spicetart

This week, in pictures

The de-fuzzer

The de-fuzzee

Ivy's first tink-tonk

Otter feeding at Coyote Point

Scarlett discovers she has feet

Vanilla Ice Would Be Jealous...

Scarlett, unlike Ivy, was actually born with a little hair and still has some of it.  It was particularly long in the back (i.e. mullet) so I decided it needed to go.

Squirmy baby + sharp scissors = Oops!!

Iceland, just not yet

So by now you may have guessed that we didn't go to Iceland...we have rescheduled for June because it will be easier to go then with an infant and a 2-year-old.  Right.

I still look forward to the trip, but I am more anxious about the miserable long flight and assured lack of sleep (or more lack of sleep - which does exist I think).  How do you adjust an inflexible toddler to a new sleeping schedule in 5 days and then switch her right back?  I think the answer is: you don't, you just try to cope.  Lots of lollipops and Clifford the Big Red Dog.  And Benadryl.  I kid!!  Sort of.

Fortunately, we have heard literally not one thing bad about Iceland so that keeps me going.  My friend Amy said that what she loves about Iceland is the wind and the isolation.  Yeah.  Way to sell it Amy!!  But really, she said there are so many great things about it, that we are bound to have a great time.  One thing is for sure, it will be an easier place to visit than Bangalore was.  No doubt.

Yogurt Obsessed

I'm late to the party AS USUAL.

You remember the frozen yogurt craze of the '80s?  Well, it's back and I can't get enough of this "original" frozen yogurt.  It's not that super sweet stuff most froyo places serve, no, it's tart and sweet and organic AND, if you go to this place, you can get it made from local yogurt.  Yay!  Oh, and get the "natural" with the apricot preserves.  Hell yeah.

Where have I been you ask?  Well, Pinkberry is in LA, and so I haven't been there, and I don't keep up on the latest hip foods that Paris Hilton is eating.  I know, I know, how boring a life I lead.  Yumi Yogurt just started serving it too, though it's not as good as Harmony, it is a lot closer and the portions are HUGE.  Just. What. My. Ass. Needs.

At least I have finally discovered this new fab frozen yogurt, I even made some today in our once-used ice cream maker.  It wasn't perfect but it had promise, it was a bit too milky tasting, which is sort of yucky since I don't drink milk, and it didn't have enough tang, even though I used Strauss, the Best Yogurt Ever.  It is missing the secret ingredient and I don't know what that is.  Lemon?  Honey?  Chris suggests malt.  Hmmmm....

Send any and all suggestions my way.

Cruisin'

It doesn't take much to make me smile, especially when I look at our gorgeous new Phil & Ted's Double Sport Buggy.  And my kids of course.

I still cook.

I still cook.  I do, really, almost every night.  These days, though, it's more about the basics - protein, starch, vegetable - I try not to be boring, because I still love to cook, but I no longer have hours and lots of money to prepare a meal.  So we eat a lot of sausage and salads and broccoli and beets - and I'm most creative with starch - barley or farro or beans.  Most of the time it is simple and good, farro with thyme and parsley, barley with onions and tomatoes.

I get the genius of the one pot recipes - like last night I made a pasta with chicken and pasta and broccoli and other good stuff, all in one pot, in about an hour.  This makes me very happy, though it is hard to make such a dish without adding copious amounts of fats (butter,olive oil, cream, cheese).  Fat just makes food better.  The end.

This, fortunately, is a great time of the year for vegetables.  I get excited just going to the Farmer's Market on Saturdays.  Two weeks ago at the Ferry Building, we got the best romaine lettuce I have ever had, sweet and crispy, I almost cried.  I have actually planned our next four meals with the veggies I got today - snap peas, romaine, fennel, green garlic, red cabbage - we'll see if I cook each night as I'm already tired and it's only 2:00 in the afternoon.  Best intentions and all that...