Birthday celebrations.

Two weekends ago, I turned 26. I’m trying not to have crazy high expectations for this year, because what I really want is to just slow down. Twenty five was a year of change and uncertainty. A new job, a big move, a new house. A lot of driving, a lot of crying, and a lot of unhappiness in work and in life. Already, 26 is starting on a much brighter stage, and I’m looking forward to settling down and really enjoying life.

And this birthday was really perfect. M did a wonderful job of surprising me and splurging on really great celebrations. I usually have this problem that my birthday can’t live up to the expectations I have in my head. Normally, I don’t like a lot of attention, and I prefer to take care of others. But for some reason, I always expect my birthday to be this fantastic day where everyone in the world recognizes that it’s my special day. Not realistic. So this year, I was trying to be more laid back, and it was so much more enjoyable.

We kicked off the birthday weekend with a surprise weekend getaway. M had been telling me for weeks that we were going away for the weekend, but he wouldn’t tell me where. He said it was about 2.5 hours away. I immediately I was convinced we were going to Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA. If you’re not familiar with the Erie area, Splash Lagoon is an indoor water park at a mid-grate hotel. Horrifying, right? Not only would I be forced to put a bathing suit on my pale, pale body, but we would be dealing with germs from still water, a hotel with questionable cleanliness and probably lots of children. I have to be honest and tell you that I’ve never actually been to Splash Lagoon, so it might be none of these things in reality, but that’s how it exists in my head.

So I was really relieved when we started heading west. Until I realized that the only thing to the west is Ohio. Shoot. Nothing wrong with Cleveland, but I just couldn’t imagine anything in Cleveland that would make my birthday more special than Pittsburgh. But we kept going west. Toward the middle of nowhere. Literally. After forcing M to stop at a Ruby Tuesdays on the side of the highway, we rounded a bend at about 9 p.m. and came face to face with a horse and buggy. Lots of them. On the side of the road. We spent a terrifying 20 more minutes on the road (dodging more buggies in the pitch dark) before we spun up a tree covered driveway to the sweetest little inn, The Inn at Honey Run.

It was so darling. From the little “honeycomb” cottages set into the hillside, to the goats roaming the property, to the tiny spa cottage and the little shop of local artisan crafts in the lobby. We had the best weekend relaxing, eating, hiking and exploring the local cheese and wine shops. Such a perfect surprise.

Then on the next Thursday, we went out to dinner at a great little Pittsburgh gem called “Wild Rosemary.” I had never been, and M knew that small BYOBs are my favorite. And I had the best scallops of my life.

The celebrations continued on Friday with Lexus Club tickets to the Pirates game with my dearest friends Sarah and Sam. So glad to celebrate with them, and see the Pirates win!

Saturday (my actual birthday) was a day for relaxation. We lounged around all day and visited with M’s aunts who stopped over to see our house. Then we met my parents and brother for dinner at Lidia’s, one of my Italian favorites, before heading back to their house for cupcakes.

Such a wonderful weekend, and so much love! I’m truly blessed.

I should also mention that halfway through our Ohio adventure, we got news that my cousin had proposed to his college girlfriend! I just adore her, and I’m so, so glad she’s formally joining the family, even though she’s felt like family from day one. Many blessings.

To birthdays and celebrations,

Lia

Bread & Wine

Oh, “Bread & Wine”. How happy I am that you’re here! When I saw on Shauna’s blog several months ago that she was looking for bloggers to receive an advance copy of her newest book, I thought it was just about the best thing ever. As an avid, avid reader, the theory of advanced readers thrilled me. It’s like seeing a movie before it’s in theatres or hearing a single before it drops. It’s also kind of like overhearing a really juicy conversation or winning excellent tickets to a concert. Equal parts exciting, exclusive and just a little bit sneaky.

So you can imagine my excitement when the book arrived in my mailbox at the end of February. I promptly curled up in bed and basically read the book cover to cover. There were a few chapters that were read while sitting on the stationary bike at the gym because spending an entire weekend reading in bed seemed just a tiny bit too indulgent, even for me. So, of course, here we are, six weeks later, and I haven’t posted my review. Some of this might be due to my irregular blogging as of late, but I have to blame at least a little bit of it in my nervousness to write a review that could potentially be read by Shauna herself. I’ve felt such a deep connection to “Cold Tangerines,” “Bittersweet” and now, “Bread & Wine.” As I’ve said before, Shauna found me at a really vulnerable time in my life, and her sweet words (whether hopeful or despairing) helped me find grace and clarity. And they still do. Even though life has settled down sweetly in the past six months, I found the same resonation of hope and grace and life in this book, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

