It has been "x" days since my last confession

I haven't blogged in almost a week, which I think means I have committed a cardinal blogging sin. Um, oh well. Anyway, I don't really have any good reason other than that I've been keeping busy and doing stuff like "eight limb staff pose" (successfully!), eating fries, and remember the formula for the area of a circle (woo, GRE). I haven't even really baked, besides making a Julia Child clafoutis.

My point? Tomorrow I'm going on vacation for two weeks, so I again forgo this site except maybe to post photos of the Pacific Ocean or Multnomah Falls. Vacaaationnn!!

On the street, in Lisner

While walking to work this morning, I saw a man playing a harmonica whilst bicycling. In terms of impressiveness, it beats this sort of multitasking (and the dude didn't even have a holder for it).

Second, a vigilant (and awesommee) friend picked up tickets for Magnetic Fields here in DC in October! Given that we were both excited about the chance to see Stephin Merritt live, the tickets inspired a conversation about people, living or dead, whom we'd want to have coffee or other beverages with. Those named included Virginia Woolf for tea and TE Lawrence for some "tea laced with qat." (Anyone have any they want to add?) It also made me think about the few times when I've seen something I have long, long wanted to, e.g. "The Garden of Earthly Delights" at the Prado.

Macaroooons

After cobbling together a few recipes this weekend, I succeeded in making macaroons. (In my head, that sentence actually finishes with a "!!!".) Maybe next time they'll be pink or purple/rose or violet, but for now I did vanilla/chocolate.


Things I learned:
1. Almond flour is expensive (about $14 with tax).
1.5 Almond flour is worth it.
2. Leftover ganache is never a problem.

I'm looking online for recipes/recipe books, but not surprisingly the only macaroon-specific books I see are through French chain Fnac...So basically I'll just have to make it up as I go along + get better at converting from grams.

Christmas in July

I've blabbered to most of my friends already about my new toys: a MacBook and an iPod Touch. But given that it has been five years since I last bought a computer and knowing that the two iPods I've owned were, in order, a bulky hand-me-down and one of those tiny Shuffles...I feel fine gushing about my gadgets.

They arrived last night, and they are pretty! And shiny! I'll be at full speed with them once I can get the stuff (namely the music) transferred from my old, heavy-breathing Gateway. Tonight I plan on playing around with it and some of the programs I was so generously given (hello, Photoshop and Illustrator).

The only issue so far has been typing--first, on the iPod, the fingernails-to-touch-screen issue. Right now my nails are sort of long-- longer than the girl's in that linked demo/review and some are longer than in that photo-- and I definitely had to position my fingers in a weird way that looked like I was trying to type while some nail polish dried. (For the record, though, I don't think the design's misogynistic. ) I also seem to tilt le pod when I hold it and subsequently keep typing one letter to the side of what I'm aiming for. Lastly, the keys on the MacBook are also shallower than I am used to. All a matter of adjustment...

omg

Babkaaaa

I just want to thank Ms. KW for giving me a slice of chocolate babka. I have been talking about wanting babka for months, really, and I thought it was getting too close to warm months to find any. (That and I was too lazy to make any - it takes hoursss - and too cheap to pay $12 for a small loaf at Marvelous Market.) So this weekend, I am passing on chocolate eggs and Easter and having me some babka and a Purim party. I can get behind almost any holiday based around boisterousness, costumes, and a strong lady.