Carry this picture for luck.

Serious lack of content.

2011-01-15T14:06:00.000-05:00

So, I merged my art blog with this one. Since then, I just haven't remembered to put things here. It's a sad story.

I think my problem is that I try to do too much. I want to do everything. Right now I'm working on my etsy shop, website, photo-a-day tumblr, transforming my twitter, an education blog, and probably more I can't remember about. Too much!

The point of all this is to be productive. Here's to making 2011 productive in all aspects of my life!

Gyoza

2010-12-05T20:49:00.000-05:00

I have never really been into Asian food. However, I have always had a soft spot for good dumplings. Yesterday, I went to Gizmo's in Winter Park and had delicious gyoza. Today I decided to try making them myself. Here is what you will need:

1/2 pound ground pork
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon onion, minced, or a bit of onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
24 won ton wrapper
1 egg white
A few lettuce leaves
Bamboo steamer

I strongly recommend spending ten bucks on a bamboo steamer for this. It's a pretty useful little contraption that steams this stuff perfectly.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pork and stir it around to break it up. Add the garlic, onion, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook until no longer pink. I wanted a very fine filling, so after it was cooked through I put it in a food processor for a few pulses.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Lay out the won ton wrappers. Put a spoonful of filling in the center of each wrapper. Brush egg white around the edges and fold each wrapper into a triangle. Bring the edges together and press to make a tortellini shape.

Place the lettuce leaves on the bottom of the steamer. These prevent the gyoza from sticking to the steamer. Place the gyoza on top of the lettuce. If the gyoza touch each other, they will stick together.

Put the lid on the steamer. Place it on top of the pot of boiling water. Steam for 10 minutes and remove. Don't peak while they are cooking!

Alternatively, you can deep fry them. This is also tasty. Steamed, they are fairly healthy.

Now they are ready to nomnomnom. The steamed lettuce makes a good side dish, along with some sticky rice. Extra soy sauce for dipping is a plus.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2010-12-05T16:26:00.000-05:00

It's getting a bit cold here, and Brent is sick. I wanted to make fresh soup for us, and chicken noodle is a classic choice. Here is what I used:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Handful fresh parsley
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup celery stalks
1 medium onion, once again I prefer Italian red
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup egg noodles

Combine the water and chicken broth in a large pot and bring to a boil. Rough chop 1/4 cup carrots, 1/4 cup celery, and 1/4 of the onion. Add these to the pot, along with half the parsley and the bay leaf. This will be used to season the broth.

Cut the chicken into strips and add to the pot. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the chicken from the pot and place in a bowl. Strain the liquid and reserve, and dispose of the vegetables. Shred the chicken.

Chop the remaining vegetables. Heat butter in a large pot (I rinsed and reused the same pot). Add the vegetables and cook until softened. Add chicken and the reserved liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add the egg noodles and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in remaining parsley. Enjoy!

Very simple, but it was fun and tasty in the end.

Today's paintings.

2010-11-22T23:53:00.000-05:00

There's nothing like a deadline to get you to finish.

Goals

2010-10-25T13:15:00.001-04:00

4 pounds down, 36 to go.

-- posted on the go

Random

2010-10-24T22:01:00.001-04:00

I just found this on my computer. ???

Website

2010-10-22T08:44:00.000-04:00

I'm using these graphics on my new website. Cheesy? Cool? Not sure yet.

Recording

2010-10-21T12:37:00.001-04:00

I never really wrote anything about Nashville. These are from RCA Studio B. It is a really neat, famous, old, still used recording studio on Music Row. There were lots of bet up instruments and neon lights.

Untitled.

2010-10-20T19:34:00.000-04:00

I haven't taken pictures off either of my cameras for over a month. :(

Italian sausage pomodoro

2010-10-20T01:23:00.000-04:00

I bought some sausage the other day and decided to come up with a pomodoro recipe that included it. Here are my approximate ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage
1 red onion
3 cloves garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
Handful fresh herbs, like basil, oregano, rosemary

In a large pot, heat one tablespoon of olive oil. Cut the sausage into pieces and brown in pot. While the sausage is browning, finely chop the onion and garlic. Add to the pot and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining olive oil, tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, and herbs to the pot. Stir until well blended and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Enjoy over your favorite pasta for a delicious meal.

Additions - sometimes I add parmesan while the sauce is simmering, sometimes I wait until the end. See what you like best!

