Wreck 'Em Wreath

Get ready. I'm about to show my roots. 

I got my undergrad degree from Texas Tech University, which is located in far West Texas - the Dust Bowl, if you will. There aren't many trees, and the dirt swirls like small tornadoes, called dirt devils. Still, I loved every minute of my four years there.

So much so that I convinced myself I needed a hand-crafted wreath for my door during this football season. I think it's already bringing us luck...

My inspiration for the Wreck 'Em wreath came from Pinterest. I've pinned a few of my favorites on my Dust pin board.

I should have taken a video of this fool hula-hooping this wreath base.

Sunday afternoon we visited our local Michael's, and generally made a ruckus looking for the perfect color of scarlet. Not Christmas red, crimson or bright, true red. Scarlet.

{Over the Weekend} House Righting

Even if it's Wednesday, I still feel the need to tell you guys what we did over the weekend: house-righting.  As in, getting everything in the new home just right. Hanging picture frames, rearranging the furniture, rethinking kitchen tool placement, washing pillowcases until they just about shine - you get the idea.
It was a madhouse, and we had to take a break at one point. I calmly sat on the couch with a good book and a tall glass of ice water. Husband and cats on the other hand...well...

Civic Leadership

I am a proud wife.
Earlier last month, Husband graduated from a ten-week program on civic leadership in Pittsburgh. He got a chance to see behind-the-scenes of the city, and learn more about what makes Pittsburgh tick.  The program was designed to build up the base of civic leaders, thus empowering them to put their ideas, wishes, and hopes for the city into action. As the weeks went by, three class representatives were elected, and Husband was among those selected. Insert 'Proud Wife' comment. At the graduation ceremony, Husband was asked to give a speech detailing his time in the program. It's inspiring to me that there are those in our community that take the extra step to serve our residents better.

To his endless embarrassment, I've taken excepts from his speech and posted them here. I actually think it's quite good, and gives insight into his experience with the program.

 - - -

"You may have noticed from a certain twang in my voice that I may not be originally from Western PA. My wife and I relocated here about a year and a half ago from Texas, Dallas specifically (don’t worry we’re not Cowboys fans), for my job in the oil and gas business. Many of our relatives and a few friends were surprised when we told them that we were moving to Pittsburgh. They only remember the stories from the evening news during the 80’s of shuttered mills, pollution, and massive snow storms (which is a complete unknown that is 'greatly feared' by most Southerners). It seemed to them that we were making a mistake.

In their mind, with so many people over the past two decades making the opposite decision and heading to cities in the south (and particularly Texas), why would we move here? But, we saw Pittsburgh in a different light.

A city full of promise and potential. 

There are many great assets this city holds, not the least of which is its governing body which, as I have learned through the Civic Leadership Academy, provides a multitude of services even in times of tight budgets.

[This program] provided an amazing opportunity to see the city government from the inside out. We were presented with an overview of each major department, much like an executive would receive an overview of a new company, with the ability to dive further in our particular areas of interest with data and leadership contacts. Areas that I was principally keen on where the Department of City Planning and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). Pittsburgh, given its diverse economy, population, and geography, has the potential of any city in America to outpace standard growth during the 21st century. In fact, it’s already doing just that. According to the Brookings Institute, Pittsburgh is one of only three metro areas in America to have fully recovered from the great recession.

The Department of City Planning and the URA lead the development of the city through a wide range of efforts including fostering private investment, public art, strategic planning, and zoning laws. If successful, the plans being run through these departments can provide significant benefits to the city, its citizens, and businesses. This includes improved infrastructure, good paying jobs, new green space, and environmentally conscience buildings which we can all enjoy the benefits of. The public/private partnership that the URA focuses on is an excellent example of how making the right investment at the right time and in the right location can provide huge dividends. The gentrification of the East Liberty and Lawrenceville neighborhoods are proof that this method works. As a citizen, it was so beneficial to be exposed to the inner workings of these and the other departments that we covered.

Being a part of the Civic Leadership Academy has been such a privilege, not only because of the knowledge that we have gained of our city government, but from a transplants perspective, it gave me the chance to get to know parts of the city that I haven’t heard of before. It’s my hope that the graduates of this Spring’s Civic Leadership Academy take our newly found knowledge of the city’s management back to our neighborhoods to make contributions and help educate our neighbors, relatives, and friends.

The Class Representatives

We as citizens, business owners, and community volunteers each have a role to play in our community, and with the education we received through the Civic Leadership Academy and the Mayor’s office, we can make a significantly greater difference.

Congratulations to everyone and it’s been a pleasure going on this journey with you.

 - - - 

Congratulations, Husband! I'm proud of your achievements and commitment to the greater good. Looking forward to what this program may have sparked within you.

You can learn more about Pittsburgh's Civic Leadership Academy here. 

