Archive for October, 2007
5 Best Nights of My Life
Months ago, I saw this meme over at Sparky Duck’s place and then yesterday at Piacere, and it got me thinking about some of the best nights of my life–always fun to think about, so feel free to play along.
5 Best Nights of My Life
(so far, and in chronological order)
1. Mom at The Wabash, Summer of 1993. I vividly remember and cherish the first time my mom and I ate in a restaurant that was a converted train compartment sitting in a parking lot of a motel in Durham, North Carolina called “The Wabash” (I don’t think it’s there anymore).
The steak and potatoes were delicious and the dimly-lit, cramped atmosphere tremendous; it really felt like we were on a train, headed somewhere exciting. All we needed were period costumes (and don’t think I didn’t consider it for future dining experiences).
I just remember feeling grown up for the first time in my life–like a woman having dinner with my mother. I was going into my senior year of high school, and it would only be another year until I was on my own, and in that train compartment is where it hit me.
Perkins Library, Duke University by Lanana on Flickr
2. The night after college graduation, May 17, 1998. Specifically, a party hosted by one of my very best friends, who also happens to be from a nearby town in Pennsylvania (our high schools were rivals)–we just really “got” each other among fellow students at a university very different from where we grew up.
There was reminiscing, laughing, drinking, and absolutely no worrying about how we were all going to get *all* of our stuff packed and out of our places the next day–but the best was my friend’s dad’s toast, which did wonders in easing the realization that we’d never all be together like that again. I don’t remember the exact words, but I remember how I felt–and it warms my soul every time I think of it.
3. At home college graduation party, June 20, 1998. A couple weeks later, my brother and sister-in-law kindly hosted a party at their house for my family and hometown (lifetime) friends. It is one of the last times that my girlfriends from high school and I (without significant others) spent hours upon hours together talking, laughing, drinking (of course), late-night swimming, and then taking an ill-advised walk up a highway. Guess you had to be there.
It was also the last full day I spent with my grandfather, who passed away three days later, hours after I had moved all my stuff from his and my grandmother’s house to Philadelphia to start my life there. I like to think he waited until he was sure I was OK on my own. Thanks Pap!
4. The night after I found out I passed the PA Bar Exam, October 18, 2001. Also known as my 25th birthday. Bar exam results happened to come out on my birthday, and man was there reason to celebrate. That whole day was awesome, in fact, from repeatedly checking the website with my co-clerk in the Judge’s Chambers (and on the phone with another friend in a firm) to receiving a dozen yellow roses from my niece and nephew.
The evening was spent with my closest law school friends at a local watering hole (shocker), and it finally, finally felt like we were finished.
For those who haven’t gone through it, it’s hard to explain how anti-climactic law school graduation is because you start studying for The Bar a few days later, still seeing everyone from school for the next couple months until you take that horrid two-day test (three days if you take two bars together like I did). It’s only after finding out that you passed that you can close that chapter in your life. And what a chapter it was.
Incidentally, my grandmother passed away two weeks later–again, I’m pretty sure she waited until my life was somewhat settled for the moment. Thanks Mam!
[Finding out I passed the NJ Bar a few weeks later wasn't nearly as exciting.]
Piazza Castello, where P and I met
5. First date with P. May 9, 2005. Really fancy here, so brace yourselves. We met in the piazza after having dinner separately, strolled about the square, and then sat outside under the grapevines of one of the local bars the rest of the evening.
We talked, played cards, and talked some more, and then since the bar was closing, P walked me to my house, gave me a kiss on each cheek, and left me with those stomach flutterings you get when you know something good is happening.
*sigh*
OK, now I’m not going to tag anyone since I was never tagged myself. But tell me, what are your five best nights? I thought this would be a lot harder than it ended up being, so give it a thought and you might surprise yourself–and make yourself really happy with memories in the process.
Leave them (or one or two, etc.) in the comments or write about them in a post at your place–just be sure to let me know where to find your list!
a collective (lions’) short story
Not sure if you’ve heard, but there’s an uber-fun project going on over at the Shameless Lions Writing Circle, of which I and my lion Leonardo are proud members.
We’re writing a collective short story based on this photo:
Installments have already been written by:
(1) Seamus at Shameless Words.
(2) Kay at As It Happens.
(3) Wanderlust Scarlett at from the shores of introspect and retrospect.
(4) Kate at Inner Minx.
(5) Absolute Vanilla at Absolute Vanilla… (&Atyllah).
(6) Bonnie at Words From A Wordsmith.