So instead of a formal review, I’ll just come right out and tell you that I loved it. I loved it for its spiritual-ness, its foody-ness, its humor and its honesty. Please, please read it. You will love it. And if you love food and cooking, you will love it doubly more. Here is a brief synopsis of my favorite “Bread & Wine” moments:

1.       The concept of “life around the table” is something I’ve thought about a lot in the past few years, but never really articulated. And, of course, there are two tables we’re talking about here. The first is the table my living room…the new one that I bought when I moved in November with its shiny wood, leather seats and painfully bare top at the current moment (note to self to finally buy a table runner). This table was a labor of love, since I had to send the set back four times before a perfect version was delivered to my dining room, but sitting at that table and eating dinner with family and friends is one of the greatest joys of my Pittsburgh life, and I’m so glad for the happiness we’ve found around it already, even in just a few short months. The second table, naturally, is the Lord’s table. Communion and nourishment in a bigger way. And just as Shauna says, life should really be lived around the Lord’s table. Whether in quiet reflection or the loudest moments of our lives, we’re aiming to live in communion with God and each other.

2.       Two of my favorite recipes came from Part 1 of the book: Steak au Poivre and Green Well Salad. Before moving in with M I could probably count on one finger the number of times I made steak. Yes, folks, that’s right. One time. And it was a disaster that I’m pretty sure a) made M terrified of me in the kitchen and b) spurred my hate-hate relationship with the broiler. But Steak au Poivre sounded so delicious and shockingly easy to make, that I had to give it a try for the sake of my meat-loving boyfriend. And it was. Aside from the fact that our steaks were probably a bit more well-done than the book suggests (due to my unreasonable fear of food borne illness, much to M’s disappointment), we were eating medium-well, but even then, we loved them. And the sauce was delicious. And if you like peppercorns, this will be your new go-to entertaining meal. And then came the Green Well Salad. Caramelized onions are my weakness, and combine them with goat cheese, pears, grapes, dried cherries (or in my case, cranberries) and walnuts…and you really can’t lose. However, the best part for me might have been the salad dressing. For some reason, the thought of making homemade salad dressing was up there with painting the Mona Lisa, but turns out it’s very simple. And way more delicious than the bottled stuff. I added Dijon mustard with horseradish to my dressing, and it was the perfect accompaniment to nearly everything I ate that week.

3.       Present over perfect. It was close to the end of the book where I found this construct that really resonated with me. I am Type A, a perfectionist, a detail-oriented person. I love to host dinner parties, but I hate messes and last minute tasks and dinner guests who don’t use coasters. And sometimes I don’t do the things I love for fear of the anxiety and craziness that comes from always aiming for “the perfect.” And I miss out. I miss out on really great conversations had with friends while there is laundry piled up on my floor. I miss out on enjoying our company because I’m huddled over the kitchen sink cleaning every dish that I’ve used. There’s only so much you can control, and being present is worth 100 times more than a perfectly clean kitchen and neatly folded laundry. No one notices if there are a few dishes in the sink or if you’re wearing the same yoga pants as yesterday. No one cares if your counters have smudges of tomato sauce or your dining room table as a few watermark rings. But people do care if you don’t make them feel like they are heard and appreciated and welcomed. So I’m trying to remember this as we entertain more and more…to welcome the company and the experience of community around the table with these dear friends and to stop worrying about the appearance of my home or the complexity of my meal. Sound, sound advice.

So friends, please buy a copy of “Bread & Wine.” Find it on Amazon or download it on your iPad, or if you’re really desperate, ask me, and I will gladly give you one of the ten copies I pre-ordered on Amazon before receiving my advanced copy. And then tell me you read it, so we can cook and chat together.

Visit Shauna at her website by clicking here: http://www.shaunaniequist.com/
And order "Bread & Wine" on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Bread-Wine-Letter-Around-Recipes/dp/0310328179/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365714550&sr=8-1&keywords=bread+%26+wine

To Bread & Wine,

Lia

Simple pleasures.