Over The Weekend: Starting November

My weekend went a little like this:

{1. Friday Evening: Imperfect Health exhibit at the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University; 2. Friday Night: Bun Cari Ga or curried chicken noodle soup for a cold and rainy dinner date; 3. Saturday: Texas Tech football game watching in the Northside; 4. Sunday: A Better Nutter, baked by Husband from the Bouchon Bakery cook book.}

Today is a busy one at work, full of meetings and deadlines. Then, tonight we're off to Youngstown, OH for that rally. See you soon, and don't forget to vote tomorrow!

A Pennsylvania Dem in a Rep's Court

I've said, "Good Morning," to Friday with some big news {well, relatively big news to some} - Husband begged on his hands and knees asked me to attend a political rally with him on Monday night in Youngstown, Ohio. A Republican rally, mind you.  He cited the fact that these are truly historical events, and that he's never gotten to attend a rally before.  Insert sad puppy-dog face.  Of course, he prefaced all of this with, "I know you'll probably say no, but I wanted to ask anyway."  What's a good wife supposed to say to that?
I conceded.

{Only after he promised to buy me dinner first.}

With that being said, I have a lot to think about this weekend prior to the rally.
 1. What am I going to wear?  If I show up wearing my team's colors {BLUE}, I'll surely be mobbed. Maybe compromise with a purple cardigan?
2. Where should we eat dinner?  This is certainly the most important question to cogitate.

If you can't read between the lines, I'll shout it out to you - Our house is a divided house on many issues, which directly relates to the political candidates we choose.  Case in point: our views on health care delivery in this country.  Paul Ryan's ticket will not be getting my vote, but I do want to hear what he has to say.

I jokingly said to Husband that if I were pulled out of the crowd to ask Mr. Ryan a question, I'd just remark at how happy I was that my husband let me out of the house and I didn't have to rush home to cook dinner for my family.  Burn.

In all honesty, I do want to attend the rally to hear from this Vice Presidential candidate. It's especially exciting because we're attending a rally in a true swing state, Ohio.  I've only been to one other rally {in Durant, Oklahoma}, for VP hopeful John Edwards, during my senior year of high school.  I'm not going to lie - I was dazzled as an eighteen-year-old girl by his attractive smile and the prospect of shaking his hand. His speech inspired, and I was ready to go cast my vote.  Too bad that backfired, and maybe this is karma.  I won't say that Paul Ryan's speech will instill the same feelings {even though he reportedly has spent many hours with Tony Horton}, but I think it'll be interesting to sidle my views up to his answers for comparison.

If anything, I hope this post makes you laugh go cast your vote.  This election will be close, so every vote {Republican or Democratic} counts!

{Over The Weekend} Games, Scones & Hurricanes

Well, people, we're still here and we haven't floated away...yet. The rain is coming down, and has kept coming down since yesterday late afternoon.
This weekend was mostly a lazy one.  We started things out with a college football game at Heinz field, which thankfully wasn't rainy {however, the threat was there!}. Then, my wonderful baker of a Husband decided to crack open his new cookbook, Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery,  and bring out his new food scale. He's subscribed to the notion that everything in baking needs to be measured by weight, or it won't come out right. Psssh, fine, leave that to him! {I prefer cooking, where I can just play things by ear and throw things in as I please.}

He flipped to the section on scones and announced that he was planning to make cinnamon honey scones. I about died. His first choice on what to bake happened to be one of my all-time favorite baked goods. And, these did not disappoint.

{Photo Blink} of the Finger Lakes

I've got dinner in the oven for our first fall dinner party, and am taking a break from tidying up the house to write a {Photo Blink} of our travels in Erie, PA and the Finger Lakes region of NY.  Enjoy!

Stones on the shore of Presque Isle.

Over the Weekend {Again.}

We're back! I surprised Husband with a weekend in the Finger Lakes region of New York state for his birthday.

The view from our B&B near Cayuga Lake.

Per usual, I'll write about our comings and goings when I get some downtime. I hope your week is going well!

Weekend Surprises

Husband is the best. Let's just start with that.
Late this last week, he told me not to make plans for Saturday - a surprise was coming. As most of my long-time readers/friends know, he's not too good at keeping a secret. Usually, I know within hours of him making preparations. That being said, Saturday was very much a surprise.

{Anniversary!}

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful Husband!

My Husband for 4 years;

My Love for 7 years;

My Friend for 10 years. 

Here's to another year of happiness and unconditional love.

Secret Love

Secretly, I look forward to the days that Husband has to go into work early.
No, I’m not being a spiteful wife when I say this, but rather I’m delighted in the fact that I’ll need to walk to work that morning, passing by one of my favorite bake shops in the whole of Pittsburgh.

