Friday Morning Haiku

 (Image from the Baltimore Sun front page)

Irene is coming

I'm stocked up on provisions

Cookies, Ice Cream, Chips

I went to the new The Fresh Market (838 Dulaney Valley Road) in Towson and stocked up on my version of Hurricane provisions.  Before I tell you what they are, can I just say how beautiful that grocery store is, cause it is.  Is that weird to say?  Probably.  But I have an unnatural love for grocery stores.

Nakiya's list of Hurricane Provisions.  Please do not do as I do.
- One packet of olive and fig Raincoast Crisps
- One log of goat cheese to go with Raincoast Crisps
- One bag of Cape Cod Kettle Chips
- Two big bottles of Fiji water (I hate myself for this one, why didn't I just go to another grocery store and get a gallon of water for 25 cents?)
- 2 pints of Talenti Gelato - Tahitian Vanilla and Double Dark Chocolate
- One peach-a-rine - yes, apparently that is a fruit that exists
- One GINORMOUS red plum that seriously looks like an apple
- Two boxes of Moravian cookies - Chocolate dipped toasted coconut cookies and Artisan blend chocolate cookies

What is wrong with me?  Apparently, if I have no power, I will want to snack all day long on cookies and chips, and eat two pints of gelato quickly before they melt in the freezer.  Obviously, I got caught up in buying snacks.  I love snacks.

OK, so tell me - have you bought any Hurricane provisions?  What did you get?

Friday Morning Haiku

I love my birthday!

I celebrate the whole week

With lots of food treats

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!  I love my birthday!  I will be 29!  I hope I love my birthday every year, even when I don't want to tell people my age anymore!

This week, using my birthday as an excuse, I baked myself an almond torte with apricots.  Tonight, I think I'm going to make something with nectarines. On Sunday, I am going to Michael's Cafe for brunch, and later on in the week, if their new dinner menu is ready, I am hoping to go to Manor Tavern!

As for tomorrow, Dan has planned a surprise day for me (after I finish a 16 mile run :o/) and I am sure food will be involved!

Food food food, glorious food, you make every birthday great!

Friday Morning Haiku

One mocha latte

To celebrate cooler temps

Wish it was pumpkin

This weather is so glorious I am about to start singing from the rooftops!!!!!  Doesn't it make you think of Fall!?!?! I know it's not going to last long and we will be back into the 90s soon enough, but I'm going to soak up these temperatures as much as I can.   I stopped in at Baltimore Coffee and Tea this morning and picked up a Mocha Latte to enjoy, and I couldn't help but think about my upcoming favorite season! 

Also, is it just me or do other people suddenly have an urge to stock up on binders and pencils and inky pens!?!?!  All these back-to-school sales are driving me crazy that I'm not going back-to-anywhere! 

Friday Morning Haiku

Restaurant Week is here!
Better make your plans early
It gets so crowded!!

Lots of Restaurant Weeks being celebrated around town:

• Howard County - July 25th-Aug 8th (my bad for not knowing sooner!)
• Baltimore City - August 5-14th
• Baltimore County - August 12-26th

What are your plans?

Friday Morning Haiku

July is ending

but can I take another

month of scorching heat?

This summer is really going by fast, isn't it?  I am so happy about that.  I am really not a fan of this heat at all and I just can't wait for it to leave us in peace for a while. Or at least the humidity.  I am done with the humidity.

The sun is definitely a pain where our vegetables are concerned - I feel like our tomato plant is CONSTANTLY thirsty and even if we water it all the time, it still looks like it's on the edge of death.  Our herbs are also never satiated, and they aren't growing as much as I expected them to.  Don't even talk to me about our cilantro....that died before I even knew how to take care of it. 

The one positive: FRUIT, GLORIOUS FRUIT!  But you already know how I feel about that subject.

Friday Morning Haiku

so sweet and juicy

i wish there was no darn pit

to slow down eating

CHERRIES!!!!!

I CAN'T STOP EATING CHERRIES!!!!

I EAT THEM TO THE POINT OF A TUMMY ACHE

AND THEN KEEP EATING THEM BEYOND THE ACHE

I LOVE THEM

I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

SWEET DELICIOUS CHERRIES

Friday Morning Haiku

 

I know snoballs are

a Baltimore tradition

But I love fro yo :(

I don't even think about snoballs anymore.  When I'm hot, all I want is to go to a Frozen Yogurt place and get a treat.  My usual combination is super simple too - vanilla frozen yogurt topped with strawberries.  Sometimes I get an added treat of heath bar and oreos!  But recently, at Yogoya, I tried passion fruit frozen yogurt topped with some kiwi and it was magical. 

