps 10 years or so later than I'd maybe envisioned as a young girl . . . but in this case it was absolutely worth the wait.

Amazingly enough, I remember just about everything from that day--from struggling to hold my eyes open while Jill applied eyeliner to the ticklish inner corners of my eyes, to putting on the dress and seeing the final touches come together as Cassandra placed that one last flower in my hair, to chatting with my dad to calm our nerves before walking out those big doors into the bright sunshine and the gaze of 120 of our closest friends and family, to how I felt as I spoke the vows uniting my life to Matt's forever (or as I often remind him, "Until we're dead!"), to being pleasantly surprised at just how tasty wedding chicken and mashed potatoes could be, to dancing with my new husband for the first time as my flip-flop clad feet slid around beneath me on the slick dancefloor, and greeting and hugging as many people as we could throughout the evening.

I'll have more to say in future posts, but for now I'm just happy and wanted to relive it all for just a moment before going back to work . . . .

Sexy Ladies

It's official: I have the best looking, most kindhearted, most attentive girlfriends on the planet.