Most Exciting News!

I am just bursting at the seams to tell the wonderful news:

Matt has officially been offered a position at his top choice restaurant in LA, Providence!!!

I am so completely proud of him and I am not at all surprised that they would want him to work for them. 

So how did this blessed event occur? Hard work, not taking days off and being persistent. Even though he was hired and had begun working at another restaurant he was not satisfied there. They didn’t offer the professional, meticulous, learning experience he wanted and he was not happy to go to work every day. However he took the job knowing it could be a while before he got what he really wanted. 

On his days off he did what is called a ‘stage’ (pronounce the a like ah). This is where you go into a kitchen and work as if you are employed so they can see your ability, but you’re doing it for free. Basically a skilled volunteer. Matt has been doing this instead of having days off to show that he is dedicated and really wants to work at Providence. And when he came home from his most recent stage on Monday night he had great news; they like him and want him to join their staff! 

Even though it was 1AM when he got home we had to celebrate so I made him delicious frozen pizza and we cracked open a lovely bottle of wine his dad had given us.

He starts work at his new job on the 4th. Talk about a Happy New Year!

In other news I’m not that thrilled with how the tree decorating video is coming along. It still needs some serious editing. I’m trying to get it together in time to upload for the holiday but in the meantime here is a picture of our super cute little tree.

Also important, I found a frame for our dress up photo we took in Colorado. Not sure where we’re going to hang it so it’s sitting on a rubbermaid container with some other photos for the time being. I still can’t get over Matt’s expression. That was such a fun time.

One of Matt and my favorite weekly podcasts is called Good Food which is put out by a local station, KCRW, and is based right here in Santa Monica. If you are interested in food it is a great listen even if you don’t live in the area (I started listening when I lived in the Caribbean and thoroughly enjoyed it then). It goes over local restaurants, has interviews with chefs and cookbook authors and bar owners, and gives great recipes. The segment I like the most is the market report which features the Santa Monica farmers market and what is fresh and in season. They talk to the various growers about their produce and it makes my mouth water every time. The best part is that I now live 4 blocks away from it. So now Matt and I walk down on Saturday and Wednesday mornings and get delicious, fresh, beautiful fruits and veggies and more. This is the haul we got most recently:

The raspberries were gone the first day, and the sundried tomatoes not long after. Matt is steadily eating the clementines, they are very sweet, more so than store bought ones. I cooked the baby new potatoes today for lunch - parboiled them, then put them on a sheet tray. Then I smashed them slightly with the side of a coffee mug, drizzled them with salt, pepper, olive oil and rosemary and baked them in a hot oven til crispy. YUM!

I’m still hunting for a job. Bad time of year to be looking I guess. I’ve broadened my search out of the restaurant industry to include pretty much anything I think I could do really well. I’m going to become the Queen of Cover Letters.

I was bad and didn’t take many pictures this week so here are a few random things that make me happy - and hopefully will make you happy, too:

This is sand magnified. Beautiful and kinda makes you think . . .

This is a tree in Wakefield, RI that Matt and I looked at everyday out of the kitchen window. It was one of my favorites on the property and I think it looked the best just as the sun was going down.

This is just hilarious - click on the picture to read the caption.

With Christmas almost here Matt and I have decided that we aren’t doing presents this year. The funds aren’t there and it has been such a stressful time getting into a new place and jobs and everything we didn’t want to add to the drama with 'Present Pressure'. Instead we are going to get a couple nice things that we decide on together (my suggestions are REALLY good extra virgin olive oil and a dish drying rack. I think Matt wants a wireless router. We are very exciting people). Most fun, we plan on driving around to look at Christmas lights and then watching a few classic holiday movies. I just love doing that. 

Must get going - I’ve got oatmeal coconut cookies in the oven . . .

The Swing of Things

All quiet on the Western Front. Matt and I are settling in and truthfully we aren’t up to all that much exciting stuff - though we did get our first piece of joint mail which rocks!

    

He has started his new job and is getting back into the swing of working again. I am looking for a job now that we’ve chosen a location and I can see where I’ll be able to walk to. I’ve got to tell you that the competition is ridiculous. Open calls for interviews at restaurants draw in huge crowds of people looking for work. Daunting really. So as a combination stress reliever and joyous outpouring of unused energy I’ve been baking.

