Archive for the ‘meme time’ Category
i’ve "bean" interviewed
Today I am the subject of an interview by Ally Bean of Crazy Dust In My Coffee. Ally had been questioned by J of Thinking About… and then as part of “The Interview Meme,” she offered to send questions others if they chose to accept the challenge.
I did, and here are Ally’s questions and my responses:
Question: What part of your day do you enjoy the most?
The early morning. If you would’ve told me five years ago that I’d respond as such, I would’ve thought you’d been hitting the sauce, but I’ve come to love the fresh morning air, the silence, the hope and potential that each day holds. And of course my morning routine and, these days, my iced coffee.
Question: What is your opinion of the color yellow?
I love it in all shades, but not for all purposes. I’m not fond of any shade of yellow for a car, but my house is pale yellow, which I find charming on a home. I don’t wear much yellow, and if I do, it’s also of the pale persuasion (like me), and I *love* yellow legal pads. If I had my druthers, I’d have the walls of my (as yet to be developed) home office painted yellow. It’s in discussion.
Question: What is the dumbest pair of shoes that you’ve ever worn out in public?
Anything with the slightest heel in my hilly village full of cobblestone streets.
Question: Just how creative are you?
Sooooo creative? I do think outside the box, and I’m decent at most artsy type things like drawing, painting, music, etc., but I’d love to be much better at all of them. My to-learn/to-improve list is a long one.
Question: What quotation(s) and/or motivational phrase(s) do you live by?
Two major ones: (1) Everything happens for a reason. My grandmother told me this when I was very young, and it’s gotten me through many a tough time; and (2) Do unto others as you would have done unto you. Doesn’t get more simple and true than that.
Now here are the rules of this interview meme:
1. Leave me a comment saying “Interview me.” (If you don’t feel comfortable putting your e-mail address in the comments, please directly send me a message to the address on my sidebar.)
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
Come on, you know you want to play!
And now some entirely unrelated photos.
P happens to be painting the school where I work, but he’s in a part of it that I had never seen before–this place is huge with dormitories and everything.
So the other day I embarrassed P to no end casually took some shots around his work area this week.
Buon weekend!
—————
[tags]memes, interviews, soverato, calabria, ionian sea[/tags]
meme italiano: kinda like the mambo but not
As promised yesterday, here is my first Italian meme!
I’ve completed it in both Italian and English, and the only rule is “Don’t make fun of my Italian.” Avete capito?
Let’s continue then.
*****
Con piacere accetto l’invito di New Brigand a rispondere ad alcune domande sul rapporto che ho con il vino.
Sei più vino rosso, bianco o rosé?
Rosso, rosso, rosso! Non c’è dubbio. Non mi piace rosé per niente e bevo il bianco solo se non c’è nient’altro.
La tua prima volta?
Che domanda! E’ terribile che non mi ricordo?
La migliore associazione tra un vino e una portata?
Le fette delle pesche inzuppate del vino rosso (come ha fatta la nonna una volta).
La tua migliore degustazione?
Mi piacciono sempre i vini della Sicilia e anche quello del mio suocero. Che altro!
Chi sceglie il vino in casa tua e chi amministra la cantina?
P. E’ meglio così perché non so niente di vino.
Quanti vini hai in cantina?
Sinceramente solo uno—quello del mio suocero! Ma cuciniamo anche con un vino bianco di Cirò (Calabria).
Come inizieresti un giovane al vino?
Come ha detto New Brigand, con gli amici—come tutte le cose mi sembra.
Salute! Cent’anni!
*****
With pleasure, I accept the invitation of New Brigand to respond to some questions about my relationship with wine.
Are you more white, red, or rosé?
Red, red, red. Without a doubt. I don’t like rosé at all and I drink white only if there’s nothing else.
Your first time?
What a question! Is it terrible that I don’t remember?
The best pairing between a wine and dish?
Peaches soaked in red wine (like my grandmother used to do).
Your favorite?
I always like Sicilian wines but I also like my father-in-law’s wine too. Of course!
Who chooses the wine at your house or who manages your wine cellar?
P. It’s better this way because I don’t know anything about wine.
How many wines do you have in your wine cellar?
Honestly, just one—my father-in-law’s! But we also cook with a white wine from Cirò (Calabria).
How do you introduce a young person to wine?
