No sooner did Nick arrive back in Happy Valley than we had to pack and leave for New Jersey. (But not before he signed some paperwork and received the keys to a 2009 Chevy Malibu. And he also found a moment to surprise me with an iTunes gift card and new NANO! Just because.) We loaded both of our cars... Read more
Nick returned from Indianapolis on his birthday — well, that was the plan. Due to rain and wind, his flight was delayed out of Philadelphia and he didn’t arrive in State College until almost 1 a.m. I spent the night cleaning and baking and watching The West Wing. Fortunately, it took a good two hours to prepare Nick’s birthday cake.... Read more
Hop over to Fresh Basil and check out our interview. (Thanks for asking such good questions, Julie!) http://fresh-basil.blogspot.com/2008/09/that-culinary-couple.html Read more
Last week I had the pleasure of accompanying a colleague — a WPSU radio producer — to Bellefonte to capture a beautiful tradition. Since the Civil War, local soldiers have marched to Bellefonte’s train station before deployment. Although the train is no longer in operation, the National Guard unit made the historic march before leaving for Iraq. Cynthia suited up... Read more
Laura came to Happy Valley last weekend! Since I typically spend my weekends with Nick, and she’s a teenager with a busy social life, we’re not often able to devote an entire weekend to each other. So we took full advantage of this rare occasion! On Friday night, we snacked on bruschetta and chatted while our pasta sauce simmered. She... Read more
In high school, it wasn’t uncommon to give the gift of a mixed tape. Whether it was for your best girls and included songs like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Manic Monday,” or for your boyfriend and featured “Truly Madly Deeply” and the best of Boyz II Men. Later in high school and into college, we evolved into... Read more
Nick and I planned to enjoy a simple Labor Day picnic lunch at Whipple Dam. We packed hot dogs, homemade pasta salad, and peaches. We gathered blankets and books and headed down the road. Unfortunately, hundreds of other State College residents had the same idea! We could have set up our grill on the corner of a picnic table and... Read more
Since reading “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” Nick and I have paid more attention to the food that we eat. Sure we still indulge in processed lunch meat and boxed brownies, but we also buy a lot more fresh produce. Fortunately, there are some great farmers’ markets in the area and a few State College restaurants that serve grass-fed beef and local... Read more
Food evokes memories. The sweet strawberry aroma that fills my grandma’s kitchen while making jam on a warm morning in June. The feeling of sticky sugar cookie dough between my fingers, from a recipe that has been passed down for generations. The smell of my dad’s homemade pizza pie with pepperonis, mushrooms, and jalapeno peppers. The taste of wild salmon... Read more
Not only have the Olympics been keeping me up way past my bedtime, but I find myself weaving the games into nearly every conversation that I have — with family, co-workers, random sales associates at the mall. I have clearly developed an obsession. Granted, I’ve always enjoyed the spirit and thrill of the Olympics, but I don’t recall ever being... Read more