A colleague of mine just stopped by my desk. We discussed a project and then, as is predictable on a Friday afternoon, our conversation turned to random ramblings. At the end, I was left with this advice on how to avoid awkward interactions with people in the hallway: 'Always carry a prop and pretend something outside is really interesting. '
In our office, we have long hallways that are in many ways confrontational. You're walking along, usually on your way to the kitchen or bathroom and then a co-worker starts walking towards you on their way to the kitchen or the bathroom. Inevitably, there will be a moment when you make eye contact with the person coming towards you and possibly smile and nod at them but then realize that you still have a long way until the two of you actually meet and cross paths. Then, there is a moment of panic when you don't know if you should look away or keep staring the person down. If you look away, you can't really look back at them again so where do you look?
That's where the previously stated advice comes in. If you are always carrying some papers or a notebook - a prop -you will have something to look at. You never have to may eye contact with anyone. Just always stare down at your work. (This option is a bit strange if you are going to the bathroom because then you have to deal with the awkwardness of the prop in the bathroom.) The other option is to look out the windows across the cubicles and pretend that something outside is really interesting. This is pretty easy since all of the windows either look out onto Michigan Ave or onto the lake. Often, you can get the other person to look outside as well and wonder what in the world is so amazing.
So, there you have it. Very useful advice on a Friday afternoon.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
When I grow up I want to be a ballerina
Last year, Groupon had a great deal on season tickets to the Joffrey Ballet. I had never been to the ballet before but I figured that since I love musical theatre, opera, symphonies, etc., there was a good chance I would enjoy the ballet. In about 5 seconds, I talked K into getting tickets with me so that I wouldn't have to sit by myself. Last spring, we had the chance to renew our tickets for the same price and retain our seats (which are balcony seats but dead center and pretty good). It has been so enjoyable to have this experience. It's fun to get dressed up on a Saturday night and head downtown for an evening of culture. We usually walk north through Millennium Park after the show to grab a glass of wine and a snack at the Tavern on the Park.
A couple of weeks ago we saw a performance called 'Winter Fire'. (Only after a small ordeal with a conference championship basketball game and switching of tickets and last minute favors.) Winter Fire included three shorter ballets that were all unique and powerful in their own ways.
The first, 'In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated', was a high energy piece that combined the classical and the contemporary with a score that smacked you in the face from the start. The second piece, 'After the Rain', drew you in from the beginning through precise movements that were filled with emotion.
The third piece is the one that still haunts me though. 'Infra' was created after the London bombings and takes place below busy streets. A quote from the choreographer sums it up best "Literally below the life-affirming Opie screen and beneath the haunting surface of the music, I have attempted to create a series of human intimacies, bared from under the skin - prosaic, imperfect and fragile. In this landscape of miniatures that expose the very signs of life, physical empathies and emotional inferences rescue the lost narratives of the population on stage. Infra has become simply about people." - Wayne McGregor
At some point in the middle of the piece I found myself fighting back tears and realizing that the music and the dance had come together and touched something inside of me that I had not expected. I was completely lost in what was happening on stage and felt that I was almost under the streets with the dancers and sharing in their joy and pain.
A couple of weeks ago we saw a performance called 'Winter Fire'. (Only after a small ordeal with a conference championship basketball game and switching of tickets and last minute favors.) Winter Fire included three shorter ballets that were all unique and powerful in their own ways.
The first, 'In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated', was a high energy piece that combined the classical and the contemporary with a score that smacked you in the face from the start. The second piece, 'After the Rain', drew you in from the beginning through precise movements that were filled with emotion.
The third piece is the one that still haunts me though. 'Infra' was created after the London bombings and takes place below busy streets. A quote from the choreographer sums it up best "Literally below the life-affirming Opie screen and beneath the haunting surface of the music, I have attempted to create a series of human intimacies, bared from under the skin - prosaic, imperfect and fragile. In this landscape of miniatures that expose the very signs of life, physical empathies and emotional inferences rescue the lost narratives of the population on stage. Infra has become simply about people." - Wayne McGregor
At some point in the middle of the piece I found myself fighting back tears and realizing that the music and the dance had come together and touched something inside of me that I had not expected. I was completely lost in what was happening on stage and felt that I was almost under the streets with the dancers and sharing in their joy and pain.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Always start with bacon
Here's another recipe for you. This one is a good weeknight option since it doesn't take long to throw together but tastes like it took forever. However, this is in no way, shape, or form a diet dinner. Don't even try to make it one. Just love it for what it is and cut back somewhere else. The base of this dish is basically bacon fat.
I made this for dinner last night and enjoyed every bite. The bonus, your house will smell like bacon and garlic for a couple of hours. (Ok, so maybe not really a bonus.)
Are you ready?
I give you Pasta alla Carbonara!!
This recipe was given to me by my good friend's Italian mom. She got it from her Italian cousins in Italy. It's the real deal.
Sidenote: Having a friend in college whose mom is an amazing Italian cook and lives within 45 minutes of school is awesome! You always said 'yes' when you were invited over for dinner. It didn't matter that you were supposed to be taking a final or something silly like that.