Today I give you a list of the simple things that are making me oh-so-happy today:

1. Fuzzy Water: It feels fancy, but it’s actually simple and a much needed addition to my fluid intake. I’m loving San Pellegrino Sparking Orange in a can…especially when I have a long afternoon at my desk.
2. Laura Mercier Loose Powder: I was never a fan of face powder in any form until recently. I thought it made me look cakey and “made up,” but this stuff is pure magic. It blends in so evenly and eliminates shine throughout the day with NO reapplication.
3. Fascinatinglocations on Instagram: Well, okay, I love Instagram in general, but this feed compiles beautiful shots from around the globe taken by followers. I love the updates throughout the day because it reminds me of how much beauty there is in the world, and it makes me want to travel for forever.
4. Audiobooks: As much as I love country radio, audiobooks have been my favorite commute companion now that I’m spending almost 60 minutes in my car every day. It makes the drive fly by, and I can indulge in some of the girly chick-lit that I never get around to reading in hardcopy.
5. Papermate Flair pens: As a strict follower of my Erin Condren Life Planner, I’ve discovered that these Papermate pens are by far the best utensil not only for life planning, but for work notes and love notes. So many fun colors, and they seem to last a really long time.
6. Trader Joe’s Potstickers: They come in chicken and pork, and they’re absolutely delicious. I discovered them when I lived in Virginia, and I’ve been sadly going through TJ’s withdrawal since now the closest store is about 40 minutes away. But every time I go, I pick up about 10 bags to keep in the freezer…and eat a whole bag at a time. Oops.
7. Fresh flowers: I love vases of fresh flowers in our living room. M knows this, so he frequently surprises me on Saturday mornings by running out to buy bouquets of flowers from Whole Foods and Chai lattes from Strarbucks (which could have a category all its own). I especially love all the beautiful Easter flowers this season….hyacinth, tulip, daffodil, iris, hydrangea…
8. The weird car-vacuum thing at gas stations: If anyone has been in my car, you’ll know that it’s generally not the cleanest place. There are usually napkins, crushed-up goldfish, empty Diet Pepsi bottles that have dribbled on the carpet. But there’s something really refreshing about putting six quarters in the car-vacuum contraption and sucking every last crumb/hair/dirt/particle out of the car. And then driving through the car wash.
9. Letters from old friends: I’m trying to become a letter-writer. Like a snail mail letter-writer. Nothing brings me a happiness boost like receiving a sweet hand-written note in the mail, so I’m trying to be more diligent about sending out little notes for holidays and birthdays to give my dearest friends a little joy in their mailboxes.
10. Country music: Sunny early-spring days are making me long for the summer days of windows-down, country music driving. Some current favorites: “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker, “Telluride” by Tim McGraw, “Days Go By” by Keith Urban, and anything Sugarland.

To all of our happy pleasures,

Lia

April fools...but not really.

Good afternoon! Ya’ll probably think this is an April Fools joke, right? Yet another month as slid by in a mess of working and playing and decorating and finally some family time this past weekend as we celebrated Easter. The weekend was cold, but Saturday was sunny and it made me anxious for spring…spring cleaning, new beginnings, baseball season, grilling out on the deck, etc. And part of new beginnings is a renewed commitment to blogging….hopefully. I’m aiming to blog five times this week, even if it’s just a short and sweet update on the week. So here we go.

I’m particularly excited for a blog update coming later this week with a review of Shauna Niequist’s newest book, “Bread & Wine.” I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy in exchange for a review on my blog, and I just can’t wait to share this collection of essays with you. I love, love, love Shauna, and I love, love, love eating and community, so this book was a perfect blend of the kind of happiness she brings to my life. But that’s enough about the book for now. J

But while we’re talking about Shauna, I couldn’t help but think about an expression I’ve seen her refer to on her blog and in recent books: “thin places.” And Easter weekend reminded me how present these thin places are in my life. Thin places are the tiny spaces in our lives where the earthy meets the heavenly, where time and place seem to stand still, where the borders between us and the people we miss and the people we’ve lost seem just a bit more permeable. Easter always brings about thin places for me. Maybe it’s the mix of sorrow and joy we feel Easter week, or maybe it’s the communion with family, or maybe it’s just the promise of spring and change and new beginnings. But any way it happens, every Easter Sunday I stand in church singing some of my favorite hymns and I feel the presence of all the people I’ve been missing. Some are in far away states, some are friendships lost over the years, some we’ve lost on Earth. To me, thin places are both sad and happy. Reminders that life is precious and short, but full of joy and love. Which is just like Easter, a painfully slow and sorrowful week leading up to one of the most peaceful and celebrated days in the Christian faith. Truly, how great Thou art.

So this week, I’m getting back to basics. To cooking dinner and reading, to waking early and working out, to finding peace and calm in the midst of the lively world we live in. And hopefully spending a lot more time with you, blog, in the coming days.

To blogging and basics,

Lia