As New Brigand said, with friends—like everything I think.
Cheers! A hundred years!
And now some photos of our cantina, or at least our soon to be cantina when we switch to the bigger house:
I won’t tag anyone, but if anyone would like to play in either English or Italian (or both!), please do and leave me a comment saying as much so we can find your answers.
And while we’re sort of on the subject (wine and food go hand in hand after all), I’m putting a call out to all my foodie friends.
If you like to cook, bake, or even just eat, you should check out what’s happening at Jenn’s Foodie Blogroll.
It’s a convenient way to keep track of all of your fellow food lovers, so why not join? Just click the above graphic, link, here, or the link on my sidebar. See how easy?
Then pour yourself a glass a wine and settle in for some great foodie recipes, tips, tales and such.
And we’re full circle.
—————
[tags]vino, wine, memes, cantina[/tags]
meme monday (all about things)
Today is the first in a two-part series in which I will do all of the meme tags I currently have outstanding. With recent Internet issues, I got a little behind, but let it not be said that I am not a diligent blogger. Because I am. It just might take a while.
For those dying in anticipation, tomorrow will be my first Italian meme! Don’t worry, I’ll translate for the Italianistically challenged.
So, way back on March 19, I was tagged by AJ for the 4 Things meme, which goes a little something like this:
Four jobs I’ve had
1. Freelance writer
2. Appellate law clerk
3. Clothes folder at college bookstore
4. Amusement park ride operator
Four movies I can watch over and over
1. The American President
2. Shawshank Redemption
3. A Few Good Men
4. Meet the Parents
Four places I have lived
1. Anthracite Coal Country, Pennsylvania, USA
2. Durham, North Carolina, USA
3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
4. Calabria, Italy
Four television shows I love to watch
1. Lost
2. Gilmore Girls
3. Friends, still
4. King of Queens
Four places I have been on vacation
1. Sarasota, Florida, USA
2. Atlanta, Georgia, USA
3. Boston, Massachusetts, USA
4. Morehead City Beach, North Carolina, USA
Four of my favorite dishes
1. Linguine with some type of seafood
2. Spaghetti alla carbonara
3. Thanksgiving—all of it
4. Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Four websites I visit daily
1. Msnbc.com
2. Perezhilton.com
3. Bloglines.com
4. Expatsinitaly.com
Four places I would rather be right now
1. Anywhere hugging my niece and nephew.
2. Snuggled with P, anywhere.
3. Somewhere with only a book, Luna, and time to keep me company.
4. Completely moved in and settled in our “new” old house.
Four bloggers I am tagging
1. Cheeky, because I’m just getting to know her and this way is as good as any.
2. Cherrye, because I know she loves a good meme as much as anyone.
3. Erin, for reasons 2 and 3 above.
4. Shannon, because she’s such a tag-backer it’s not even funny.
More recently, I was tagged by two lovely ladies, Irene and Val, on the same day not even an hour apart, but thankfully with the same meme. This one is called the 7 things meme and these are the rules:
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!
Alrighty. I’ve already posted 100 Things, Another 100 Things, Six Weird Things, and another five things based on the five senses for good measure. You’d think I’d be out of stuff you don’t know about me, wouldn’t you?
Hah! You don’t know me very well.
For this meme, I’m going with the 7 theme and basing this list on the Seven Deadly Sins and how they manifest themselves in me.
The revelation that I’m not perfect? Consider that your bonus eighth.
1. Lust. Well we might as well start big. And yet tame, because this is mostly a family blog, right? So let’s just say that I love wearing sexy things to bed, especially little nighties.
2. Gluttony. Put freshly baked cakes or muffins in front of me if you must, but do take them away after five minutes or else there won’t be any left for anyone else.
3. Greed. I’m not very greedy when it comes to accumulating things except for books. I want them. I want to buy them. And most often, I want to keep them.
4. Sloth. Left to my own devices, I can waste a darn lot of time just lying around doing nothing. Although a book is often my accomplice, so that’s not technically “nothing” is it?
5. Wrath. I don’t have a bad temper, but when you piss me off, you’d be advised to just leave me alone. I don’t want to talk about it (yet), and be forewarned that although I forgive, I don’t forget.
6. Envy. As much as I don’t care to have a lot of money, I have always envied women born into wealthy families in the early to mid 20th century–you know, the kinds that were respected, educated, and well-traveled but never worked except for charities?
