Adventures in Paradise

Knitting, sea stories and whatever else comes to mind...

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  • Moth Heaven
  • Anthony Bourdain's Blog: Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations : World, Travel, Food, Wine
  • Chappys Mom
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  • DavidLebovitz.com
  • EAT MY GLOBE
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  • Neil Gaiman - Neil Gaiman's Journal
  • Nice Knits
  • ruhlman.com
  • Seeking SanKnity
  • Serious Eats: A Food Blog and Community
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  • The Invisible Handy Wipe Knits
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  • The Mac and Cheese Chronicles
  • The Wool Palace
  • Wendy Knits!
  • y(e)arn - the typo that summed it all up
  • Yarn Balls
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Snow Day!

I wonder how many Eastern blogs will have "Snow Day" or some version thereof as a title?  There really weren't any other options for those of us experiencing the blizzard.  (Nearly 24 hours and going strong as I type.)

I slept in, even later than I'd planned because there was no sun to rouse me out of bed.  I did make it up, and headed outside for a photo safari that lasted nearly two hours.  I started up on the roof of my own building - here's what the streets looked like from above.  I hope the people in those cars actually needed to be out driving.

City

The roof top was pretty neat, with drifts that almost looked beach-like.

Snow drift

Snow in the grasses 


And at the request of a neighbor...I took pictures of her snow angel.

Snow angel 

After that, I headed down to the streets and wandered about a mile or two afield.  I'd originally thought about going all the way down to the monuments, but that really is a long walk, so I turned east instead, toward the Capitol.  There is a Catholic church almost directly across the street from my building.  I was amazed at the color in this picture - I didn't alter it at all, but it looks almost Christmas card-like.

Church

I also visited the Police Officers Memorial, but the near white out conditions at the time meant that my pictures of the lions in their evergreen wreaths didn't turn out at all.  But the memorial is lined with trees that made for a lovely picture.  (I turned this one black and white, because it looked cool.)

Trees black and white

The Lone Sailor is still on watch at the Navy Memorial, and I guess for once it's okay that his hands are in his pockets.

Lone Sailor

I wandered further, stopping to look at what I think used to be a guardhouse or something similar.

Guardhouse

And at one point I looked around and thought I was entering Narnia...

IMG_1052

But no, I was just on the Capitol grounds, and finally at the base of the lawn, I was able to see the Capitol itself (where I'm told there were Senators actually working.)

Capitol

This pic is also Black and White because it looked so much better this way.

Posted by Shanti on December 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (5)

Mmmm...Cheese

Saturday is my office Holiday Party/Farewell and we're supposed to bring either a dessert or an appetizer.  I'm reasonably comfortable with either option, so I let my puka-mate decide which I'd bring.  He loves my cooking and has a serious sweet tooth, so I expected him to say dessert, but he didn't.  His logic is that he can always go pick up some chocolate or cookies, but if I brought an appetizer, he'd be assured something different.  So I started thinking about savory things I've been wanting to try and haven't yet.  Sure enough...I remembered that I've wanted to make gougeres since I read about them on the French Laundry at Home blog.  Even better, I already had everything at home except the cheese, so there was no need to buy lots of stuff and deal with leftovers. 

I knew I needed to do a test run, so I hit Cowgirl Creamery on my way home (I don't like Gruyere cheese, so substitution was a given...also, how often do I follow  recipe exactly?)  I consulted with one of the cheese mongers and after a couple of tastes, decided on Old Man Highlander from Calkins Creamery in PA. 

I got home at 5:30 this evening and was munching on cheesy goodness by 6:45, and that includes changing clothes, feeding the cat and cutting up caramels.  (maple syrup and Maldon's smoke salt, BTW...excellent.) 

The dough came together in the pot just the way it was supposed to,

Photo-16

With egg and cheese added, it piped out perfectly...even if they do sort of look like Peeps from this angle,

Photo-17

And oh, so pretty coming out of the oven!