Can't forget...

2010-10-19T19:26:00.001-04:00

I was probably one of the most exciting things I have ever done.

Nashville

2010-10-18T18:02:00.000-04:00

A few choice pictures from our trip. Maybe I will post more another day--it was an amazing place.

Celebration V

2010-10-17T14:56:00.001-04:00

I am going to spend a few days posting about things I have done since June. I have not really kept up with blogging since then, so snippets and photos of all the fun things since then shall follow.

Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin

2010-10-16T09:18:00.000-04:00

I've been making this all the time lately. I think we have had it three times in the past two weeks. It's so delicious and easy.

I know, I know. It's not *really* coq au vin. I modified it to use ingredients I like.

1 pound chicken breasts
1 onion, I like Italian red
3 cloves garlic
5 slices bacon
2 medium potatoes, I like gold
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup red wine
1 cup tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste

When I cook this in a slow cooker, I just dump everything in and let it cook for 4-6 hours. When I cook it in a pot, I sauté the onions and garlic for a few minutes, add the bacon and cook for a few minutes, then add everything else. That all simmers for 1-2 hours.

I don't like mushrooms and I prefer Italian red onion to pearl. So, it's my own spin. I'm falling in love with my slow cooker.

Blah

2010-10-16T04:56:00.000-04:00

I have been so busy with work, school, and other projects. I do not want this blog to die, but I just never seem to put interesting things here.

This is my new project. I am trying to push the limits of my coding knowledge to produce something cool and professional. More later.

Design flaw

2010-09-01T21:14:00.000-04:00

Over the past couple of weeks, I noticed that my absolute favorite makeup product was running out. But at $23.00 a pop, I was not happy about having to go buy more. I literally do not go a day without Urban Decay Primer Potion. After a few months on the original, I found Sin XL on sale at Ulta. I fell in love. So I've been saving up coupons and scouting the web for cheaper replacements, as these days find me significantly less able to buy name brand products.

Upon looking for this miracle-product on sale, I saw a review mention "de-bottling" and "re-potting". Why would someone want to re-pot this? The package is so cute!

Curious, I cut open my bottle after a ten minute battle with a knife. OH MY GOSH. Now I am going to switch to engineer mode.

The product comes in a 0.55 ounce curved bottle with a small, straight brush. Upon cutting open the bottle, I was able to extract TWO full 0.10 ounce pots of product from the bottle. That means that 0.20 ounces of a 0.55 ounce product, OR 36.4 FREAKING PERCENT, is unusable without dismantling the packaging. WHAT KIND OF COMPANY WOULD EVER INCLUDE SUCH A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW?! I'm seriously flabbergasted.

I wonder how many poor Urban Decay users throw away their bottle after it is "empty". What a waste of money. That's over $8 of product thrown away with each bottle. And if a bottle lasts one month, that comes to almost $100 per year, per user, of discarded product. Yikes.

So if you are one of the millions of people that use Urban Decay Primer Potion, please de-bottle your product or donate your bottles to someone who will. The numbers are a bit ridiculous.

New new new!

2010-07-23T21:18:00.000-04:00

I added lots of new items today at my shop! I've been painting so much lately, but it's been a long time since I sat down at added things. I feel very accomplished for finally getting it all done.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/cucinabydina

No posts

2010-07-06T17:26:00.001-04:00

No updates because I can't think of how to express things that have happened. I'll be inspired to write and take pictures again one day.

Also, I am going to start a new blog. Hopefully this one will still get some love.

REESE'S Chewy Chocolate Cookies

2010-06-01T03:03:00.000-04:00

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes. It makes a bunch, which is perfect for giving out to everyone I know. I used to bring a batch to class all the time in high school. Credit to Hershey's Kitchen for a delectable treat!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chip

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4-1/2 dozen cookies.

Rocket fuel

2010-05-31T14:58:00.001-04:00

It'll mess you up.

Sarpino's

2010-05-30T20:33:00.000-04:00

I polished off a whole pizza just now. I might have a heart attack. A delicious heart attack.

Superdawg...

2010-05-30T15:52:00.000-04:00

Was just medicoredawg.

Private chat.

2010-05-29T14:58:00.000-04:00

Waiting for Masten:

The after after party

2010-05-29T02:22:00.001-04:00

Not as epic, but involves pool.

