Mostly ignoring Halloween except for these...

They may not look too pretty now in my lunch box, but they tasted GREAT! (This is the recipe I used.) I was going to do a "styled" shot at home, but they were literally INHALED by the members of the family in flight from the stove to the dinning room table... thus, the very brief photo-op moment had escaped me!

Thank you Monz for participating in a cooking class earlier, and thank you Cousin for the wonderful coverage of the event. Since we WERE actually paying attention, we picked up on the tip of using wanton wrappers to make the raviolies. This resulted in extra light raviolies with more focus on the taste then dealing with the CARB-guilt.

Trick question: What language do the russian ladies speak when talking to a chinese lady in a chinese market? ...and... in what language does the chinese lady respond?

Answer: why of course! the russian ladies speak russian to the chinese lady and she in turn responds in chinese! Naturally!

I didn't stay long enough to find out if the russian ladies had success in finding the produce they were looking for. I myself had to ask where the wanton wrappers were which involved a long chain of various people translating to each other and similarly translating back to me what the answer was. Sometimes I wish I spoke all the chinese dialects! Shopping in Brooklyn would have been a brease!!!

Another, simpler question: Lately I've been wanting to have a drink after work... is this some kind of sign of budding alcoholism? I keep looking at the bottle of almond Champaign I got in Gillroy, California (which is so unfairly being overlooked, though has tremendous wine country potential! and pst... FREE wine tastings!!!! HELLOO!). Should I open it? And drink it?? By myself??? The whole bottle???

I have no more reports... or questions... I do need some new input! Can everyone just tell me a secret would you!? Just one!!!! I feel like Jonny5, that robot from Short Circuit... need input... need input... It can be a personal secret, a secret about some one else (gossip- yes!) a kitchen secret... anything!!!! Input!!!!!

swisskiss

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Yummi this, yummi that... bla bla

Finally had time to upload these pictures from the apple orchard Jaz and I went to a few weeks ago. It was gorgeous and the apples were SO GOOD. Eating of the trees for free made them even sweeter. Well you do pay $8 and they hand you a bag which you may fill up with as many apples as you can fit in. Well they obviously didn't know who they were dealing with... we ate lots of apples of the trees. The down side however was that I couldn't look at another apple for a WHILE.

Now check this out and imagine the irony; when Nico and I arrived at the hotel we were staying at, we were handed... what?... yes APPLES!!! That place had big bowls full of apples all over the lobby... that was kinda their thing. Its kinda smallish on this picture, but between the two white columns you can see one of the baskets with apples.














Anyway back to the orchard... Lovely location... and see, mountain in the background.




















Here are the beauties up close... YUM! So, like a good girl (as in, NOT like a prostitute I guess) I wanted to make all kinds of applelicious things like pies and apple tarts... and so on and so forth... well I did NON of the things! Why? No reason, laziness. Ok, ok, and because I could not look at another apple in the eye! But still - Lazy! This weekend however, I want to make pumpkin raviolies. And I'm stating it here and now so I feel accountable to EVERYONE (as in EVERYONE). There, I said it, now I HAVE to make them.

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GimmiGimmi!!!

Nico: I think I'm getting promoted...
Ale: YEEEEEYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MORE PRESENTS FOR MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! ...oh, I mean, that's wonderful darling, I'm so proud.

...somewhere in the background Madonna's The Material Girl is on full BLAST.....

BTW, has anyone noticed a new counter on the bottom?? We're counting down to Turkey day but what does that really stand for...? I'll let you ponder that one...

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Look inside to see what's "cooking".

I go through my "impatient stages". That's where I just get impatient for no apparent reason. (Probably the Aries nature.) There is nothing in particular or even in general that I want, but for some reason I just get impatient...

The danger of such "impatience" is that in order to rationalize it I tend to apply it (or assign it) to an actual thing or situation. Here is a perfect example of such impatience that really has nothing to do with anything, definitely had nothing to do with Nico, but I still applied it to an event since it was a way to explain it.

Well, I think its time for a quick reminder to get back to "basics" of SemprePrimavera which dictates:

There is really no reason for bad mood for no reason...
Though being happy and giddy is a must any season!!