Photo-18

And they tasted even better than they look!  I think my friends may be getting these, cooked and frozen with re-heating directions for Christmas gifts this year.  There are some lovely recipe options out there on the web - here, here and here, for example, each with a unique twist.

Posted by Shanti on December 14, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Unmotivated

I have seven days left to work at the Pentagon.  There's five days next week, then a week of leave in California and then two days in the middle of the week before New Years.  That's it.  Then I start school in Rhode Island.  I have lots of stuff to do to get ready to start school and for the holidays and I am not motivated to do anything whatsoever.  I've been coming home from work, curling up with with a book and not doing much else.  I have a second sock and the very beginnings of a sweater on the needles, but haven't picked those up in weeks. 

I did finish a hat...

Photo-15
Still haven't woven the ends in, but will eventually.   It's Tillie Thomas Flurries, and looks just like melted snowflakes on the blue merino.  I've just started a matching scarf in the same yarn, both skeins purchased last summer on a fairly deep discount.  This isn't going to be a gift, although wouldn't that be nice?  I have a pile of fabric itching to be baby dresses or knitting project bags and I just can't bring myself to do anything.  The house is a mess, too.  I think maybe I need to stop conserving energy and turn all the lights on to get my energy up. 

On the other hand, Navy just won their 8th consecutive game, and for a third consecutive game didn't allow Army a single touchdown.  It was a much closer game this year, 17-3 instead of last year's 38-0.  If Army keeps going uphill, next year might be a tight game.

Posted by Shanti on December 12, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Chilly Weekends

For Thanksgiving weekend, I blew off my family and friends, ignored the stuff I need to do to get ready to move and flew to Utah for a ski weekend all by myself.  Probably not the best of timing since there had been almost no snowfall, but the resorts were making snow.

IMG_0976

There were only about three runs open while I was in Park City, one of them the go-to run of my childhood, which was challenging to my adult self who hadn't even looked at skis in nearly four years.  (The top of the run was hard to photograph from the lift but is rather steeper than this bit.)

IMG_0980

And after three days of going up the lift and watching people on the alpine coaster, I bit the bullet, paid the $20 and rode it myself.

IMG_0983
It was a blast - worth the money for one ride, but unless I was with a child too young to ski all day, I don't know that I'd do it again.

I was there for three days worth of skiing without a single flake of snow.  This weekend though, out with my high school group for the Alexandria, VA Scottish Walk?

IMG_1028

Sigh.

Posted by Shanti on December 06, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Friday Night Sights

Wandering my way around the city after work tonight...

Photo-13
The Downtown Market opened up this afternoon, making it officially the shopping season here in the city.

And right around the corner...

Photo-12
Cops out in full force, since this is pretty much right where the Senator's daughter was car jacked on Wednesday night.  Which is very strange given that I think I was having dinner right across the street when it happened.  I walk around the neighborhood at all hours of the night and have never felt particularly threatened.  Irritated, but not threatened.  Then again, I don't drive in the neighborhood, so maybe that's the difference.

And then there was this...

Photo-11 

The cupcake trend hits the streets...


Up next, more ways I'm avoiding both the holidays and my impending move!

Posted by Shanti on December 04, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)

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December 2009

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Recent Posts

  • Snow Day!
  • Mmmm...Cheese
  • Unmotivated
  • Chilly Weekends
  • Friday Night Sights
  • On the Needles
  • Change of Plans
  • Another adventure ...
  • Happy Birthday Shanti!
  • More Ship Pictures

2009 Finished Objects

  • Texture

2008 Finished Objects

  • Silkscarf

2007 Finished Objects

  • Sally

2006 Finished Objects

  • Mom's Scarf

American History Museum Opening

  • Julias kitchen

Gulf Coast Drive

  • Signs
    Pictures taken on Highway 90 between Biloxi and Pass Christian, Mississippi.

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