Ok, here's the recipe:
1 lb. pasta
2 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, cubed
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmigiano cheese( plus extra for serving)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to make sure that the pasta will be hot and ready when the sauce in finished. (It is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.)
Beat the eggs and cheese together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Make the pasta “al dente”, and make sure you reserve ½ cup of the pasta water to use in the sauce. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and sauté for about 3 minutes to crisp it and render the fat.Toss the garlic into the fat and sauté for less that 1 minute just to soften it.Add the hot pasta (after it has been cooked and drained…set aside that ½ cup of pasta water), to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the pasta in the fat.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure that this does not happen).Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water until it reaches desired consistency.Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt.Mound the pasta into warm serving bowls and garnish with the chopped parsley.Pass more cheese around the table!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Why go out for steak?
This weekend I decided I wanted to make steak. It's not something that I eat on a regular basis but I really do enjoy it. Why should I only have it on special occasions and why should I have to get dressed up and pay a fortune for it? Guess what. I don't have to! By following some very simple instructions, I had an amazing steak dinner that I sat in my sweats and enjoyed. And, it took all of about 20 minutes to make. Here's what you do:
Buy some steaks. I paid $13 for two really nice top sirloin steaks that are at least 3 meals for me.
Pat the steaks dry. Coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
While you are doing this, put your cast iron skillet on the stove and let it get super hot. Also, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Put the steaks in the pan and sear on all sides for about 2 minutes a side. Total time is about 10 minutes for this. Note: This will create a good deal of smoke so make sure your place is really well ventilated (or take the batteries out of the smoke detector for a couple of minutes).
After all sides of the steak are seared, put about a tablespoon of butter on top of each steak and stick it in the hot oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until 120 degrees for rare or 125 for medium rare (or if you are me, until about 130 degrees for something closer to medium).
Remove the steaks from the oven and set on a plate. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
If you want to make them really tasty, while the steaks are cooking, mix some butter with some blue cheese, using a bit more blue cheese than you do butter. Put a really big spoonful of this on top of your steak and let it melt as you eat it.
For lunch on Tuesday, I spread the rest of the blue cheese butter on a mini baguette, added some slices of cooled meet and some mixed greens. For lunch tomorrow, I think I'll use the rest of the steak to make a salad with blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.
Buy some steaks. I paid $13 for two really nice top sirloin steaks that are at least 3 meals for me.
Pat the steaks dry. Coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
While you are doing this, put your cast iron skillet on the stove and let it get super hot. Also, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Put the steaks in the pan and sear on all sides for about 2 minutes a side. Total time is about 10 minutes for this. Note: This will create a good deal of smoke so make sure your place is really well ventilated (or take the batteries out of the smoke detector for a couple of minutes).
After all sides of the steak are seared, put about a tablespoon of butter on top of each steak and stick it in the hot oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until 120 degrees for rare or 125 for medium rare (or if you are me, until about 130 degrees for something closer to medium).
Remove the steaks from the oven and set on a plate. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
If you want to make them really tasty, while the steaks are cooking, mix some butter with some blue cheese, using a bit more blue cheese than you do butter. Put a really big spoonful of this on top of your steak and let it melt as you eat it.
For lunch on Tuesday, I spread the rest of the blue cheese butter on a mini baguette, added some slices of cooled meet and some mixed greens. For lunch tomorrow, I think I'll use the rest of the steak to make a salad with blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.
Enjoy!
Monday, March 5, 2012
Opinions on pancakes
I have very strong opinions on pancakes. I know that it's a bit of an odd thing to feel so strongly about but those of you who know me well know that I can get a bit specific on what I do and don't like in the food world.
I hate big, fluffy pancakes.
Every once in awhile I run across a pancake that I would consider to be on the fluffy side but due to it's denseness or something, I will eat them. But as a general rule, I hate them. I don't like that they absorb all the syrup like a sponge and take on a very strange texture similar to what I imagine a dish sponge would be like. They then seem to expand in your mouth and stick to the roof of your mouth. I don't like it.
I grew up eating Swedish pancakes and believe that they are the only kind anyone should eat. These pancakes are akin to a crepe but aren't quite as thin. Apparently, there is a misconception out there that Swedish pancakes are difficult to make and that the average person should avoid trying. I don't know who is spreading these rumors, but they are false. There are only four ingredients involved and they don't really even have to be measured very carefully. You just need eggs, milk, flour and vanilla. None of that pre-mixed junk that just takes up room in your cupboard and has no true usefullness in life. If your batter is a bit too runny, add more flour. A bit too think, add more milk. Fry them up in butter and add syrup, preserves, chocolate, whatever you want and you are ready to go.
Go make them. Now.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Wine Tasting
You know what's fun on a Friday night? Wine tasting. So, that's what I did last night. I had purchased a coupon awhile ago for a tasting at at shop in the neighborhood and finally made a reservation to go and do it. I twisted M's arm and she agreed to be my date for the evening.