Translation:

It is much better to have glittery anticipation of something really really good that cannot be explained... The anticipation of something great makes you happy and giddy and why should we not be happy and giddy for no reason!!!??? Its much better then feeling impatient, unhappy, angry (insert negative word). If we are going to choose how to feel for 'no reason' why not choose to be happy and giddy!!!

hurraaay! Problem solved!
Thank you,
You're welcome,

...what? you never talk to yourself? My drama teacher in 8th grade told me it was very healthy to talk to yourself... though my math teacher said I could find better company... ehhh whatever, always hated math anyway!!

Ciaocacao!

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"The Princess Diaries" Part 2 - My lands

So what! Don't you imagine when visiting a new city that you're simply looking over the developments in the far side of your kindgdom!? No...? Oh, well, it's just me then...

Haha

So we went for a ride around town, rivers, fields, cows, gardens, orchards, castles... yes EVEN castles!
The whole thing was unbearably romantic! Even the sun was smiling down on us in approval! It was unseasonably warm as we wore just t-shirts!












It really felt like the top of the world. What a great feeling it is when you have a whole beautiful day to do nothing but enjoy and have fun with a special someone... who is willing to make out with you in the courtyard of every castle you pass... or while sitting on any stone wall overlooking the river and a picturesque village on the other side...

Ahhhhh..... yes, aren't you glad you had your barf bag ready!?? :)

Just so this isn't all enveloped in some kind of mystery we were in this lovely town (and surrounding areas).

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We are a genteel bunch alright!

Just want to interrupt the "Princess Diaries" for a second. The other day Jazz, Highcontrast, and friend we went to the see La Boheme put on by City Opera. I like opera, though I must admit the last time I went, I was admitted with a child's ticket. Yeah, last year, no, I wish, maybe like 18 yrs ago...

Anyway, it was a rainy evening and I was already getting annoyed as it is due to having to beat and fight my way through the crowds with umbrellas on Fifth ave. Finally we made it to the theater where we also attended a lecture about opera. The lecture was ok, though the speakers were condescending in their ways of explaining the basic elements of opera, I mean COME ON! Everyone knows what an "Aria" is... if not, you can watch TV where our very own Mr. Highcontrast explains to us what it is. (Yes he was picked out of the crowd to be inverviewed because he is just so pretty.) It really wasn't bad, since before the lecture we were able to grab complementary drinks made with Fernet Branca. I was rather annoyed when server chick tried to explain to me what Fernet Branca was. Dude!!! Don't you know I'm a faux Italian!??? I know my aperatifs and digestifs Grazie very mucho!!!

It did calm me down, the drink I mean.

Ok, now as for La Boheme. I liked BEING at the opera, but the storyline was just NOT doing it for me. Its supposed to be a story about falling in love, though to me it looked more like a bunch of poor people looking for a cheap romp that turns out to be more expensive then thought.

Seriously, the play starts out with 2 guys in their little attic bohemian Parisian pad trying to conduct their bohemian activities (paint and write poetry) but its too cold and they have no money for heat... Then the 3rd guy shows up saying he just got paid and they all decide to go out to dinner, it is Christmas after all...

One of the guys Rodolfo (main guy) lingers behind... this is when the main chick, Mimi shows up at his door BEGGING FOR IT.

According to the story, she is supposed to be this shy, sweet girl who talks in a soft voice... YEAH RIGHT! Who does Verdi take us for?? Everyday fools???

This Mimi slut, shows up at Rodolfo's door under the pretext of lighting her candle that has gone out. Then she mentions that she is out of breath climbing all those stairs, so Rodolfo offers her a seat. Now WHY in the world she didn't knock on her next door neighbor's door instead of "climbing all those stairs" sure beats me! Rodolfo is still being a fidgety dumb ass, so Mimi decides to FAINT into his croch area to speed things up. The moran still doesn't get it, but when she comes to, he does offer her some wine. Ok, good.

She sings him a little "Aria" about how she is a nice, sweet girl who likes romance, hint, hint... who's real name is Lucia, but apparently everyone calls her Mimi (hmm... her prostitute nickname perhaps?) She proceeds to tell him that she lives alone... (Ahhh, ALL ALONE) HINT HINT.

Rodolfo the fool still doesn't get it and decides to sing her an "Aria" in return... after he is done, and after some awekward moments of silence Mimi finally decides to leave. But the shameless slut in her doesn't give up so easily!!! She comes right back and says that she dropped her house key in the apartment, then both candles go out cus she creates a draft in the apartment and both of them end up on their all fours on the floor looking for her keys (which she probably never had to begin with because I dont know about any whores locking up their rooms).

