Obsession depression.

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I had to go home last night and watch the Mad Men finale one last time. I might just cry myself to sleep every night this week, now that it’s over. Whatever will I obsess about now?

Okay, I’m sure I’ll find something…

Here’s the thing about Mad Men. I couldn’t stand English class in grade school, even though I loved to read and write. It was utterly boring and seemingly unnecessary to break apart “Of Mice and Men,” “Huckleberry Finn” or “A Tale of Two Cities.” Surely the authors didn’t intend all that irony, foreshadowing, symbolism, characterization we had to discuss for hours. I mean, can’t we just enjoy the story? Keep reading »

Cooking Spree: Brunswick Stew

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Hello, world! It’s been busy days here at Constitution Lane, so I’m sorry I had to drop off for a bit. You’ll be glad to know that I followed through last weekend on a cooking spree and made Brunswick Stew. (Suffice it to say that I cook when I’m stressed.) The stew is pretty delicious, and it’s the perfect meal for chilly, early fall in the South.

I love a stew, since like soup you just throw a mess of ingredients in a pot, cook it for a couple of hours and, voila!, you have a thick, rich meal to warm up your insides. The other good thing about a stew is that it is entirely manipulatable – you can get creative or just throw every leftover in your kitchen into it, and it will be wonderful. Keep reading »

Reading List: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

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During school, I read for fun at a snail’s pace. But luckily I was able to knock out a big chunk of “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” during my recent beach escape.

A few weeks ago I finished “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” which was amazing. So amazing, in fact, that I was up until 5 a.m. one night reading it (on a weekend, thank goodness). I was initially engrossed by the general suspense, but then once I read “the scene,” I had to turn on all the lights and tv until I passed out from exhaustion. Keep reading »

Recipe Roundup: Cookies, Shells and Stew

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The latest issue of GOOP out this week highlights a top-10 list of favorite food bloggers. Thanks, Gwyneth! I’d already loaded my Google Reader with blogs of food writers and home cooks I found through word of mouth — they share their recipes, entertain me with their witticisms and give me inspiration for trying new foods or improving on my standards. After reading the GOOP list, I’ve tripled my blog reading list … which is going to reflect well on work productivity, I’m sure.

I’ve relied heavily on my regular food bloggers this week for ideas, so I need to highly recommend some new dishes to add to your repertoire. Keep reading »

Project runaway.

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I ran away from home last weekend.

This semester I’m responsible for reading 80 pages of finance text every week, calculating homework problems, plus reading 3-5 management articles and answering short answer homework on those.

Overwhelming.

We began plotting an escape to the beach at the beginning of the week, even though it’s far past summer and the weather has turned chilly. I begged out of class early on Thursday, and I can work remotely from anywhere. So luckily, our plan went off without a hitch. Keep reading »

Culinary Bucket List: Durian

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I’m sure we all have a bucket list — whether on paper or just in our heads — and it contains a variety of important items. (Actually, I hate the term “bucket list” but I use it for lack of another. It’s the “things to do before you kick it” list.)

I have several lists … one for travel, books to read, general life accomplishments. But I also have one for culinary adventures. Things I have to eat before I go. Keep reading »

To all the dogs I’ve loved before.

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I really do mean canines.

(Though there’s only been one, so far.)

Last week at lunch I was reminiscing with my dad about my first dog, a beagle named Missy who a) bit me on the foot, b) ate my dad’s last Snickers candy bar (he’s still not over it) and c) ran away, never to be seen again, as soon as we arrived at my grandparents’ farm. I don’t think any of us were too upset. Keep reading »

Lay your hands on me.

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Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Around the end of the summer, I was feeling the strain of too much school and schedule. So in a moment of rash decision-making I joined a massage clinic. Now I’m a card-carrying member, signed up for massages once a month at least.

Everyone thinks of massage as a luxury, not as part of your regular health routine, like exercise, eating well and going to the dentist. But it is. Outside of the general stress relief and relaxation, massages (and acupuncture) are great for sleep problems, anxiety, depression, poor circulation, a weak immune system, etc. Check, check and check. They’ve been practiced for centuries, but once some capitalist figured out how to charge a lot for them, suddenly they’re an elite “treat.” That’s too bad. Keep reading »

Cooking Spree: Blueberry Scones

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I’m a big freezer.

(I mean, I freeze a lot of things. Not that I’m a large appliance.)

(But you probably knew that.)

As you saw earlier, I’m in the midst of a cooking spree. I noticed that I had some leftover frozen blueberries for some reason. Sometimes when I buy fresh blueberries, I pour them onto a sheet pan, freeze them and then store in a Ziploc bag to preserve them. I hate throwing away food, so I decided to seize this perfect opportunity to make scones. Keep reading »

Cooking Spree: Chocolate Banana Bread

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I have a confession to make:  I’ve been on kind of a cooking spree.

Well, a baking spree. It’s what happens when I don’t cook for awhile. It all builds up and comes out in a binge.

I was visiting a friend in D.C. a couple of years ago, and she served this amazing banana bread with chocolate chips. A winning combo. I don’t make banana bread often, maybe once a year, but I had some leftover bananas just about to turn and a hankering to bake something. Plus I live and breathe for chocolate. Any kind, anywhere, anyhow. Keep reading »