Sorry egg custard....I may not sample your delights this year.

Friday Morning Haiku

 

Now that I'm training,
alcohol equals headaches
and food equals fuel

I am finally in the midst of training for the Marine Corps Marathon (113 more days!).  

I've become anti-social on Fridays in anticipation of my long runs on Saturday mornings, and then I'm a dud on Saturday evenings because my body is so tired.  I've found that I constantly think about whether a meal that I eat today will affect my run tomorrow.  I am suddenly way too interested in granola bars and dairy-free smoothies and ways to get more protein.  And I drink so much water that, well, I'll just stop there......

Anyway, it's all very strange, but all very worth it so far.  

p.s. I am training with the Charm City Run Marathon training team, and it's already been such a great experience!!!!  If you are interested in running a long race and think a training team is right for you, I would totally recommend checking them out!

p.p.s. Leave a comment with any racing/eating/training/recovery/pre-race tips you have!!!! 

Friday Morning Haiku

Dear America,

Happy birthday weekend, love

I do heart you so!

Have a wonderful Holiday weekend with friends and family! 

Friday Morning Haiku

I love sandwiches

I will eat them this weekend

So many to choose

I don't know why, but I can't stop thinking about eating sandwiches.  I want a tuna fish sandwich.  I want a turkey and cheese sandwich.  I want a caprese sandwich.  I want to get some ruffled potato chips and put those in my sandwiches.  I JUST WANT TO EAT SANDWICHESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. 

I love them so much.  At this moment in time, they are the perfect food.

Friday Morning Haiku

Father's Day Weekend

Playing golf?  Grilling?  Fishing?

What are your plans?

Happy Father's Day!!!

What are you doing to celebrate this weekend?  If my dad were here we would have a bad movie marathon and split something decadent between the two of us.  It would be an awesome day :)

Friday Morning Haiku

My favorite fruit

Is the one I just consumed

I can't pick just one!

Do you remember when you were younger and you had to have a favorite EVERYTHING?  I hated that.  I hated being asked what my favorite dish was, or my favorite color, or my favorite flower.  I don't know!  I don't like to have favorites!  I like to like everything! 

This used to get me into trouble because I used to tell many of my friends they were my best friends.  You don't tell multiple 11 year old girls they are your best friends and think you can get away with it.  They want you to pick ONE and ONLY ONE best friend.  I just couldn't do it, and so I got into a lot of fights and lost a lot of best friends :(

So, now that I am older it feels so refreshing not to worry about that stuff!  I can have multiple best friends!  I can swear peaches are my favorite fruit, but then say the same thing about strawberries the next day!  

I can love everything!!!!!!  

Friday Morning Haiku

Splurge on a sweet treat

National Doughnut Day, yay!

Some of them are free!

TODAY IS NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY

Here are the deals that I know about:
- Dunkin Donuts is giving away a free donut with a drink purchase
- Krispy Kreme is giving away one free donut, no purchase
- Fractured Prune is taking off $1 with a purchase of a dozen donuts

Any other deals out there that I'm missing?

Do you like doughnuts?  I like to convince myself that I don't so that I don't go crazy every time I go into DD for a cup of coffee.  If there are munchkins around the office though, you can be sure I've had a few, especially chocolate glazed!

Friday Morning Haiku

Heading to the beach?

Hosting a yum BBQ?

Have a great weekend!

Good morning!  I hope this shapes up to a lovely weekend for you all! 

What are your plans?  What are you making?  

I am making Eton Mess for a friend's BBQ this weekend.  I made it recently and fell so madly in love with it that it's basically my new go-to dessert.  I will post my recipe soon!

Friday Morning-ish Haiku

Graduation Time!

New grads with hope and promise

Families so proud

It's graduation season!!!!!  Congratulations to any new graduates or families of graduates! 

So, where are people going to celebrate?  When I graduated from college, my family and I went to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, it was my first time and WOW was it good.  When I graduated from Social Work school, we went to The Oregon Grille for lunch (if you go for lunch, the meal is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper and the guys don't need to wear a jacket!), and that was also one of the best meals I've ever had.  I remember it was the first and only place where I've eaten Savarin, and it was AMAZING.  I wonder if they still have that on their dessert menuu....

