77. Go on a date with J once a month. (November 09)

Saturdays.  The older I get - the more I appreciate the ability to sit around, do whatever I want - no agenda.    I am the type of person who likes to constantly be on the move - which is probably why as a child and teenager - I ALWAYS had to be doing something.  Every-once and while a girl just needs to wear PJs all day, lay on the couch with her macbook, and veg out...all in her own apartment of course.


Such was what was accomplished during out date day weekend.  Lots of laying around, PSU football, big breakfasts, and decorating the apartment for the holidays.  (Also - I am well aware that it is the weekend before Thanksgiving - but J will not be here for the next few weekends - and the fam is coming to visit.  So I wanted it to be all New-York-City-Christmas-esque.)


So we started the day with yummy omelets. J is a the best breakfast maker.

omelet + turkey bacon = lots of ketchup 

J is wondering if he can eat yet.

And lots of decorating.

Complete with Linus's security blanket as a base.

And baking. (Mini Pecan Tarts for my work Thanksgiving Party/Staff Meeting)

And eating.

And I loved all of it.


On Sunday - we had made reservations at Rare in the West Village.  After sleeping in - we finally dragged ourselves out of the apartment around 12:30ish for lunch.

Now being the ridiculous person I am - I WOULD agree to a restaurant where 98% of the food items included red meat - my personal nemesis.  But this is only because I had read some great reviews about their portobello burger...

Naturally, after being presented with this - I knew I was not going to be disappointed.  Plus - we got the sampler basket of fries with dipping sauces.

Score.  


I liked the sweet potato fries the best - and J was in heaven with his Bleeker Burger which had some kind of NY strip steak meat and lots of toppings.

Afterwards we walked around, did random errands, and stopped in to Starbucks to feed my addiction to their seasonal gingerbread latte.


Overall, a top-notch date day weekend. :)

72. Bake 10 kinds of sweet treats.

Truthfully, I have made plenty of new recipes since I started down my "1001 Days" journey.  For one of two reasons that have not been posted here.


1. I forget to document the process and halfway through dinner (which I am ravenously eating after arriving home starving after work) it dawns on me that I could have put it in the blog.
2. Sometimes, I'm just lazy.


But today I decided to be all domestic-y and make mini-pecan tarts for a work Thanksgiving party.  (ok, technically it's a staff meeting too)

Recipe:
Mini-Pecan Tarts
Makes about 24

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 cup sifted flour
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans



Combine cheese and 1/2 cup butter.

 J: "Anything that starts out with those two things involved has got to be good."  I would also agree.

Slowly add flour while mixing. Mix thoroughly and chill, covered, 1 hour. Preheat over to 325F. Divide into 24 small balls (at this point I lightly grease the tin for help later on) and press into sides and bottom of 2 ungreased minature muffin pans. 

Combine egg, brown sugar, vanilla, salt & remaining 1 tablespoon butter; beat until smooth. 

Sprinkle 1/3 cup pecans equally into 24 tart shells. Divide egg mixture equally among 24 tarts, pouring on top of pecans.

Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup pecans on top of tarts. Bake 20-25 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

so good.

After this was presented to me from bakery heaven (aka my oven)- I immediately scrounged around to find enough of each ingredient to make another batch just for J and I.

yumm-o.

77. Go on a date with J once a month. (October 09)

On October 28th - J and I went on our monthly date day. After work on Wednesday we went to the Olive Garden for unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks. Now this might not seem like a great time to some - so let me elaborate: 1. We had a gift card... = Free food, 2. I LOVE the salad, and 3. We had a window view overlooking Times Square. Sound better now? 

Afterwards we headed to Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center for a performance by the

Escher String Quartet.  

Quartet being 3, Violins, 1 cello, 100% percent amazing. All of the performers were so talented - and the music was fantastic. A few of the movements were 30-45 minutes long - yet after they were finished - I felt like only a few minutes had passed. Performances like this really makes me wish I wouldn't have given up the clarinet in 4th grade. sigh.


Regardless - it was a wonderful time.  I am truly blessed to be able to attend events like this - all in my big, smoggy, concrete jungle of a backyard...

...and I wouldn't change it for the world.

56. It's the most wonderful time of the year...

As the seasons change from warm-awesomeness to arctic-tundra here in NYC - it was the perfect opportunity to sort my summer clothes and donate those who have seen better days. Such as the bubblegum pink tube top I have owned since 8th grade and several pairs of cut-off jean shorts. I have no idea why I have been dragging these around with me for the past few years - but I believe they have gone to a better place - and if no one desires such treasures, at least I know they will probably become part of a rocking Halloween costume next year.