by Sam Tackeff | Nov 30, 2013 | Shopping
It should be known that Vietnamese food is on the absolute top of my cravings list, and the best that I’ve found in the Boston area so far is at Pho So 1 Boston in Randolph. Today we had to make our way to IKEA to make a return and for a few household items, and we stopped here for a quick lunch. I had my usual – bún thịt bò nướng – grilled beef over rice noodles with lots of fresh vegetables and herbs. I’ve yet to learn to adequately re-create this at home with just the right marinade and char on the meat, but probably for the best, because I’d be eating it every other day. (When I do make this at home, I usually ditch the rice noodles, and just grate extra veg and call it salad.)
At IKEA, we made our return easily even without the original receipt, and picked up a knife magnet, some candles, and a coffee frother to take home. I know that there are people who loathe the IKEA experience, but I’m not one of them – I’d happily move in to one of those 372 square foot apartment spaces, and who can resist salmon portions and swedish meatballs in the dining area?
These pictures are all from last weekend, when we did the exact same IKEA/Pho So Boston 1 run. Creatures of habit? Hammy, the traveling lion is a cute scheme created for my high school reunion this summer – he spends his time traveling from classmate to classmate to pep us up for the big weekend. It’s right this time of year that I need some cute overload, so I’ve been showing him the sights before sending him on to a lucky classmate. Also, I really need a dog.
by Sam Tackeff | Nov 29, 2013 | Holidays
Winter is here, and it’s here to stay. It’s no longer safe to leave the house without a hat around these parts, and our neighbors have put up the Christmas decorations. Today we brunched at Rox, and ran into my grandmother, Sterra, who was midway through her weekly beauty parlor routine: a manicure, a quick break for soup, and then off to get her hair done. Her schedule is booked from morning to night – zumba, tai chi, museums, the symphony, lectures, entertaining friends for 5 o’clock cocktails – she lives at a pace that is even exhausting to think about. She’s quite a remarkable woman. Our day was quieter – we braved Guitar Center without purchasing anything, Target for toilet paper (I know, I know, what crazy people attempt an errand run on this nightmare of a weekend?), and a quick stop to Anthropologie, where I broke my “no spending on this stupid day” rule because that bright happy coffee pot was a mere $15 dollars on sale. I had to do it.
I love how it feels like a lazy Sunday, and we have two whole days of weekend left!
by Sam Tackeff | Nov 28, 2013 | Fitness, Holidays, Wellness
Happy second night of Hanukkah! Today I slept in, jumped out of bed, and ran for a mile. I’m debating another running streak. I ran a mile from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July this year, and it was a great practice. I love streaks. With streaks, you eliminate the options and have just two choices – continue, or quit. I’m most competitive with myself, so streaks work for me. I’ve been crossing off days on my current squat streak (50 a day), and thought that adding a mile from Thanksgiving to New Years might be a thing I’d like to do. From a fitness standpoint it seems doable, but this winter running thing? I’m not quite sure how I’ll adapt. Winter running requires a whole new wardrobe – long pants, jackets, protected extremities. And you can’t just have one outfit – you have to have several, otherwise you’ll be doing laundry every other day. I’m normally an overheated runner, and it’s clear that I don’t have this temperature control down. Today, at 30 degrees, I wore long running pants, a long sleeved running shirt, a sweatshirt, hat and gloves. My hands and face ended up freezing, and my core was overheating. This is going to require some significant trial and error.
This Thanksgiving, we spent the afternoon with much of my extended family at the same place we’ve been going to for the past three decades. Cousins and second cousins travel in from across the country, and we’re a large bunch. It’s quite a formal event, and I’ve always felt a little uneasy getting dressed up when I’d much prefer to overeat with less constricting clothing. Preferably an elastic waistband. For many years we’d have a second meal at my grandmother’s house, where she’d cook a second turkey, and make her famous cheese pie. We’d change into house clothes, and I’d feel like I could finally kick back and relax. A few years ago we stopped with the second meals, for the best probably, because it was utterly excessive consumption. After we did, I found myself sorely missing my opportunity for “real Thanksgiving” – but I wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. Today there was a small coup – everyone agreed that we love being together, but next year we’d like to have the big meal at a home. Planning started early, and I’m looking forward to next year at my aunt and uncles house, with lots of family, a roaring fire, and Cooper, my cousin dog making the rounds. No one likes breaking traditions, but I’m looking forward to next year already!
I didn’t take many pictures today, but I did snap one that’s still making me giggle.
Things I’m thankful for tonight:
My health, my family, my cousin-dog Cooper, candles, and egg nog.
Also, my camera, my cookbooks, warm fires, tuna melts.
And basketball season, good books, dear friends.
Cozy sweaters, laughter, and dark chocolate almond bark.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
by Sam Tackeff | Nov 27, 2013 | Holidays
For the past month, I’d been under the impression that Thanksgiving coincided with the first night of Hanukkah. I’d been getting so excited for the culinary possibilities – Turkey double down with sweet potato latke buns? Leftover mashed potato latkes? (Serious Eats had an excellent roundup yesterday of chef’s suggestions for the holiday mashup) – that I forgot to actually check the calendar.
This afternoon I realized that Thanksgiving coincides with the first *day* of Hanukkah, and we Jews like starting our holidays early, the night before. By the time I came to this conclusion, our little Whole Foods was out of Hanukkah candles, so we headed to a supermarket to pick some up (plus a bonus purchase of some frozen convenience latkes). And then we got home and I had misplaced my menorah, so I had to use canning jars. Hipster Hanukkah?
Dinner tonight was a Thanksgiving pre-meal: turkey gravy, smashed potatoes, and creamed spinach. And we toasted with some Martinelli’s sparkling cider. I may spike my refill, but this stuff on it’s own is still as exciting as when I was a kid. There’s Crescent Ridge eggnog in the fridge, basketball on tv, and candles burning brightly. It’ll be eight days of celebration, and we’re off to a good start!
by Sam Tackeff | Nov 26, 2013 | Candy, Random
There was going to be a little mug cake tonight. I melted the chocolate with the salted butter, and headed to the fridge…
And we were out of eggs.
I grumbled. I pouted. But I would not leave the kitchen empty handed. So I improvised. Added a few chopped walnuts. Gave it a new name. “Mug truffles”. And it was exactly what I hadn’t known that I had wanted.
