Today's post is a quick snack idea! I had some leftover homemade caramel sauce from when I baked a Thanksgiving salted caramel apple pie from scratch, and I have been debating what I should do with it before it goes bad (in 3 weeks or so). You are supposed to make more sauce than what you need to make the actual pie (in order to reduce chances of burning), so I had about half of what I made for the pie leftover. The Four and Twenty Blackbirds pie book suggests re-heating it and drizzling it over ice cream sundaes (which isn't a bad idea), but I personally don't eat as much ice cream during the colder months / when snow starts falling. I thought about potentially making another pie, but decided against it since it takes so much time to do it and there really isn't any special occasion / holiday to bake it for this time around. I also didn't think my family wanted to eat the same exact pie so soon again -- it would almost detract from how special the first one was, haha.
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Salted Caramel Apple: A Thanksgiving Pie Experiment
For Thanksgiving this year, I decided to take my first stab at making a salted caramel apple pie. It was only the second pie ever that I've ever made - ever. Over the summer, I made my first pie - which was a simple blueberry pie. I figured I would write a blog post about my pie-baking experience thus far, as it's definitely one of my newer food experiments that I've recently tackled (and a skill that I'm determined to hone). I used Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book for a reference / recipe for both the crust and the pie filling. If you don't own the book, and are interested in baking pie - I highly recommend their book! It's filled with everything from tools to technique to seasonal recipes - and great for beginners. Four & Twenty Blackbirds is a sweet little pie shop based in Gowanus (Brooklyn, NY) and they were a place I frequented during my Pratt days. Their pie is literally to die for - so if you are in the area / in NY, I highly recommend giving them a visit!
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For the First Time in Forever
Last week I went to Disney's Frozen on Ice with my dad - and for the first time in forever, we spent some quality time together. Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration (I really just wanted to make a Frozen reference in the title ;)…) my dad and I aren't that distant, lol. I guess what I mean to say is that since going away to school, I haven't been able to spend as much quality time with him or with any of my family. However, now that school is over - I have been trying to scoop up these moments even more-so. It's like being away from home (for school) made me realize just how special things like this are, and that they should never be taken for granted - and therefore, I've grown to appreciate them much more.
Now I know what you're thinking… what "grown" adult goes to see Disney's Frozen on Ice with their dad…? I may be 22, but that doesn't stop be from being a Disney fanatic - and it certainly doesn't stop me from going to Disney's Frozen on Ice (with my dad). Most 22 year olds would probably be too embarrassed to go to such a thing with their dad (let alone write a blog post about it), but not me … haha.
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(it looks like I'm totally flipping the bird, but I assure you - I'm not haha…)
Someday, Someday, Maybe
Lately I've been channelling my inner Mulan, so let's get down to business:
I have taken up blogging (and social media to promote the blogging) pretty much full storm. I wake up and tackle a list of things to accomplish for my blog, and set out to do those things throughout the day. Whether it's plan new posts, photograph for an upcoming post, or sit down and write - it has all been quite a bit of work -- work that I truly enjoy. I treat it like a job, except the one problem is that I'm not getting paid for any of this, lol. I really hope that this blog can eventually become my main source of income some day (sooner rather than later), but for now I'm okay with it being something I do for pure enjoyment. I have faith that if I keep being gung-ho with it all, it will pay off - but that is much easier said than done. I know it's going to take time to establish, and I am aware of that. The support thus far has been incredible, though - and to those of you who have reached out to offer encouraging words - it seriously means the world to me.
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I have a habit of hoarding all print collateral / entry tickets / etc. whenever I go to events / exhibitions ... #designerhoardingproblems
Storm King & Jeff Koons
This is my first art / design related post on my blog – and after a month of blogging, I think it’s long overdue haha. This past weekend, my family drove through upstate NY, and I got the chance to finally experience the wonderland that is Storm King Art Center. It’s been on my “places to see” list for a little while now, and I keep hearing / seeing good things about it from multiple sources (mostly Instagram because… let’s be real: that’s my main source of *news*). The Jeff Koons exhibit is something I saw about 3 weeks ago at The Whitney (in Manhattan, NY) but never wrote a post about. The exhibit is the last to be hosted at the Madison Ave Whitney location before it relocates in the spring to somewhere in the Meatpacking District. I made it my mission to be sure to see it, and that was one of the reasons why. Both of these trips could have easily been separate blog posts, but since the Jeff Koons exhibit is winding down, I figured I would include it with my most recent venture to Storm King. Both of these exhibits have to do with sculpture – and while that isn’t what I studied in school - it’s one of my favorite fine art fields to go out and see. This may or may not have to do with my love for dimensional design in my own (graphic design) work. I love the interactivity of sculpture; you can’t “walk around” a flat painting to observe different angles like you can with a 3D piece. Sculpture is also affected by light and shadows – which is recipe for epic photos ;) I took a bajillion (photos) during both trips, so brace yourselves.