So far I’ve made banana bread, peanut butter cookies, pancakes and zucchini bread (all vegan, and really delicious I think). 

In other food news; we’ve been on a bit of a kale kick, I introduced Matt to my world famous portabella burgers, and of course we've made truffle fries now that we’ve got a kitchen and bought some truffle oil. I may have no choice but to turn this into a food blog until something interesting happens!

Because the kitchen is still the room we use the most we made a few improvements. Matt hung up the pot rack you can see in the picture with me cooking and also a cute picture of him and his mother. 

I put some of my magnet collection on the fridge which is super essential. We also went to Ikea again for a couple folding chairs so we don’t have to eat while sitting on the floor. We tried that at first but I’ll tell you, it takes no time at all for my back to hurt all hunched over like that. Matt even haggled and bought a little folding table off one of the neighbors so we don’t have to eat off of rubbermaid containers now. He is very resourceful.

The other day I was out walking and saw the cutest thing; violets! They are my favorite flower but you can never get them in a store and they only grow for such a short time in the East so I was thrilled to spot them. They were so adorable just hanging out by the side of the road all nonchalant even though it’s December. Totally made my day.

We got a tree on Monday, too. First time either of us has had one in years so we are excited. It isn’t very big but it is just perfect. We put the lights on it this morning. We don’t have any ornaments really so I think it’s only going to have the lights, which is pretty enough. I am debating finding something star-like to tie to the top though. Have to wait and see. I made a video of us “decorating” the tree but I haven’t finished editing the footage. If it comes out alright I’ll put it up here for you. If it ends up sucking I’ll just take a picture and put that up instead :)

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season so far . . .

Nesting with Chester

"His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking, best, or a pleasant mixture of them all."

J.R.R. Tolkien  The Hobbit

We are trying to achieve this type of perfection - turning the proverbial boards and beams into our home. Making lovely spaces for all the food, sleep, work and singing we can handle. 

It officially began on Friday (dun, dun, DUN) that blackest of days when everyone collectively decides to descend on the shopping world in a frenzy of panicked spending. A modern day freakish example of how hunting and gathering has evolved. Matt and I joined ranks with the other crazies to try and take advantage of the deals to get things for the apartment. We didn’t have the most exciting items on our list but thought that 20% off made it worth the hassle. Our day started at Bed, Bath and Beyond, moved on to Target, and culminated in Crate & Barrel. 

Have to tell you that it was at least a very warm and sunny day with pretty scenery.

We are now the proud owners of bleach, paper towels, an air mattress, sheets, tons of Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning products, pillows, new dishes and a little green glass bird who I’ve named Chester the Chickadee.

This took up most of the morning and afternoon. We had a quick bite to eat to refuel and then headed to Santa Monica to put our supplies to good use scrubbing the place down. It seemed clean enough except for a bit of sawdust from the new vanity they installed in the bathroom, but there is something about your own dirt vs. the dirt of others that made Matt and I want to do a little more washing up. 

We drove from the Valley where we are staying currently, into Santa Monica and as we approached it got foggier and foggier. Like driving into a dream. Kind of a neat way to go to our apartment for the first official time.

A little white wine, Pandora playing on the radio, and elbow grease . . .

The final touch of the evening before we locked up and headed out was putting our doormat on our stoop. Why 'Hello' fishes - I've missed you.

Saturday was yet another day of shopping. Matt had NEVER been to an Ikea before - isn’t that unAmerican or something?? - so we had to go. Most importantly because we were in search of the perfect kitchen cart. There was this rather large gap in the kitchen between the fridge and the stove which needed to be utilized. Looking online with measurements I’d taken the night before we saw something that looked like it might work. Off we went to the Glendale Ikea. 

Amongst yet another loud crush of humanity we found what is perhaps the most perfect thing ever. A kitchen cart to end all kitchen carts. The crowning glory to our new “Cucina”. Am I exaggerating? Maybe, but it is really great. Makes me want to chop something. Or stick some utensils in it’s lovely little drawer. Go nuts, basically.

We got a few other little items - kitchen towels, bedside lamps - and drove back to our temporary place in the Valley. Traffic was too bad to bother going to Santa Monica once we’d finished, would have been at least an hour there and back. Instead we got up Sunday morning, loaded some of our Rubbermaid bins of belongings back into the bed of the truck and drove to the apartment.

