{Travel} Chicago 2013, Part 2

Instead of studying for my Six Sigma quiz for Monday, I'm going to talk to you readers about Chicago. Yes, again. However, this will be the last post for this year's Chitown trip - I've run out of photos to upload. It's true.

Day Three

We started our last full day in Chicago with a coffee and a stroll through the Loop's parks. {This seems to be a trend.} One thing I didn't pick up on last time we were there in September was that Chicago certainly loves their planters. Truly. There are pops of gorgeous color all over the city, this time to welcome the warmer months. 

Case in point:

Not a planter but a tree, ok.

 What a glorious way to celebrate the change in the seasons. Unbearable cold, wintriness to bright sunny days with flora perfume in the air.

Spring At Last

I posted the photo below on my Instagram and Facebook last week after driving by this lovely forsythia bush on Fifth Avenue. Our windows were rolled down, the breeze was coming in, and the scent of this yellow cluster came into the car cabin.

Shortly after I posted the photo, my sister made a comment that these bushes always reminded her of our Great-Grandma Brown.

These tiny, yellow star bursts were featured in Grandma Brown's yard {or, at least within our play-radius}, among the houses on that small street near my elementary school.  I still have a single wooden bird, initially carved to ornament her German cuckoo clock, hidden away somewhere in remembrance of those afternoons of playing at her house.  I wasn't even ten years old when she passed away, but those are some of the first fragile memories I have.

Decembear, Again

Hi guys.
With finals, major family events, preparing to travel and work deadlines, this week has been filled to the brim with emotion.
In an effort to avoid recounting every detail of my week, I'll give an update on Decembear instead.  Where has he been over the past few days?  All over the house!

December 12: He looked in the toy chest.

He might be a little old for those toy blocks. Decembear doesn't care.

{Never heard of this adorable bear?  Read up on his history.}

Decembear

Each year, my Mom had my Dad bring down the Christmas decorations from the attic, and began putting things up the day after Thanksgiving.  The sparkling lights, the bright colors - we were able to enjoy all of these things even before the month began.

I am my mother's daughter, so I decked our halls on November 18.  Looking around afterwards, I thought something might be missing. Recalling my memories of my Mom's decorations, I thought about the holiday calendar my Granny hand-made: Decembear: A Beary Merry Christmas. 

Checking In

Our final visitor for the spring/summer is here!  

My sister-in-law is here to enjoy PGH's sights, tastes and sounds.  

I'll be back to post soon!

Photo Blink {Seestor's Visit}

My sister {Seestor, to those that know us well} came in town last week and stayed with us.  We went everywhere and ate a ton of food, but I'll share a photo blink of one of the meals she made for us on a Thursday night:

Left: Roasted {skinless} Asian marinated chicken leg,
on top of a sweet potato mash and garlic beet greens.

 Isn't is super colorful? And, there was a bonus:

Right: Roasted Beet Salad with Herbed Goat Cheese and Mint.

 Husband ate and liked beets for the first time!  {I sound like I'm talking about my toddler cousins, right?!}  Thanks for a wonderful weeknight meal, Seestor!  Miss you already!

Photo Blink!

I've been working on odds and ends over the past few weeks, mostly on our third floor guest suite {Sounds fancy, huh?}. Our weekends have been full of shopping for furniture, pillows, bathroom towels, and fabric. We've also worked on updating our dining room furniture, as you'll see later. 

I've been busy with those details, and Husband has been nice enough to cook me an Oates Family classic, the Cowboy Breakfast.

{Cowboy Breakfast}

Ingredients:

1 slice of bread

1 tsp. butter or margarine

1 tbsp. mayonnaise {we use light Hellmann's}

Cooking Spray

2-3 thin slices of deli meat {we use turkey, but it's traditionally ham)

1 slice American cheese or a melty cheese, sliced very thin

1 egg

coarse salt and pepper

Toast the bread, while collecting all of the other ingredients. Spread on butter then the mayo. In a small skillet, brown the deli meat with a little cooking spray, one minute on each side and browned on the edges. Place the meat on a plate in a 200 degree oven to keep warm. Then, fry the egg in a little more cooking spray, then begin assembling the ingredients as follows: bread, meat, cheese, egg, salt and pepper. The cheese should melt between the meat and egg before serving.

I love this for a weekend breakfast!

Here's a hint at the fabric for the dining room chair overhaul:

 We stopped by Labriola's Italian Market in Cranberry Township to stock up on Italian goodies. I see a seafood pasta in our future!

 We checked out Smoke BBQ Taqueria last week, which Husband has been itching to try since we got here in December. Stay tuned for the PGH Dining review of this one!

 Husband tried his hand at pickling, which I've done in the past, to no avail. Evidently, the pickling thumb stopped at his mom and didn't carry over into the next generation. Alas. They were far too spice-laden, even if we followed the directions to the letter.