Ok, making long story short, she continues to be really annoying asking Rodolfo for presents and etc... then when he rightfully gets sick of her bony ass, she guilts him into staying with her because she gets sick. (Probably syphilis from all her previous whoring around.) At the end she dies. I don't know WHY, but I'm not sad for her, but extremely relieved for Rodolfo.

Hmmm.. maybe I should try Carmen, see if I like that better. She was a conniving seductress and was not afraid to admit it.

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"The Princess Diaries" Part 1 - Royal Eats

Yes I was (STILL AM) on cloud 9 after the trip to the wonderful world of Nicoland. Again, I must turn my head into the general direction of Hollywood and say: EAT YOUR HEART OUT! I felt like royalty, so I decided to entitle these next few posts as the "Princess Diaries"

I will start this merry story of royal indulgence of the senses, with the food! I don't know who came up with the saying: "A way to a man's heart is through his stomach" but I just have to say, it sure can be applied to women too!!!

There is just something about being in a warm, candle lit place with sipping glass after glass of wine... Carrying on with an animated conversation, flirting... making bedroom eyes at each other... while eating............:






















!!!!!!!


YES WE DID!!! I wasn't going to at first... but it was this absolutely fancy shmancy place the one you must find in a secret alleyway, behind the secret door where you must ring the bell to be let in... a place that serves based on a full menu that you choose where all the courses complement each other in a special way that we simple mare mortals cannot possibly understand thus the super fancy shmancy chef must make all the decisions for us... So well, I decided to just trust it. And it was SO DELICIOUS! Hmm... deer!? Who knew...? (Not kosher, that's for sure.) But then again, lots of good things in life are not... ahem... kosher.

Here are some glimpses of the place.
I had no idea but Northern Europe really knows how to do their food experience really well.

And this was just the first evening...

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Start your engines!

I know I'm supposed to provide miss Jazz with the pictures of the GORGEOUS orchard we went apple picking at... I mean it was so pretty with rolling hills and even a mountain perfectly positioned in the background, whoever put that there is so smart! ;)

But wait, let me explain why I can't have the pictures ready... well its because I'll be jetsetting to a foreign land to do exotic and glamorous things with my very own exotic and glamorous boyfriend! Ahhhhh!!

I went for my usual run with a friend. We go just about everyday and talk about this and that, since he is a guy, I ask his opinion sometimes on certain men/women issues. Well, yesterday I was going on and on about various things that annoy me and how I was feeling especially violent on the ferry that day, and he just said: "Ale, just a note of advice, don't ever EVER let your foreign boy see this side of you."

Yeah! NO JOKE! Of course not! He thinks I'm sweet and adorable and love puppies... and even... OTHER PEOPLE! But still... wowww dude! How mean...!

Anyway, point taken. Though I wonder if Nico is hiding something super ugly from me!???
What my friend doesn't realize is that, I could never act that way around Nico, well, as long as he keeps bringing on the double churn ice cream.

Yes, the key to annoyance free life is in the ice cream! Ask your doctor!

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Yumminess!!!! (did I spell that right?)

The other day went to this place... Was soooooo delicious!!!!!!!!

















You rip the big sourdough pancake and grab the different stuff on the place with it! Who said it is not proper to eat with your hands!??? In this place you must!

NYC got its good moments... Maybe next week I can go to a restaurant specializing in southeastern Tuva specialties...

Ok, just made myself hungry, lunch time!!!!

ps: omg!!! less then a week till nicoland!!!!

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Grapes + Oranges = Apples!!!

Ok, so all this talk about cooking and liking to cook and stuff, made me inspired to actually... am... cook!

I thought about the wonderful recipes I'd like to bring to life, opened my cook books and started looking. Ummm so many yummy things to make!!!! Well, all this activity made me kinda hungry so I decided to make myself a little something for energy!

I went to pick up the groceries (in my parents' fridge, where I do all my grocery pick-ups...) and saw a huge container of grapes! This gave me an idea to make a smoothie!!!! I grabbed an orange from the fruit bowl... I thought about grabbing an apple as well, but apples are complicated and involve pealing and taking the core out... too much work. So just the grapes and an orange! Perfecto!


















Then I remembered that I bought Guarana powder from this AWESOME website (www.brazilianshop.com) where you can get all kinds of brazilian stuff. Food, clothes, etc. Let me tell you, I ordered some farofa, some cheese bread mix, flip flops (yes Havaianas) and the Guarana, and the box arrived promptly on time with every item so carefully and neatly wrapped in bubble wrap. It really felt that they definitely take pride in their business and want happy customers. EXCELLENT job!!! I felt the love!