Now the fun of setting up and making it into something even Bilbo would be jealous of can begin. (If you don’t get my LOTR + Hobbit references, you’ll just have to read the fabulous stories yourself). 

Isn’t it great?!?! It is the first actual piece of furniture we’ve bought together - I don’t think an air mattress counts - and we had fun assembling it, too. We also lined some of the cupboards and put our new dishes on them. Can’t wait til we get everything arranged and away and can start using it.

Right now we can’t be in the apartment because there isn’t any gas hooked up so we are without heat, hot water, or a working stove. The company screwed up and shut it off when the last tenant moved out. They were supposed to transfer it to the property management company and then to us but they didn’t get the memo apparently. With the holiday they were then closed for a few days and now tell us they won’t be able to get it done til Friday!!! That totally sucks because we signed the lease starting Saturday and are paying for it but can’t move in yet. 

Yes, this is SoCal, but it gets really chilly at night and I do like to cook and take showers. At least we have the temporary apartment til the 29th. Not ideal, but we don’t have to stay in a hotel or anything like that. Matt just left actually to head to one of the gas offices. He is hoping that if he shows up in person and lays it out to them they might be able to move up our turn on date. I’ve got my fingers crossed but I’m not holding my breath (to use a couple cliches) because I have little faith in the efficiency of public services.

Whenever it happens, we are looking forward to moving in. It is such a cute space. I took a few photos of the walkway and courtyard so you can see the cuteness for yourself.

Now, because it’s only fair, I’m going to post a picture Matt took of me last night. You remember the one I took of him taking up all the bed a few posts ago? Well, he insists I do it too, but I didn’t believe him. Here is proof. I guess now we’re even!

When Matt gets back from warring with utility providers we’re going to go to Santa Monica again and unpack more stuff. We’ve got a whole kitchen to organize and closets of clothes to hang. It might also not be a bad idea to pick up a few things at the grocery store - we now live a block away from Whole Foods, yay - because our fridge contains only one thing right now.

Vital, yes, but not very filling.

Most importantly we bought plastic film to cover the front windows. Once we actually get the gas turned on we want to keep it in the house and not be heating the courtyard. Let the good work begin.

"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home."

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Glorious Gluttony

How was your Thanksgiving? 

Full of warmth, love and food I hope.

Ours was a nice low-key day. We picked up a few things that we had been craving since leaving Rhode Island and headed over to Matt's Dad's house. 

I think I do a really great impersonation of a turkey :)

On the menu Matt and I contributed:

Roasted artichokes
Quinoa with roasted zucchini
Mashed carrots and turnips (just like my Grandmother used to make)
Yamamoto oysters with mignonette
P.E.I. mussels in a white wine, shallot, thyme and lemon broth with grilled bread
Pan seared Barramundi

 

Matt's Dad had:

Wine, sake (flippin' sweet!) and beer
Tuna tartare with vegetable crisps
St. Andre cheese and crackers
Bacon chocolate (Matt is now obsessed)
Coconut soy ice cream

It was a completely wonderful feast. Matt and I had especially missed artichokes - one of our favorite foods. We do disagree on how they should be cooked but we went with my way this time and his way with the mussels. It all came out great :)

And just like that the holiday season has begun!

Turkey Freedom Day

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. 

Matt and I are going to be feasting on oysters, artichokes, mussels, carrots and turnips, olives and Californian wine. Can't wait - we'll be heading to his Dad's apartment shortly. 

Just wanted to leave you with something funny and adorable. Keep watching - it ends up fine and it's super cute.

Cord Cows Say 'Moo'

On Wednesday Matt and I sign the lease for our new Santa Monica apartment. We are very excited and relieved and all things good. It took us longer than we thought to find exactly what we wanted, where we wanted it, in a place we also could afford. When we move in there on Saturday I will take pictures so you can see the gloriousness that is now OURS!!!