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Schooley's Mountain
This place has been begging for a blog entry since before I even started blogging. I discovered Schooley’s Mountain Park this summer, about a month ago – when I was researching new local places to explore. My parents / younger brother aren’t as adventuresome as I am … (I’m basically the alien of the family), so this place (among many other nearby places) have never been explored despite living here all my life. Spending 4 years at school in NYC had me conditioned (aka spoiled) to go out and do things every chance I had because the city always had something going on. After graduating and coming back home, I missed that thrill – and was determined to find “hidden gems” of suburban NJ. This is by far the best gem I found this summer, and I think it currently holds the spot of “favorite happy place” in my heart. I often come here now on the weekends with my mom, but I’ve only taken two solo trips to the park: September 2 and yesterday (October 8). Those 2 solo trips were by far the best – and take the cake.
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Apple Bread
Last Friday I baked apple bread for the first time ever. I’ve made many variations of banana bread before, but I’ve never even heard of apple bread until I started researching quick/easy apple recipes last week. I went apple-picking recently, and I have been wanting to bake something with the apples since bringing them home from the farm. They basically have been sitting in a box in the kitchen begging for me to bake something yummy with them. My first thoughts involved attempting a salted caramel apple pie because I’ve also never baked an apple pie before… but my lazy ass didn’t feel like it. I feel like you really have to be in the mood to commit time into making the perfect pie, and I guess I wasn’t feelin’ it last Friday. I made my first pie ever this summer (a blueberry pie), and it was fun and delicious and everything, but it took me the span of 3 days to make it between getting all the ingredients, making the dough from scratch, letting the dough set in the fridge, prepping the filling, cutting / weaving the lattices, and then FINALLY putting it in the oven. It was a lot of work – work that my lazy ass didn’t feel like doing at the end of last week. I do want to attempt an apple pie some day, but last Friday was not that day. Let’s be real – we all have our lazy days. Maybe I’ll feel more motivated for a special occasion … (Thanksgiving, mayhaps?)
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An Afternoon at Alstede
Yesterday, I spent an afternoon at Alstede Farms (Chester, NJ) – and it was seriously the best day. It was the perfect mix of food and adventure, so it was right up my alley. ;)
The leaves in New Jersey are starting to change colors, and the air is finally getting crisper and cooler. Fall is my favorite season, and it’s finally arrived! I’ve never been to Alstede before, and can’t believe my family has never gone since we only live about 20 minutes away. While I was there, I overheard people talking about how they had come from hours and hours away. After spending the afternoon there, I totally don’t blame them for coming from so far away. It’s absolutely worth it.
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MY GO-TO GUACAMOLE RECIPE
I wasn’t planning to write my second blog entry so soon, but today is a very special and important day: National Guacamole Day – so I made an exception!
Guac is one of my favorite things to both make and eat. It’s easy to make and also healthy for you – what more could ya ask for? It’s something I taught myself how to make through experimenting and made often while I was away at college. I've made it on my desk multiple times when other people were in the kitchen LOL - no need for fancy facilities or tools! ;)
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A fortune I opened the day after starting this blog; I shit you not.
What are YOU waiting for?
Today’s the day. I’ve decided I FINALLY, actually, seriously, really am going to start a blog. It is something I have contemplated for months and months… and I am finally taking the damn plunge. I’ve thought about it so many times before, and I constantly made excuses and put it off. What is the “theme” of my blog going to be? What will I name it? Will anyone really read it? Will anyone care? Am I a good enough writer? The whole world is going to judge the shit out of me. I’m going to wait until I have a full-time steady job. I’m going to wait until I have my own apartment so I have a prettier interior to photograph. I’m going to wait until I have things to blog about. I’m going to wait until people know who I am. No more waiting.
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