My face...

2010-05-28T18:45:00.001-04:00

When I saw the Airblade:

The pinnacle of excitement.

2010-05-28T15:21:00.001-04:00

Not the speakers, opportunities, or technologies. This is what has everybody talking at ISDC:

Hancock building.

2010-05-26T17:18:00.000-04:00

A view from the top:

-- posted on the go

Chicago.

2010-05-26T12:13:00.000-04:00

What I learned from flying over: there is literally a baseball field in every neighborhood. Sometimes two.

-- posted on the go

My first oil painting attempt.

2010-05-19T19:40:00.001-04:00

If you can't tell, I am an acrylic girl.

-- posted on the go

Bballin

2010-05-18T16:53:00.001-04:00

-- posted on the go

This is how finals make me feel.

2010-04-27T14:08:00.003-04:00

Especially after a mind-blowing concert experience.

D end.

Current favorite.

2010-04-07T20:39:00.003-04:00

I stopped updating for so long because I felt stuck to the theme of photos of fun things. I haven't been doing fun things, and when I do it's always somewhere I don't want to bring my camera. SO, in lieu of my new favorite hobby, I think I'm just going to make this whole blog a bit more random and general about-me blog-ish stuff.

Pamela made me totally obsessed with makeup and beauty products. I've always liked makeup, but I was perfectly content using the same 3 products every day (pressed powder, eyeliner, mascara). Not anymore! After two Ulta hauls and a Target haul, I have a pretty nice variety of tools.

My favorite thing I got was the NYX Runway Collection eyeshadow pallet in Secret World. Pamela suggested NYX as an affordable, high quality brand. So far, I've been impressed.

I picked Secret World because of the greens, but I've been using the bronze colors every day. I needed green for a costume (Yuri's Night!). They are pretty bold colors and last a few hours without creasing. Paired with Urban Decay eye primer potion, the color literally lasts until I wash it off at night. I've been wearing the middle bronze for lid, lightest for highlight, and copper for crease. Love it.

I also tried NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss and Eye Pencil, both of which are amazing. This is definitely my new favorite brand.

Slacking.

2010-04-01T10:28:00.001-04:00

I promise a real post is coming.

Radio star.

2010-01-31T00:01:00.004-05:00

I just found these pictures from our radio show. I think they were taken in November.

Random from New Year's Eve

2010-01-27T02:04:00.001-05:00

I love this dress. I need more places to wear it.

-- posted on the go

Snapshot of the week.

2010-01-26T01:02:00.001-05:00

I promise he actually has eyes. Stupid iPhone cam.

-- posted on the go

Weeeezur.

2010-01-24T00:43:00.004-05:00

I promise this post won't be an epic novel (like the Dead Weather one).

I had a hard time getting excited for this concert because I was so worried that I wouldn't get in. We made the four hour trek to Tallahassee early yesterday morning and arrived in time to be the second group there. Gosh, I sure worry a lot, because the whole time I was afraid of passing out. (Spoiler alert- I didn't)

We got in, got to front, I had breathing room, I got water, and everything was perfect.

The concert was absolutely amazing. It was probably the best show I've ever seen. I can't give a coherent review right now, I suppose, because I'm still too excited that it all actually happened. The fact that it was free is just mind-blowing.

Highlights: High-fiving Rivers, Rivers handing Cara his guitar pick, begging (successfully) the security guards for a piece of the ukulele he smashed, beach balls galore, a great setlist, being right in front of Brian, and most of all sharing it with the best friends evah.

Oh, the whole ukulele thing reminded me. I begged for it to everyone that walked by, and finally one guy reaches over and grabs it...only to hand it to some other random girl! I almost cried I was so upset. But, the world once again showed me that there ARE in fact decent people out there. The girl broke the piece into three and handed one to me and Jacob. God, I hugged that girl. Nice people are just so rare these days.

Sorry for the horrible picture quality, as they were taken on iPhones while we were jumping up and down.

Here's a video. See if you can find me!

Friendtrip.

2010-01-19T23:05:00.005-05:00

I finally found my camera cord for both cameras. This means that I am free to take pictures anywhere, anytime! I used my more portable point-and-shoot camera on a lovely trip to Seaside, Eden Gardens, and Destin last month.

My favorite part was this really cool independent record store. They had a whole room with sofas, a guitar, and the neatest decorations. I propose more places have a chill room.