(7) Rob at Image & Verse Too.
And then came my turn, which you can read below, or if you’d like, just go over to the main site and read the story from the beginning–and keep checking back because The Bluest Butterfly of A Virtual Hobby Store And Coffee Shop is next and I know she has something wonderful in store for Grace, Jack, Sebastian, and the gang.
There’s still a whole lot of story to tell and writing to be done, so do go there and get lost in words based on a photo.
Here’s my part:
*********************
As he rolled over, he was startled awake by the absence of a warm body.
Sebastian Carrebreu couldn’t remember the last time he had woken up alone. Even on his frequent business trips he never needed an extra pair of socks to keep warm, and yet here he was, caressing an unwrinkled sheet.
He sat up slowly, his head weighing down his upper half like those fishing sinkers his English grandfather used to make — only Sebastian had used whiskey and rum and whatever else had been in the liquor cabinet instead of lead. Sure felt the same now though.
Nine thirty. I can’t believe she really stayed out all night, he thought, as he wrapped his silk robe around him and shuffled to the bathroom mirror. He turned on the hot water and stared into his dark grey eyes until the steam rising from the sink snapped him out of his trance.
As he looked down and stuck his fingers under the stream of water, he noticed something glimmering on the edge of the sink. The diamond necklace he had bought for Grace as a wedding gift — the necklace she wore every single day without fail.
“That bitch!” he yelled and splashed the scalding water on his face, making it only a shade redder than it had been a moment before.
He half-toweled off his face and went immediately to his cell phone in the nightstand. He turned it on, and a drop of water from his nose hit the number 5, taunting him with Grace’s speed dial position. He managed to dial anyway, or at least simply hit # and the number 1.
A recording told him that Armand wasn’t available and so Sebastian did the only thing he could do in response. He hurled the phone at the antique carriage clock on the fireplace. His arm wasn’t as strong as it used to be, though, and it fell just short of the mantle.
He smirked at his own ineffectiveness and breathed deeply and slowly on his walk over to the fireplace. He picked up the phone and turned it on all sides to inspect the damage. It was still turned on and it looked just fine so he dropped it inside his robe pocket and headed for the kitchen.
The maid was off, so there’d be no coffee. Goodness, did he even remember how to make coffee? As he scanned the counter for a container that might hold the beans, his phone rang.
Armand.
“She’s left me, Armand,” he said, without even a hello, and dropped his weight onto a stool at the bar. “And I think it’s for good this time.” As he glanced across the city skyline, nights of theatre, dinner and dancing flashing through his mind in an instant. He had never hated his window-lined penthouse more than at this moment.
His lifelong friend sighed and said flatly, “I know.”
“What do you mean you know?” Sebastian asked as he straightened his back and pulled a curtain across the window in front of him.
“Sebastian, it’s better if we talk about this in person. I know where Grace stayed last night, and you’re not going to like it — especially when I tell you what this friend of hers has been up to.”
“Armand, what …”
“Not on the phone, Sebastian. I’ll be right over. Should I bring coffee?”
Sebastian eyed the empty liquor cabinet. “Sounds like I may need something stronger.”
*********************
Now go over to the Shameless Lions Writing Circle and see what came before this!
P.S. Puppies and mamma are still doing fine.I, on the other hand, still can’t type SIX without all caps.
—————
[tags]shameless lions’ writing circle, writing, short stories, collective short stories[/tags]
Habemus Puppam – We Have Puppies!
Please excuse the poor quality of the photos but those little buggers just wouldn’t listen to my pleas to sit still. I guess that’s not surprising since they can’t even hear or see yet.
Read on...olive’s 108 years young!
As you probably know, yesterday was my birthday. Thank you all *so* much for all the wonderful wishes and e-cards; I will respond as soon as possible, but my Internet connection is still not letting me on most pages (and when I can access something, it’s taking forever). Pazienza.
Should be fixed by tomorrow, they say! What’s that? You have a bridge you want to sell me?
Anyway, continuing with the birthday theme, now it’s time for me to pass along some very special wishes to one of my most favorite bloggers in the whole wide blogosphere:
Most Mature Blogger in the World
Ms Olive Riley of The Life of Riley turns 108, tomorrow October 20:
I first introduced you to Olive here, and her adventures have only gotten more interesting with time. She is truly an amazing woman, and I hope that you’ll also post a birthday greeting for her on your blog (and then go comment on her latest post to let her know) or simply go over to Olive’s place and leave a birthday wish.