Where did you go/planning to go to celebrate a big graduation?

Friday Morning Haiku

*** This WAS supposed to be the Friday Morning Haiku, but Blogger was having problems so it became the Friday Afternoon Haiku.

On our bird feeder

Was a little yellow finch

It made me happy

I've wanted a bird feeder/house for YEARS and recently Dan surprised me by setting one up in our back yard.  I LOVE it!  I watch it all the time now to see if birds come.  When this little bird stopped by, it seriously made my day.  The best part of it was?  He seriously didn't stop eating for a good 10 minutes.  I watched him the entire time and he just kept eating and eating and only stopped because he was scared away by a bigger bird. 

I love this yellow finch. 

Friday Morning Haiku

From Nidhi on Etsy

 

The weekend for moms
flowers and breakfast in bed
will make her happy!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MAMA'S OUT THERE!!!!

My mum is the most incredible cook.  When I was younger (and even now) I would always hover around the kitchen, waiting until I could get a taste test - they were the best!  I am constantly in awe at how she throws together the most amazing meal without looking at recipes, and how she puts her heart and soul into every meal whether it's a weeknight dinner or a dinner for 12. Her brilliance in the kitchen is definitely something to which I aspire. I owe my love of food to my mum 100%.

P.S.  That cute print is what I got my mama for Mother's Day :)

Friday Morning Haiku

(I set my tray up last night - I was so ready!)


Royal Wedding Day!

I am eating scones and jam

In Celebration!

And I DIDN'T FALL ASLEEP!

Congrats, Kate and Will!

Friday Morning Haiku

 

Today is Earth Day

Switch off lights and computers

Conserve some water

Today is Earth day and I have to spend it in front of a computer for 8 hours, in a heavily lit building, then get home and use the oven to bake something and then drive for about 20 mins to a friends house.  Overall, I am not treating the Earth very well on its big day.  I do take the light rail though - that should count for something?

This weekend will be a good one.  It's Dan's birthday weekend (YAY, Love You!), I'll be seeing lots of friends, eating a TON of good food, and singing singing singing!  I am super excited.  Oh yea, and tomorrow is something special.....I may just write a little something something on my blog tomorrow to honor it.  Any guesses as to what tomorrow could be?!?

Oh, and don't forget to like my new Facebook page.  I'll be hosting a giveaway today on my page as a big Thank You for such a nice response of "Likes!"

And did you see that I have a new Blog page - my Restaurant Wishlist!  Let me know if I am missing anything and tell me why!

Look at me!  I'm doing all sorts of bloggy things lately! 

Have a wonderful GREEN-inspired weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :)

Friday Morning Haiku

From Design Editor.  This is the most amazing FREE printable party set!

Let us be honest

Do you really want to host

A party at dawn!?

On April 29th (2 Fridays from now!) is the Royal Wedding between Kate and William.  This is a pretty epic event in our lifetime (if you care about this kind of stuff), and you can be sure tons of people are trying to cash in on this.  To be honest, I am excited about the tradition of it all and I can't wait to watch, but I really don't care about what Kate's wearing or about the celebrity guest list or any of that crap.  I just care about watching history as it unfolds.  Besides, I freaking LOVE the monarchy and anything Uber-British.

All this being said, there is NO WAY I can even fathom hosting a watch party at 6am.  I am in awe of all those who are going to do it and who actually have friends willing to come over that early to do it with them.  Of course, you could always DVR it and watch it at a normal time....but I like to watch things live and besides, I don't own DVR :)

So this is how I anticipate my day:

Wake up at 5am

Hit snooze 5 times until 6am

Grumble

Get out of bed and make some tea

Crawl in the guest bed

Switch on the TV and sip my tea

Fight the urge not to fall back asleep/throw things at the TV at the commentators

Get hungry at 7am

Get pissed that I didn't make fancy scones for the occasion

Go to the kitchen and make some toast and jam, pour more tea

Get back into bed

Watch the wedding/get annoyed at the commentator talking about outfits and hairstyles

Get a bit patriotic and sing God Save the Queen

Fall asleep

Miss the processional and parade

Do you have any plans to watch the Royal Wedding?