Anyway, I threw in a double doze of the powder and a few ice cubes into the blender poured into my glass... Tasted... and... It tasted like APPLES!?!???!!! Whaaat? Weird.... did I do something wrong?? How did I mess up a recepie of TWO ingredients (unless you count ice cubes and guarana powder).

Anyway, it tasted good, guarana gave me a caffeine buzz and I decided to go for a run instead of cooking anything else.

The end~

Lesson kids: To remember that even if life gives you only Grapes and Oranges, it doesn't mean you can't make a smoothie that tastes like APPLES! If only the "angry bitches" from the book could have figured that one out!

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Darling, tea will be served on the balcony...

Honestly, I don't understand the big deal about women crying and whining how their husbands never want to help in the kitchen. I just finished reading this book "The Bitch in the House" and it really ANNOYED ME!!!! A bunch of women complaining how they do everything in the kitchen after a long day at the office and how they're tired and the men don't help.
















Amm... ASK the man to help, nicely, and provide CLEAR instructions (preferably in picture form) on what exactly you want them to do. I don't see the problem...!???!!!??? If he straight up refuses or some nonsense, then order in! You're tired, he doesn't want to cook, so DON'T, no one is FORCING YOU! I'm sure the men in these womens' lives would much rather forgo a nice home cooked meal if it meant having a relaxed WIFE next to them for an evening. Instead of an elaborate dinner with the angry "bitch" (as the cover of the book suggests).

But seriously, when did it become uncool for women to LIKE to cook!!??? MAYBE if women would be a bit more enthusiastic about cooking and didn't make it sound so horrible then the men would WANT to join in the festivities in the kitchen...!?

The book talks about how over time these women became angrier and angrier at the situation and turned into bitches. Sorry, maybe I'm young and naive, but why did they allow this situation to continue? If the water is too hot why keep your hand in it???? I think the reason they all became angry is NOT because they didn't get any help in the kitchen, but BECAUSE they realized that they are INCOMPETENT to make things happen for themselves, to figure out how to drive the situation in their own way.

Well...thank goodness I'm here...! I won't write a book, its not necessary but I'll just summarize it here in a few words:

And I realize we must go back to the VERY basics here but we'll do what we must...

First of all if you want anyone to do ANYTHING for you, you must ask NICELY!
(Works even better if you can make the person see that helping you is really for their own benefit.) Here are some simple examples to try at home:

1. Cook in your sexy bra and underwear... peek out of the kitchen and say: "uff baby its so hot in there!!! don't come in, unless you're naked, otherwise you'll be too hot" I want to see what idiot is going to remain in front of that tv set after that display.

2. Do it in the kitchen, and often. On the counters, on the table, on the floor... on the ceiling fan, etc etc. Just like Pavlov's dogs, men will be conditioned to get excited the moment they enter the kitchen... thus, will want to enter it often.

3. Dumb blonde act- Tell him you need his help, men love to be heroes. (BTW men, if you think after all those hours in the gym we honestly can't open that jar of apple sauce, you're deluded!)

Here are some easy starters: "Babyyy- can you come in here and help me... work the can opener pleaaaase...?" "Babyyy- can you show me how to set the timer... its beeping angrily at meeeee....I'm scaaared" "Babyyyy- I know you showed me this before, but can you turn the stove on again for me... I'm so confused..."

and in order to execute the dumb blond act correctly, after you get him to cook the entire dinner follow up with some serious banging. While saying, "Ohhh BABY! I don't know how I would have been able to cook that dinner if it wasn't for your help!"

Ok, so I realize that I've never been married, and the fact that all my boyfriends cooked for me could be written off as them just trying to show off, but logically... I think the above 3 examples would definitely accomplish more then nagging and whining!?!???!!! There is always a way out of ANY situation, you just have to find the right approach. If the door won't open by you banging your head against it... TRY TURNING THE KNOB!!!!

(ok, that last comment was a bit vulgar, heeheee, but its much more fun to be vulgar then to be an angry bitch. no?)

Happy cooking!!!

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I'm ready to go fishin'!

...because... Today I got the funnest pair of fishnet stockings! Weeeeeeehhh! Just one problem... I have NO CLUE what to wear them with...

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