 At least they were pretty.

 Finally, I do have a "What I Wore" post up my sleeve. You'll notice I'm wearing somewhat warm clothing...all of that warm weather has disappeared, and it's now somewhat normal March temperatures. Yay, layering!

Have a great rest of your Sunday!

Feasting Part 2: Christmas Day & Post-Day

Christmas Day had arrived, and we were still recovering from the night before. What a meal! Today's menu consisted of a brunch of egg nog pancakes, followed (many hours later) by a dinner of Ina Garten's fillet of beef bourguinon. 

Husband surprised me that morning with a full stocking!

My stocking.

Again, we hadn't planned on giving any gifts or stockings this year because of the move. 

My stocking spoils. 

Luckily, Husband had the foresight to fill his stocking, too. I usually play by the rules, see?

Husband's Stocking

After stockings, I went upstairs to take a shower and get dressed for the day while Husband made the breakfast. He did a great job, making his own egg nog (rather than buttermilk) pancakes, turkey sausage, and sliced honey crisp apples. Yum!

We then spent some time Skyping with our families. Skype is such a great invention, and I'm so glad my Dad encouraged me to download it. 

We headed northeast to visit some of Husband's family that afternoon. Again, it was so nice to see family and get to know new people. We were able to download the Skype app onto Husband's iPhone (I left my Android at home), and let his mom Skype with some of her family members she hadn't seen in more than 40 years! What a cute and awkward moment. Sorry, Martie!

The next day we set up as Chef and Sous Chef to make fillet of beef bourguinon, since we had eaten dinner with Husband's family the night before. Flexibility -  it's great! Husband expertly sliced through the beef tenderloin fillet, careful not to cut through muscle, and only along seams. (Thanks, Anne Burrell!) 

He then followed the directions to brown the fillets, brown lardons, and scrape up that lovely crud on the bottom of my prized Le Creuset. 

He added in vegetables, stock and other delish ingredients. 

To make THIS.

Again, with the Cabernet.

Also featured again in our meal were treats from La Gourmandine. 

We had a loaf of wheat bread and two desserts. 

Their signature lemon tart, obviously for Husband.

And, a Buche de Noel for me.

What a fantastically cute dessert!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

Crafty: Clove-Studded Orange

 When I was much younger my Granny taught me how to make a decorative clove-studded orange {sometimes called a Pomander} while sitting in her kitchen one day. It's a simple thing, and can be used as an air freshener or as a hostess gift. I'd keep it for myself, considering the spicy but sweet smell of the finished product.

Items needed:
1 orange
1 8-10 inch section of ribbon
1/4 cup whole cloves
Paring knife

First, collect all of your items needed for the craft. 

Assorted sizes of whole cloves.

I prefer the larger ones, so you can see the delicate flower shape on the end.

This is a fun craft for when you have a surplus of oranges.

 Next, you wrap the ribbon section around the circumference of the orange, and secure with a few cloves after making a tiny incision with the paring knife. 

Secure the ribbon onto the orange.

 Then, poke other cloves into the orange's skin in any pattern you want. I usually go for stripes, so you can see the orange skin, too.

Clove Stripe.

After a few cloves, your pattern will begin to take shape.

 After you've finished your pattern, you're done! Feel free to place or gift.

Connect ribbon at the top to make a bow.

 Mine is adorning the end of my mantle. The smell is delicious and homey.

Are you making any holiday crafts?

First Care Package

Now that I've stopped CRYING MY EYES OUT, I'll take some time to post about the wonderfully sweet care package I received from my Mom & Dad in Texas.

Giada, the cat, sniffing out the open box.

Husband and I had told the whole family to not get us gifts this year, mainly because we wouldn't be able to reciprocate (what with the mailing, timing, and the gift itself). My parents decided to completely disregard that request (woo!) and send us a few things.

Handwritten note from my Mom.

 It's funny. Husband and I haven't really felt like it was the holiday season, or that Christmas is just nine days away, mainly because we've been so caught up with the move. When I opened the box of presents from my parents, I realized that I haven't felt like it was the holidays because I associate that time of year with seeing family. Since there's no family in Pittsburgh, I haven't been feeling the Christmas Spirit! Thus, I broke down in tears and sobbed as I pulled each item out of the box.

A stocking for Ina.

A stocking for Giada.

A Present (or two!) for Husband and I.

Before, we didn't have any presents under (or near) the tree. We are spending our gift money on the house, stocking our pantry, and outfitting ourselves with snow boots.

Giada beginning to chew on the shiny gold ribbon.

Hopefully these gifts will last through December 25th! (Against the odds and snappy cat traps!)

What denotes the 'holiday season' or 'spirit' for you?


*Note: This was my 300th post! What a great subject to post about for a milestone.