I really want to decorate my house like this. If anyone has old records or knows where I can get some really cheap, let me know. I think this would look awesome in our little music alcove.

I had never been to Eden Gardens before, so thanks Ben for suggesting it. I decided that if we get married in Panama City, I would love to get married here. It was beautiful.

Everyone say "awwwwwww".

I gave in.

2010-01-10T21:10:00.000-05:00

I finally shelled out the $$$ for a new camera charger. (Coincidentally, I have no idea where it is at the moment. Doh!)

Forgive me, but I would really love to backtrack for a moment. Let's go back to October and post a few football pictures. I just love taking pictures in the stadium at night. The lighting and shadows are very dynamic and make for some cool contrasts.

After this, my pictures start to teeter off to a long, boring black hole. Not being able to charge my camera was a nightmare. I have a few Halloween iPhone pics, and other people pics, which I may post. Or maybe I'll just start fresh.

A reflection on respect and kindness

2009-10-04T14:44:00.001-04:00

So, last night was the greatest night of my life. I won't completely brag about how awesome Dead Weather was, but 700 miles was well worth it. I know Jack White is practically a god among men, and so does everyone else, so I have some reflections on occurrences last night. I will tell these in the form of a narrative.

We arrived at the House of Blues at approximately 5 pm. The line was only a few people long, so we snacked in the restaurant and came back outside to claim a spot about 20 people back. About 30 minutes later, I noticed the line getting pretty long. So I decided to check out how far back it went. A great decision on my part because as I walked past the row of people waiting, a white can pulled up to a nearby street within my view. Jack Lawrence walked out, looking totally bad ass. I freaked out. I honestly didn't expect it, and I didn't expect the next part either. Jack White walked out onto the open street, with only two bodyguards and I to witness. I nervously said, "Jack, hey!" He smiled and said "Hey there." However, he looked past me with slight anxiety and walked into the venue. Other people noticed him and began screaming and running closer.

This is my first reflection. It's on respect. As someone that likes Jack White and knows anything at all about him, you know that he is eccentric and not comfortable around people. WHY must you run at him yelling? Like that will make him want to stay out and chat. I try really hard not to go fangirl when I meet someone famous, because that must really suck. Stay calm and cool, and then maybe you'll get to spend moe time with them. And show them some respect, they are not an object, they are real people that are sensitive and don't like mobs.

Continuing on, I went back to Brent in line and started flipping out. I texted everyone I know and jumped up and down for the next half hour. I didn't say you couldn't go fangirl, I just said you couldn't in front of the person.

So we started to walk into the venue around 7. Next reflection. A group on 17 year old girls in front of me kept looking back at me, and it was kind of weird. Finally one girl caught me notice and said, "Sorry, I just think you're really pretty." I almost hugged her. I wish more people were honest. I told her "That's really nice to hear." It really is. Next time you see someone random walking near you, compliment them. It could change their life. I have never thought I was pretty in my entire life, and to hear from a random (also very pretty) girl makes me feel like maybe I'm not just some ugly nerd. So be nice to people.

Return to story. We got inside and staked our claim on a spot dead center, two people back. It was perfect. The venue was extremely small. Dead Weather was amazing. I know I'm skimming over the actual concert, but that wasn't the real point of his blog. Allison Mosshart is gorgeous in person, by the way. I'm in love with her. Jack did some awesome drumming and guitar playing, they played pretty much all of their songs, Allison put on a great show as the frontwoman, and the crowd was very chill. It was absolutely perfect.

We decided to stay after the show and try to meet them. We stood around their bus with about 50 other people and waited around. Jack and Allison both ran out to the bus without really looking at the crowd. The gathering slimmed down to about 20 people, and then Jack Lawrence and Dean came out and walked down the street, waved to us, and kept walking. We waited about an hour longer, but no one seemed interested in coming out to meet us. Sounds like a bummer, but honestly I can't blame them. Everytime the crew went in and out of the bus, fangirls screamed and begged. Seriously, chill out. This takes us back to the reflection on respect. I don't love Jack White less because I waited for him and he didn't come. I love him for his music. I try not to objectify him and scream out "We're the reason you're famous, show some respect and meet us!" because I respect him and his desire to be a musician and have a chill life. I love him because he is every bit as eccentric, awkward, brilliant, strange, and human as he appears to be.