When we got there, they gave us each a glass and a little plate of cheeses and chocolates. There were nine different wines to taste and each one had a cheese, scent or chocolate to enjoy with it. They had three different stations set up with three wines each. To keep everyone moving through, you went to each station three times. They did a good job of combining wines of different profiles from different areas of the world. And, they kept the prices of everything really reasonable (most expensive wine of the evening was only $25). I ended up finding a Pinot Grigio and a Cabernet that I really liked and bought bottles of (with a 15% discount that evening).
However, the best find of the night was tasting a Goat Gouda cheese. Oh. My. Goodness. That was amazing. I have never seen anything like it before and would probably never pick it up in a store. It had all the tangy-ness of a goat cheese with the creamy texture of gouda that just melts in your mouth. If I can't find it in another store, I'm glad to know that this shop carries it on a regular basis. It's going to have to be a staple on all cheese plates from this day forward. They also had a lovely line of chocolate that they sell that will be great for gifts (can you say 'olive oil chocolate?' I can. It's pronounced a-ma-zing.)
When we got there, they gave us each a glass and a little plate of cheeses and chocolates. There were nine different wines to taste and each one had a cheese, scent or chocolate to enjoy with it. They had three different stations set up with three wines each. To keep everyone moving through, you went to each station three times. They did a good job of combining wines of different profiles from different areas of the world. And, they kept the prices of everything really reasonable (most expensive wine of the evening was only $25). I ended up finding a Pinot Grigio and a Cabernet that I really liked and bought bottles of (with a 15% discount that evening).
However, the best find of the night was tasting a Goat Gouda cheese. Oh. My. Goodness. That was amazing. I have never seen anything like it before and would probably never pick it up in a store. It had all the tangy-ness of a goat cheese with the creamy texture of gouda that just melts in your mouth. If I can't find it in another store, I'm glad to know that this shop carries it on a regular basis. It's going to have to be a staple on all cheese plates from this day forward. They also had a lovely line of chocolate that they sell that will be great for gifts (can you say 'olive oil chocolate?' I can. It's pronounced a-ma-zing.)
Thursday, March 1, 2012
I am an expert on Basketball
It's true. I am. I went to three games in February. That makes me an expert. I understand the general concept of the game and about three rules. I've also determined that there are a few too many rules and that people should just be able to play (I feel the same way about football).
Ok, so three games maybe doesn't make me an expert. But, it was enough to know that basketball games are exciting and fast-paced. I like that they don't drag on forever and for the most part, people are moving all the time.
A couple of weeks ago, I let K drag me to her cousin's game out in the burbs (ok, so maybe she didn't really have to drag me. I may have had an ulterior motive for going to the game against a certain other suburban college. Some of you will know what I'm talking about and some of you won't. I will neither confirm or deny anything). Either way, it was fun and really intense. So, when her cousin's team was playing in their conference tournament last weekend, I let myself get dragged to that game as well. (This had nothing to do with the team that played before them that night.) When his team won their game to move on to the championship game the next night, I found that I was actually a little disappointed that I wouldn't be able to go to that game due to ballet tickets. However, it worked out that we were able to switch our ballet tickets and go to the game. It was intense! I found myself standing most of the game so that I could see all the action and being really worried at the end of the first half when the game was a little too close for comfort. I felt relieved when K's cousin's team got themselves a nice comfortable lead in the second half. And, I couldn't help but have a big smile on my face when they won the game!
To top it all off, I couldn't wait to find out this past Monday where they would play next as they move on to NCAA tournament play. I was so mad at the website when I couldn't find the information I was looking for 1 minute after they said it would be up!
I guess I may not be an expert at Basketball but somehow, I think I have turned into a fan.
Ok, so three games maybe doesn't make me an expert. But, it was enough to know that basketball games are exciting and fast-paced. I like that they don't drag on forever and for the most part, people are moving all the time.
A couple of weeks ago, I let K drag me to her cousin's game out in the burbs (ok, so maybe she didn't really have to drag me. I may have had an ulterior motive for going to the game against a certain other suburban college. Some of you will know what I'm talking about and some of you won't. I will neither confirm or deny anything). Either way, it was fun and really intense. So, when her cousin's team was playing in their conference tournament last weekend, I let myself get dragged to that game as well. (This had nothing to do with the team that played before them that night.) When his team won their game to move on to the championship game the next night, I found that I was actually a little disappointed that I wouldn't be able to go to that game due to ballet tickets. However, it worked out that we were able to switch our ballet tickets and go to the game. It was intense! I found myself standing most of the game so that I could see all the action and being really worried at the end of the first half when the game was a little too close for comfort. I felt relieved when K's cousin's team got themselves a nice comfortable lead in the second half. And, I couldn't help but have a big smile on my face when they won the game!
To top it all off, I couldn't wait to find out this past Monday where they would play next as they move on to NCAA tournament play. I was so mad at the website when I couldn't find the information I was looking for 1 minute after they said it would be up!
I guess I may not be an expert at Basketball but somehow, I think I have turned into a fan.
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