Happy Friday

This weekend I'll be watching a little football, getting a jump start on writing my Christmas list, and relaxing with friends. Have a lovely weekend!

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Dressing Green

Go green like Ginnifer Goodwin! At a recent event she wore a dress made of recycled hospital scrubs. Who knew this unorthodox material could be such an exquisite gown? The best part, this dress was made by students from the Academy of Art students. Way to support budding talent and a good cause!

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Dinner Last Night: Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeño Cream

I made this little fall dish for dinner last night - Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeno Cream. Having never worked with spaghetti squash before I was quite surprised how spaghetti-like it is! Once cooked, it's stringy and noodle-like in appearance and dense in texture. This turned out pretty well, albeit a little runny. I think I might opt for half and half in lieu or regular milk next time for a richer, quintessential comfort food meal.

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To Sleeve or Not to Sleeve

To sleeve or not to sleeve - that is the question. According to stylists, Ivanka Trump may be bringing back the sleeved wedding dress. When Miss Trump contacted Vera Wang to design her wedding gown, she requested sleeves to suit her Orthodox ceremony. Wang then channeled icons past who had donned sleeves for their weddings, and modeled Ivanka's gown after Grace Kelly's, invoking the traditional and elegant "lace and royal factor."

I have to say, I kind of like the look. With my friends all buzzing with engagements, dress shopping, and wedding planning, I think in the end "unique," translates to "memorable." Kudos to Ivanka for stepping outside the trend box, who knows she might have even started a trend herself!

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Thanksgiving Dinner 3 Ways

Trying to spice up your Thanksgiving routine - well check out this article. New York Magazine rallied together 3 opposites; a French classicist, a molecular gastronomist, and a Slow Food duo from Brooklyn to reinterpret cooking America's most traditional meal.

The Challenge: Everyone had use these required ingredients: oysters, turkey, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin - all while spending less than $150.00. I'm impressed, and now I have some inventive recipes for Thanksgiving 2009!

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Travel Blues

I'm finding myself coming down with a case of travel fever. Maybe it's my withdrawals from my summer vacation in Europe, or maybe I've just watched one too many episodes of the Amazing Race...

Currently I'm lusting over travels to Ireland, Japan, and Argentina. I seem to constantly have a revolving list of must-see destinations rotating in my head like a CD-disc changer. My list is longer than I'll probably financially be able to justify, but I figure it never hurts to dream, right?

A Little Bit of Ethiopia

I realized I forgot to blog about a unique dining experience I had a few weeks ago. My mom and I, in an effort to be adventurous, tried out an Ethiopian restaurant, Habesha in downtown Seattle. With both of us being new to Ethiopian food, I wasn't sure what to expect. While I'd heard of "injera," spongy bread that's used as the primary eating utensil, I'd never tried it myself.

The "injera" is quite a tool, it's spongy, absorbent, and incredibly durable. It soaks up stews and liquid without breaking or softening like most breads would. It serves as the utensils in lieu of a spoon or fork. Well, eating with our hands was something that took a little getting used to. At one point my mom looked around scanning the tables for a stray fork, the same way she does after forfeiting a dining battle to chopsticks.

We ordered a spicy halibut fish dish, and a chicken, vegetable and potato dish seasoned with tumeric. Both were tasty, an interesting and unique blend of spices, but good! It was a fun dining experience, and I'd definitely recommend trying Ethiopian if you haven't had the privilege.

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