In conclusion, go spontaneously drive 700 miles to achieve one of your dreams. It's worth it.

-- posted on the go

A quick classic

2009-10-03T15:34:00.000-04:00

I love pizza. It is my favorite food. I love making homemade pizza, but I don't always have the time to make fresh dough. Here's what I do to make delicious deep dish pizza in thirty minutes.

1 package dry pizza dough, like Jiffy or Martha White
1/2 cup spring water
2 tablespoons butter, I usually use butter spread
red sauce, homemade or jarred
cheese, any kind works, I like fresh parmesan and mozzarella
other toppings, like sliced chicken and fresh basil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Warm the spring water and mix it with the dry pizza dough. Add one tablespoon of butter and mix until the dough forms a nice ball. You may need to use your hands to get it formed nicely. Rub a little of the remaining butter on your hands and roll the dough ball in your hands, coating it with butter. Let sit in a covered bowl for five minutes.

During this time, I usually prepare my sauce and grate/slice the cheese. Grease your baking dish with the remaining butter. The pan size isn't critical--I've used everything from a 9 inch circular cake pan to a 13 inch casserole dish. I just find that deep dishes work best.

When the dough has set, form it to your baking dish. Whatever you use, make sure the dough reaches the edges. I like it best when the crust is raised up the edge of the pan a bit. Prick the dough with a fork and bake for five minutes.

After taking the pizza out, spread your sauce on top. Less is more, don't overload it. Sprinkle cheese on top. If you want to be authentic, don't cake it on like most pizzerias do. Let the sauce peek through. Sprinkle your toppings on top and cook for 10-15 minutes longer. Remove and enjoy!

Waiting for The Killers

2009-10-01T20:55:00.001-04:00

-- posted on the go

I can't find my camera charger.

2009-09-28T00:16:00.002-04:00

So, I moved last month. I haven't seen my camera charger in the abyss of packed and slowly unpacked items I own. This explains the dry spell of pictures and my completely undocumented life. Here is a brief written account.

Things that happened recently:
Cocoa Beach
Downtown Disney
'Up' at campus
Football game
Plenty of friend fun
Panama City
Destin
etc, etc, etc.

Things that I will hopefully have my camera for:
Killers
Dead Weather
New Orleans
Panama City
Disney
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Homecoming Concert
More football games
Spirit Splash
etc, etc, etc.

I managed to take this with my dying battery...

My art desk is a mess.

2009-09-03T23:52:00.000-04:00

I've been toying with a ton of different projects and ideas. The result is a desk full of half-finished projects and LOTS of supplied! I really need some inspiration on where to go next with my ideas.

I try to extract inspiration from everywhere. Currently, I love this color.

It's a lovely shade of blue that I just can't stop using. Expect blue kitchen things appearing in my shop soon. It's just such a fun and fresh color that I think will really make a kitchen pop.

You'll see me soon, in one form or another!

I also bought a new set of paintbrushes. I don't know why, but I love new brushes. There is something exciting about staining the brush for the first time, seeing what path it makes, and figuring out how to use it.

Maybe I'm just weird.

But I definitely draw my biggest inspiration from this fellow:

And from reminiscing with old photographs.

Hopefully all this talk will draw up some fresh ideas.

My current obsession.

2009-09-01T23:01:00.003-04:00

Ok, so maybe sometimes I wear a sweatshirt and jeans. Especially lately, as my laundering facilities are limited. But, under normal circumstances, my goal of each day is to dress so that at least one person compliments my style. I love picking out outfits. Seriously.

Right now I am completely obsessed with a couple of outfits featured by Kate Spade. Skirts, heels, and scarves are my love.

Of course I will never actually buy these pieces. I am a budget fashionista. But, you'd be surprised at what you can come up with from lower end boutiques. I mean, it really doesn't take much to look stylish. I walk around campus every day and see a lot of people that apparently don't care about what they wear. Ok, ok, I know that seems shallow and that some people aren't concerned with looks, which is cool, but I always secretly applaud those that dare a skirt and some heels. If more people did, maybe I wouldn't get weird looks for showing up to a lesson on quantum physics with bright red stilettos.

First items are making their way online.

2009-08-29T23:06:00.000-04:00

I've been working hard the past week, trying to put my concepts and ideas into
actual pieces of work. My main project has been decoupage plates, and so far I LOVE them. However, a slight sealing problem has prevented me from finishing those at the moment. I'm researching better methods so that when they are done, I can really be proud of them.