7. Pride. I’m seriously concerned about the amount of white hairs sprouting on my head, and so I will probably be playing with hair color soon. This saddens me.
So there we are.
Now I’m supposed to tag 7 people, who if they choose to accept the challenge, may do the original meme of 7 things we don’t know about them or my revised Seven Deadly Sins version.
Aren’t I kind?
1. Annika because she’s always up for a good meme.
2. Bongga Mom because I’m hoping she’ll reveal more bongga mom secrets.
3. Delinissima because I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a meme on her blog and I’m concerned.
4. Femminista because I love her blog (and her new puppy) and you should too.
5. Judith because I have a feeling she’s a sinner (and she said no one ever asks her to do memes).
6. Karen because I know with two young daughters at home, she’s kinda bored and just wishing she had a meme to complete.
7. Vanessa because she’s tagged me before and it’s only fair.
You’re up! And to everyone I’ve tagged, please leave a link to your meme post here in the comments if you do decide to play.
Happy meme-ing!
—————
[tags]memes, seven deadly sins[/tags]
secrets to my success
The lovely Emma at How to Italy has tagged me to share five things I do nearly every day to be successful. I love this idea. For me, it’s inspiring to read about others’ good, productive habits especially since we so often hear the harmful, destructive ones (which we all have as well).
But first a word on success–a slippery word that can and should be defined by each of us individually. I consider myself successful if I can end the day with a smile and the feeling that I did what I could as well as I could’ve. Does it happen everyday? Hardly. But I like to think the following habits make it more likely:
1. After I wake up, I spend fifteen minutes sitting on the balcony with Luna and my beverage of choice, usually coffee but sometimes fresh-squeezed orange juice (season-permitting). When I say “sitting on the balcony,” I mean literally. I plop my bum down on Luna level, and we have our own pettie and snuggle time in the sunshine if the weather cooperates, and if the weather doesn’t cooperate, we share our moments inside in the kitchen. These quiet, relaxed moments before the day kicks up are important for me.
Here are some photos from a recent pettie and snuggle session:
2. While we’re on the subject of Luna, we take at least 3 walks per day (usually more). I probably wouldn’t do this on my own without a canine companion, so thank goodness she’s with us. Being in touch with nature gives me inspiration, thinking time, and an overall calm feeling that everything around me is exactly as it should be for one reason or another. It also gives me an excuse to take even more photos despite the fact that the locals think I’m a tad wacky getting so close to trees and whatnot.
3. I tell someone I love them. Always P, but if I’ve spoken to my mom or dad that day, I’ve told them too. For as long as I can remember, my mom has always told me she loves me at the end of every phone call–and this was when we lived just a town apart. It’s something I’ve continued with my family members over the phone and with P in person, daily. I don’t think you can ever say “I love you” too much.
4. I go on the Internet (when Telecom cooperates). This may sound odd, but since I’ve had the Internet installed in the house about a year ago, I’ve felt so much more in touch with the world and comfortable with my life here. Whether it’s the news, celebrity gossip, other blogs, or personal emails, I need and crave this contact with civilization outside of southern Italy. It makes me feel more alive and part of something larger, and that’s a good feeling.
5. I write. Could just be a blog entry (no offense readers!) or an email or thirty, but every day I write something, which they say is good for a writer. In fact, blogging has increased my “other” writing productivity as ideas spring up at every turn–finding the time and discipline to follow all of them through is the more difficult part. Back to number 4, though, and reading other writers’ blogs inspires me to continue.
So there are my five things. I won’t tag anyone, but I do hope you’ll make such a list even if it’s just for your own eyes. A lot of times we focus on what we’re doing wrong because finding flaws is so easy (many of us even have people to help us if we can’t find them!), but it’s also useful to see what we’re doing right.
If you do post a list, please leave the link in the comments for others to find you.
Buon weekend!
—————
[tags]secrets of success, dogs, sunrises, trees[/tags]
What’s Cooking Wednesday Recipe: Calabrian Cuzzupa for Easter/Pasqua
OK, I know Easter has come and gone, but I promised a cuzzupa recipe about a week ago, and a cuzzupa recipe you shall have.