We looked at so many spaces to find one that was right and I have to tell you that even though I pride myself on being organized I have forgotten the exact number. Suffice it to say we visited and vetoed at least 15. Probably more that I am not remembering right now. Talk about depressing. Creepy property managers, disgruntled fellow renters, weird smells, old carpeting, barred windows, etc. Not to mention all the time stuck in traffic to get to each one. Yet if we had settled for anything we'd seen previously we wouldn't be moving into what is really good for us. And it was a close call there. We had a moment of desperation and actually called to say we wanted to rent a place in West Hollywood. We were supposed to go in the next day to sign the lease, but Matt had the brilliant idea to drive by it one more time the night before. It wasn't good. Did not look safe and seemed truly sad. He said no and I'm so glad because it freaked me out. And then 2 days later we found home!

In the meantime, while we weren't out hunting for a humble abode we've had to find ways to entertain ourselves. Here are a few things we've been up to:

1. Visiting Sprinkles Cupcakes. As you probably know, I don't eat an awful lot of things. However, Sprinkles is an institution with lines out their door at all hours. They even have a cupcake ATM! Tell me how I was supposed to resist trying the world's most perfect cupcake??? Clearly, I wasn't.

We tried their season special Salty Caramel and each had to have one of their most popular Red Velvet (which I now know they make a vegan version of). Our verdict: Flippin' delicious. Plus they looked like mini boobs - haha. The red velvet really took the cake :)

2. Changing the screen saver. With all the time Matt and I spend on here researching everything from jobs to apartments to cars I thought I needed to liven things up/occupy my time so I've been doing an animal series. This one makes me particularly happy:

3. Making dinner at the questionable apartment we're in now. I do the veggies and Matt handles the proteins. It's a good system. This is quinoa with crispy mushrooms, oven roasted Brussels sprouts, pan seared salmon and cheap red wine ($7.99 at wholefoods people!!).

4. Noticing things. With all this extra time on my hands as I sadly remain unemployed (those idiots don't know what they're missing) I've had the time to notice things I might otherwise have missed. For instance I am a morning person and am usually always awake before Matt. I get up, grab some juice or water or my phone and come back to lay down and this is what I see without fail:

He does love to take his half out of the middle. I'd be annoyed if it wasn't so darn cute. There is no bed big enough for that boy. I think we need to get a California king when we can afford it so maybe he can sleep with his toes on the bed for once. I still think he'll end up in the middle but that's ok.

I also noticed this the other day when I was sitting at the super classy glass kitchen table using the computer and happened to look down:

The computer cord totally looked like a cow!!! And you know how I love cows. This made my whole morning.

5. Develop a juice obsession. Being in LA we have access to some of the most fresh and health conscious things I've ever seen. I've read about so much stuff in Elle magazine or online, but now we live down the street from awesomeness. The Pressed Juicery is one of the many places you can get raw, unpasteurized, super fresh juices. Greens #1 is my favorite; kale, parsley, spinach, celery, romaine and cucumber. Matt likes Roots #4; carrot, apple and ginger. And we both love the vanilla almond milk. It tastes like dessert.

They offer cleanses for 3 to 5 days which Matt and I are thinking about doing when we have the funds. It sounds amazing to be getting only good fresh nutrients for a few days to reset your body.

6. Surf - finally! For the first time since we got here Matt was able to get out and surf today. It wasn't perfect, the wind had changed and the surf wasn't super high but he got out in the water for over an hour. Other days there hadn't been any waves, or we had appointments to keep so he couldn't go, but with the apartment stuff handled we had time to drive to Huntington Beach today. It was lovely. I wore a sweater and read a magazine on a park bench while he did his thing.

Have to say I don't see why any sane person/people would put oil rigs so close to shore on such a beautiful beach. Otherwise was so lovely. It's nice to be by the ocean.



Those are some of the things we've been up to.

Thanksgiving is coming up. We aren't planning anything much but it will be nice just to be together. We both are craving artichokes so they are on the menu for sure. Other than that I have no details which is rather amazing. A holiday with absolutely NO stress for the first time probably ever! Of course there are people I miss who I love and would like to see, but this is going to be great. I hope all of you have lovely holidays free of the evil stress monster as well :)

One last thing - Matt and I are going to get wireless internet at our new place and we've been debating what to name our network (I think that's what it's called). So far almost everything we've come up with is totally inappropriate but really funny. We might just go with it and our new neighbors can think we're weirdos. Or maybe not. If you have any fabulous ideas let us know. Food For Duckers is on the table, too.