HOWEVER. I have started submitting some of my smaller items for sale. Check out my etsy store for the first wave of cucina by dina items.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7923621

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7923621

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7923621

Go!

Handball

2009-08-18T19:39:00.000-04:00

The coolest NYPD officer just taught us handball. Swweet.

-- posted on the go

NEMO!!!

2009-07-17T15:15:00.001-04:00

Yay Disney.

-- posted on the go

Fast food, part deux.

2009-07-05T22:51:00.004-04:00

Breakfast.

Chick-fil-A breakfast.

This is my ultimate weakness. I would run to Chick-fil-A after getting out of class at 10:15 to make it before breakfast ended. And then I would stall around on campus after my 7:30 AM class to justify staying for breakfast. Seriously, if it wasn't for Chick-fil-A, I'd probably be vegetarian.

Now, don't get me wrong, these homemade biscuits won't totally satiate my craving. But, they are pretty darn close to the original. As close as human hands can get (God makes actual Chick-fil-A. Why do you think it's closed on Sunday? He wants you elsewhere.)

These were pretty darn tasty.

Fast food.

2009-07-04T22:49:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, Brent and I walked into Barnes and Noble, innocently bored and desperate for some creative inspiration. Little did we know that our lives would change forever. I give you THE GREATEST COOKBOOK EVER:

The greatest cookbook ever.

Basically, the premise of this book is recreating fast food favorites at home. zomg #1: the recipes are significantly healthier than their drive-thru counterparts. zomg #2: the recipes are really cheap and really simple. I'M IN LOVE.

Tonight, we ate like true Americans with McDonald's french fries and Wendy's spicy chicken sandwiches. Brent went classic lettuce and tomato (with homemade Papa John's barbeque sauce), I opted for my favorite of American cheese and spicy ranch.

It was amazing. AMAZING. And the best part is that the recipe was super non-fattening and non-fried. There was just 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the entire meal. Did I mention that this is amazing?

So next time you want a Double-Double, Big Mac, Frappachino, or Chicken Biscuit, make it yourself. Or, gosh darn it, get me to make it for you. I promise it'll be even better than Grease-o Chain of Heart Attacks.

Central Park Celebration.

2009-07-04T22:40:00.004-04:00

Today is a holiday that people feel compelled to celebrate up there with Christmas, and for some reason businesses close. We went to the Winter Park Central Park celebration, which was fraught with free hot dogs and watermelon. It was fun. I don't dislike Independence Day, I just think that waving flags and eating watermelon is a poor way to pay homage to your country.

ANYWAY. Here are some horses from the wagon rides:

Some oldies.

2009-07-03T01:28:00.004-04:00

I have precious few old pictures, as my laptop hard drive randomly fried last summer. I dug through my tablet's hard drive and found these pictures from The Holy Land Experience:

I really like this place. I'd like to go back when it's not a sweltering 100 degrees.

Boys r dumb.

2009-06-21T12:50:00.002-04:00

Or the machine is rigged.

-- posted on the go

I got taken out...

2009-06-20T19:08:00.002-04:00

But it's still fun.

-- posted on the go

Basketball.

2009-06-19T23:41:00.002-04:00

I'm still the only one to make a free-throw.

-- posted on the go

Kitteh!

2009-06-19T23:29:00.002-04:00

I met this today.

-- posted on the go

Bday!

2009-06-18T12:29:00.002-04:00

Not until Tuesday, but we ate at Red Robin in PCB to celebrate Brent's existence.

-- posted on the go

Comparison.

2009-06-14T10:47:00.002-04:00

This is what Education majors do in class:

Compare this to previous posts.

-- posted on the go

I should start blogging again.

2009-06-14T01:26:00.002-04:00

Live blogging is fun. Maybe you'll see more of me.

I'm in bed and it's super dark, so no good picture. I don't feel like getting up.

-- posted on the go

Srsly?

2009-04-27T11:36:00.002-04:00

FML.

-- posted on the go

2009-04-20T09:52:00.002-04:00

It's almost over (but not soon enough).

I really need to start taking pictures of the interesting things I do. Like Gainesville in six hours, SGT lunch, and super-awesome-Disney fun.

-- posted on the go

I strongly dislike Thermodynamics.