So this week’s What’s Cooking Wednesday is a recipe out of my friend Mary Amabile Palmer’s cookbook, Cucina di Calabria: Treasured Recipes and Family Traditions from Southern Italy. This is a wonderful collection of authentic Calabrese recipes interspersed with essays about the history and culture of this region as well as family memories.
Check out the book on Amazon, but if you’d like to buy it, please let me know as I can get you both a discount and a signed copy.
Cuzzupe di Pasqua*
4 tbsp butter/margarine (softened)
1/2 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 c milk
1 tsp lemon extract
1 3/4 c all-purpose or unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 375°F.In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar, and salt. Cream until well blended. Gradually add egg, milk, and lemon extract. Mix well. Stir in the flour and baking powder and mix until smooth.
Shape dough into cakes as shown in the above picture, and brush with melted butter; you can also sprinkle some sugar on top as well.
Place cakes on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until a light golden brown (about 15 minutes).
Note that you can make the icing as seen in last week’s photo by mixing 1/2 cup of confectioner’s sugar with 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of water. Rainbow sprinkles are a common addition once the glaze in on the cakes.
*I left out the instructions on making the ring or basket which holds hard-boiled, colored eggs as that’s not what’s made where I am; for more instructions, looks like you’ll just have to get a copy of the book!
Buon appetito!
And now, as a special bonus this Wednesday, a cooking meme that Shannon (the founder of WCW) tagged me with a while back:
1. Can you cook? If yes do you like to cook?
Why yes and yes again.
2. When does your whole family come together to eat?
Suppose it depends on how you define “whole family.” P and I eat together twice a day usually. With the rest of his family, we haven’t had a meal yet with everyone (he has 2 brothers and 4 sisters spread around Italy and France), but the closest we came was last summer when there were 2 sisters, 1 brother, and their kids in one tiny room. With my family, well, P hasn’t even met them yet.
3. What do you have for breakfast?
On colder days, something warm to drink (coffee, cappuccino), but in the summer iced coffee. Sometimes I have toast, other times a cornetto, sometimes a banana. Depends on my mood.
4. When, where and how do you eat through the week?
Breakfast either at home or at the bar any time between 6:30 and 9:30 a.m. Lunch at home at 12:30 on weekdays, later on the weekends. Dinner at home anytime between 7:30 and 10:00 p.m.
5. How often do you eat out?
Not very often, although more frequently in the summer. Food’s better at home!
6. How often do you order in or get take out?
Not a common occurrence, but P will sometimes go and pick up pizza on Saturday nights.
7. Re: 5 & 6 – if money were no object would like to do it more often?
Nah. We’d just buy a lot of really good ingredients–and probably eat a lot more seafood.
8. Are there any standards that make a regular appearance at your table?
Um, you could say pasta is a frequent visitor.
9. Have you ever tried a recipe from another blog?
Not yet, but that’s mostly because I can’t find the ingredients I need to make the things that look so yummy. I’m storing them away, though, for when I go to the States.
10. Are there any quarrels because of food?
Not anymore. P likes to cook, but he basically likes to do it alone (no problem there!). Once I understood that, I just learned to make myself otherwise useful when he’s cooking. When I’m cooking, I’m much more relaxed in the kitchen, so I’m easy to get along with when I cook.
11. Are you a vegetarian or could you imagine living as a vegetarian?
I’m not a vegetarian, but I could imagine doing so–the biggest stress would be going to people’s houses for dinner and finding something to eat. I already have problems with that if all they’ve made is frittole (boiled pig parts)….
12. What would you like to try out that you haven’t dared yet?
I’d try sushi just to see what all the fuss is about, but that won’t be happening in southern Italy anytime soon.
13. Would you rather cook or bake?
Hmm…probably bake because I’d probably rather eat baked goods than real food. Sad but true.
14. What was the most terrible mess you’ve ever made in the kitchen?
Thanksgiving last year. That was something.
15. What do your kids like to eat best? What would your kids never eat?
N/A, but I can almost guarantee any kids I have will like pasta. Or at least will be forcefed it.
16. What do you dislike most?
Wow, those boiled pig parts come to mind again. Then there’s “suzzu” (spelling?) which is (again) pig parts mixed with gelatin so that it’s a pudding. And then there’s ghiro (dormouse). I’m gagging just thinking of these things.
I won’t tag anyone, but you foodies out there should feel free to play along!
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