Let’s make 108 Olive’s best birthday yet!*Special thanks to Time Goes By for organizing this e-party for Olive.*
**Also a very happy birthday to my partner in crime across the pond Jenn;
hopefully we’ll get to celebrate together again one of these years!**
—————
[tags]birthdays, olive riley, world’s oldest blogger[/tags]
Birthday Carrot Cake Recipe
Perhaps some of you thought I was off tending puppies yesterday or maybe even early birthday celebrating. Don’t I wish.
What I was really doing was nearly pulling my hair out over the inexplicable continued crap Internet connection I have. Ever since it went out about 10 days ago, it’s been on and off — and yesterday was completely off. Right now it’s touch and go (can’t access many pages), but I’m keeping positive.
And aside from causing me stress regarding work, it’s *completely* thrown off my blogging schedule. Argh.
Guess you’ll have to wait another year for today’s originally planned post. Or I’ll just save it for NaBloPoMo . . . with which I sincerely hope Telecom Italia cooperates.
So here is What’s Cooking Wednesday: the Birthday Edition — a day late for Wednesday, but just in time for my birthday! Woohoo!
For anyone who’s curious, I’m 31 today. So send any e-cards in large font please. Hah!
Now, back to the originally scheduled post:
For my birthday, I always have this chocolate cake. It’s my absolute favorite cake in the whole world — especially when my mom makes it.
But I’ve been feeling a little daring lately, in the mood for something different. And that, for me, means carrot cake.
I love carrot cake, haven’t had it in at least four years, and besides, isn’t it just a great autumn cake, spicy and orange and brown and cream cheese icing and yum?
I have never made a carrot cake before, and I’m not entirely sure why not. Probably because my mom isn’t particularly fond of it, so she never passed on a recipe, and goodness knows I stick to the recipes of experts around these parts.
So I turned to these Internets and went for the first recipe that came up. I know. Really selective right? Well you see, I had been going over what I thought would go into a carrot cake in my head, and this recipe fit that, especially with the adjustments listed in the comments. So I made my own tweaks, and below is what I came up with.
This cake is delicious. It’s a subtle carrot cake, and by that I mean it’s not at all like some store- or restaurant-produced cakes that make me feel like I’m eating a scented candle. I like my spices subtle, so if you like them stronger, you might want to adjust. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if you think you don’t like carrot cake, you should give this one a go.
Also, the original recipe had pecans. Some people in the comment section switched to walnuts, but I didn’t add any nuts at all; I’m not a fan of nuts in my cakes in general. But this would’ve been *fabulous* with raisins so I’ll make an effort to find them before I make this again.
My Birthday Carrot Cake
4 eggs
1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 ¼ c vegetable oil
3 tsp vanilla 2 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp nutmeg
3 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
3 c grated carrots
1. Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Grease and flour 9 x 13 inch pan (or, as I did a 6 muffin/cupcake pan and a small loaf pan).
2. Blend together eggs, sugars, oil, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt and add to mixing bowl a little at a time. At this point, the mixture will be really thick, almost pasty. Now you’re ready to stir in the carrots.
4. Pour into pan(s), and put in the oven. The original recipe says 40-50 minutes for a full-sized cake. My muffins took about 20 minutes, and the loaf pan about 40. Just make sure to always test with a toothpick in the center—if it comes out with no batter, you’re good.
For amateur bakers, the other trick is the “spring back to the touch test,” which says, not surprisingly, that the cake should spring back to your touch. I find this one a big dangerous though as you can sink the top of your cakes and muffins/cupcakes pretty easily, so I always use a toothpick.
5. Remove from oven and let cool before icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
The measurements in the original recipe looked really off to me so I used a tried and true cream cheese icing recipe that I’ve made before. You might want to play with this too according to your tastes and how much icing you like (I don’t use much). In fact, on the cake, I just sprinkled some confectioner’s sugar on top. Look it’s snowing in October in southern Italy!
8 oz softened cream cheese
4 tbl butter
1 ½ c powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla
Beat everything together until smooth and to your desired consistency.
Grating the carrots makes this one a little labor intensive, but it’s worth it, especially if you’re making it for someone special — like for yourself. Come on, show yourself a little love this Love Thursday!
Happy Love Thursday and buon appetito!
Edited to add a request:
If you leave birthday wishes for me,
please leave the date of your birthday too (no year required!)
so I can return the wish.
Michelle Fabio is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer living in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy and savoring simplicity one sip at a time.
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