I wake up at my normal time, getting ready as Husband kisses me goodbye and heads for the door. I finish by throwing on a pair of running shoes, replacing my usual heels or flats of the day. After turning my key in the lock, I speed-walk down my street and around the corner to the busy main neighborhood drag, quickening my steps as I go.

As I begin to get a bit misty from the speed-walk, I think of the lovely items I might purchase that morning. Will it be a loaf of fresh bread? A glassy apricot tart? Or, better yet, a sandwich for lunch? I know it will all be worth it, as I kid myself into thinking, “I’m burning the calories in my breakfast by walking to work today!”

I walk up to the bakery storefront just in time to enter the recently unlocked door. I silently cheer as I get closer to the case of baked goods and begin choosing what I’ll have on this cherished rare morning. The lighted case smiles back at me as I decide on a sandwich for lunch and a large coffee with lots of cream. Real cream.

I fill up my large travel mug with coffee after I pay for my treats, spilling some hot coffee on my fingers. I tell the shop workers to “have a good day, y’all,” and wipe off the spilled coffee, going out the door. My bag full with a baguette sandwich of prosciutto and cornichons, I pad up the 1-mile hill to my office. Lunchtime seems so far away!

via BeezusKiddo

Checking In {Best Friend Weekend}

Hi Folks!  I'm taking a second to check in after a fabulous weekend with the best friend and Husband.  We missed having her husband here, but that's how the cards fell this time, unfortunately.  We had a relaxing weekend of food, drinks and taking photos as we walked along, seeing the sights of Pittsburgh.  We were lucky to have great weather {compared to the heatwave of a week ago}. I'll share a few photos from our weekend:

Just arrived!

Drinks & dinner at Round Corner Cantina.

Drinks at Bar Marco. 

Shopping on Butler; at Wildcard.

Lawrenceville Farmer's Market; opening weekend.

Picnic in Highland Park. 

Three Rivers Arts Festival

Monogahela Incline; Mt. Washington.

Love Lock in Oakland.

The Cathedral of Learning.

Diplomacy Rooms: Africa.

Bunny Friend at the Stephen Foster Memorial. 

We had such a fantastic time this weekend!  Next time can't come soon enough.

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!

Husband's Pea Soup

In an ever-long quest to cook healthy but still enjoy what we're eating, Husband decided to make this Pea Soup {ala Laura Calder} a few weeks ago. It was so delicious and simple, that it's reprised it's role several times since then. 

{INGREDIENTS}

• Salt
• 4 cups/1 pound/500 g frozen peas
• 1/2 cup/125 ml heavy cream {We used fat free half & half.}
• Freshly ground pepper

• Chopped fresh mint leaves {We added these in before blending.}
• Grated Parmesan, optional, for serving

{DIRECTIONS}

Bring 1 1/2 cups/375 ml water to a boil in a saucepan with a pinch of salt. Add the peas, bring back to a boil, cover and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Blend to a puree with an immersion blender. Strain into a clean saucepan. Stir in the cream, reheat and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with mint and Parmesan if using.

Of course, Husband had to add a healthy cracking of black pepper.

And, a lump of salty Parmigiano Reggiano.

If you're looking for a good "work lunch" that's warm, but still has a touch of Spring, give this soup a shot!

Valentine's Day 2012 - BDIB {RED}

Happy Valentine's Day, Y'all! 

It's only half over, but I wanted to share Husband's gift with you guys! I was surprised earlier this weekend with a swanky present:

That's right! It's something Michael Kors...

Here's the inside of the pocket...

Have you guessed yet?

It's an iPad 2!

Ahhh!

Who needs an e-reader now?!? Not this girl!

Okay, stop freaking out people. Husband did not BUY me an iPad 2 while I do not have a full-time job. He won it! He did purchase the case though, and kept the gift a secret for THREE WEEKS! This is a HUGE win for him because he usually can't keep a gift secret for longer than a few hours.

Love this gift! He does so well with Valentine's Day gifts. Stay tuned for the dinner post and a special Sarris Candies post. 

{Outfit Sneak Peak!}

I have two options on this chilly Valentine's Day. Check back to see which one I chose!

{Update!}

I was able to participate in the Bloggers Do It Better challenge for Valentine's Day, which was to wear red. What a sweet challenge Kristina has for us this time. This sounds simple, right? It's definitely a challenge for me because I have very few true red items. I'm usually drawn to more 'cool' colors like teal, light greens and buttery tans. Saturday I was out shopping for new work trousers in The Waterfront, and found this sweater at LOFT. This is the oufit I went with:

Sweater: LOFT | Skirt: J. Crew | Tights: Target
Heels: Michael Antonio Anderson via DSW

 And, RED LIPSTICK! {I'd never thought I'd see the day!}

Lipstick: Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in True Red

{Happy Valentine's Day!}