2009-04-06T18:57:00.001-04:00

It has become the bane of my existence.

-- posted on the go

Loudest people in the library award

2009-03-20T12:47:00.002-04:00

Congrats! Your facebook musings in the library and screeching laughter make you today's winner!

I wish more people used the library for studying and research, not sex and facebook.

-- posted on the go

I am the epitome of lazy.

2009-03-17T16:48:00.002-04:00

-- posted on the go

Liftoff!

2009-03-15T21:02:00.002-04:00

A view from parking garage D.

-- posted on the go

Day 1: Didn't fall

2009-03-14T21:49:00.002-04:00

So I saw this in PCB and wanted it. I've been thinking about getting one for a while now. Today, we went to the Ron Jon's in Orlando and decided to go for it.

I know a bunch of people suggested longboarding to me, but I didn't like them as much. I had fun on this baby today.

-- posted on the go

Flowers and gardens

2009-03-13T19:17:00.001-04:00

Though the festival hasn't actually started, we saw a ton of cool plant sculptures in Epcot for the Flower and Garden Festival.

And we walked five miles in leui of our new "be healthy" plan.

-- posted on the go

Back, but shorthanded

2009-03-13T13:20:00.001-04:00

So, I'm back from my trip to Panama City Beach. It's always bittersweet. On the downside, I didn't get many pictures. I'll dig some up later. For now,

I'll stick to finally unpacking.

-- posted on the go

More adventures in king cake baking.

2009-02-22T22:21:00.004-05:00

So, Mardi Gras is Tuesday. I usually celebrate this by making king cake and jambalaya. This year is no different.

King cake is a terribly exhausting thing to make. It takes almost four hours to make a single, delectable ring. Oh, but the end result is worth the sore arms.

Whisking and sifting and kneading and punching is a lot of work. And apparently, neatness is not my strong suit. I (once again) burned some sugar and set the smoke alarm off.

The offending smoke alarm.

I almost completely destroyed the cake in the process (after three hours of work on it!). A team effort between Brent and I saved the five pound beaut, and we got it in the oven.

It was pretty banged and bloodied up, but she was delicious on the inside.

Valentine's Day.

2009-02-22T14:29:00.003-05:00

We hung out with some real characters.

How did I live 19 years without Food Network.

2009-02-07T23:09:00.004-05:00

It's pretty much all I watch. It's educational, it's entertaining, it's action-packed, it's the perfect television network. And, Alton Brown is my hero.

My favorite show is probably Ace of Cakes, which is about a total bad ass that makes total(ly) bad ass cakes. They look something like this:

Ok, now I know that I will never get THAT good, but I decided to try my hand at cake decorating. Duff (and Geoff!!!) inspired me, so I went to the store and bought supplies. Cake mix, icing, parchment paper, and the all important fondant.

Fondant is expensive, like play-doh (but doesn't smell bad and tastes yummy), and really hard to work with. I think my first run came out semi-successful, but I'll let you be the judge.

At least they were yummy.

Tuesdays in Hollywood.

2009-02-03T23:03:00.005-05:00

---I have no idea why some of my pictures are sideways. They are not this way on my computer.---

So today we decided to scope out Hollywood Studios. We were hoping for a nice, quiet park with no lines.

Well, it was pretty bustling, but our longest wait was 25 minutes on Toy Story. By the way, TOY STORY IN MY NEW SECOND FAVORITE RIDE.

We scoped out a bunch of celebs, too. I played paparazzi for two major celebrities. I was way too shy to meet them.

We also caught up with Bill Cosby and Walt Disney. We shared some laughs with those gents before being on our way.

Oh, and we got to try out the new American Idol show. It was pretty cool; 2 out of the 3 contestants were English. Always a plus. Everyone was pretty terrible at singing, and a lot of the pre-recorded stuff was awkward. But, overall it was neato. I snuck a picture of the stage just as they were yelling for no photography.

I swear I'm the most boring person alive.

2009-02-01T16:52:00.004-05:00

I watched Spongebob all day. Realizing I was being a complete bum, I went outside to play on the playground.

On a slightly productive note, I've been learning more about my camera (after owning it for 2 years). I think I figured out how to use the manual mode.

A meek adventure into the swankiest street in town.

2009-01-31T19:26:00.005-05:00

So, there's this street in Winter Park called Park Avenue. It's like our own little Rodeo Drive, fraught with designer boutiques and incredibly ostentatious (and expensive) restaurants. We went on an adventure today, and dove into the world of the elite.

Okay, maybe we just walked in the park and tried to stay away from the snooty people. BUT we did find a gem of a book store tucked in an alleyway, where I purchased a book of Cicero's essays. Score!

We also found a gelato shop. Every time I see somewhere selling "gelato", I have to try it and see how it compares to the real thing. Usually, it's terrible.

Points to look out for in telling if gelato will be good:

1. The gelato looks like whipped cream in it's container.
2. The spoons are miniature neon spatulas.
3. They have REAL gelato flavors, like stracciatella and and dulce de leche.

If the above aren't true, don't bother trying it. I carefully inspected the shop before relenting to purchase some. To my delight, ALL THREE WERE TRUE. We had some, and it was the best freaking gelato I've had since I left Italy. If you come visit me, I'll take you there.

I feel so trendy to say this, but...

2009-01-31T19:20:00.004-05:00

When I'm stressed out, I become all artsy and have urges to make things. Last night I made cookies, a birthday card, a purse, a wallet, worked on a painting...

So, I guess it wasn't a good night for me. At least it was productive. Until I sat down on the sofa at 10 PM to watch some good ol' Food Network...and didn't get up until 6 AM. That channel is addicting.

I learned all about chilies from Alton Brown. What did you learn yesterday?

This is how I spend my days.

2009-01-26T20:09:00.002-05:00

Also note the nifty new threads.

It seems like Disney is the only interesting thing we do anymore.

2009-01-20T22:10:00.003-05:00

I feel like we're terribly boring. We sleep, eat, go to class, and sometimes go to Disney. That's about it.

Someone initiate some other hanging-outs.

Oh, but I did get my highest score ever on Buzz Lightyear. 120,000!!! I randomly hit a 100,000 point target, so I still technically suck.

Not terribly interesting, but it's the best I've got.

2009-01-14T20:52:00.002-05:00

I rearranged my room. Now my drums are actually in here!

This is what 800 dollars looks like.

2009-01-12T00:26:00.001-05:00

And that's with buying them used.

Oh, and this is what I'm doing instead of reading that fat stack:

Back in Orlando.

2009-01-11T22:52:00.001-05:00

I have no pictures to document this, but school pretty much blows.

Disneyland.

2009-01-03T14:13:00.001-05:00

I love Disney World, but there's just something about being in the original park that is so awesome.

San Diego Harbor.

2009-01-01T23:57:00.001-05:00

New Years.

2009-01-01T23:33:00.001-05:00

Laguna Beach.

2008-12-30T01:24:00.001-05:00

Seaport Village.

2008-12-29T01:42:00.001-05:00

Mountain High.

2008-12-27T02:17:00.001-05:00

Christmas.

2008-12-25T23:08:00.002-05:00

Hiking in the park.

2008-12-24T13:40:00.001-05:00

California is muddy and hilly.

California.

2008-12-22T23:44:00.003-05:00

Expect pictures from there.

Early Christmas.

2008-12-18T21:36:00.001-05:00

Puppies and baking in Panama City.

The big cheese.

2008-11-15T00:46:00.001-05:00

Boredom at its finest.

2008-11-12T09:38:00.001-05:00

I'm pretty sure I just walked around my apart with the camera button pushed down. Brent was in the shower, so this is how I amuse myself for 15 minutes.

This is so great...

2008-11-10T23:20:00.001-05:00

it deserves its own post.

Magical times.

2008-11-08T01:27:00.002-05:00

I'm really disappointed I didn't take more pictures this night. I should probably learn how to use my camera in the dark.

My meager party.

2008-10-31T03:12:00.001-04:00

It wasn't really anything special. And I am not a fan of Rocky Horror.

Wooweewoo.

2008-10-25T18:20:00.001-04:00

My latest painting.

Adventures in breadland

2008-10-24T20:56:00.001-04:00

I like making homemade bread. It's soothing.

At least Brent gets yummy food out of me being stressed from school all the time.

Le Tigre

2008-10-19T19:25:00.001-04:00

He was my favorite.

+ kicking it old school:

Preparing for my favorite holiday.

2008-10-03T10:05:00.001-04:00

You rock.

2008-09-09T22:30:00.001-04:00

Here's my creation so far