Today is a Good Day. Officially.

One way to identify a New York woman is to look at her computer history. Other than 10am visits to the Momofuku website and noon visits to Gilt Groupe's homepage, one can undoubtedly find the first-of-the-month visits to Susan Miller's monthly predictions. Despite our multicultural differences and religious disbeliefs (as well as blatant intolerance for fluff), New Yorkers have somehow enabled astrology to explain the unexplainable, legitimize the illogical, and create a world of candy where concrete once stood. Somehow, silently and unanimously, New York women have bowed to the mercy of Susan Miller's predictions.

I am one of those women. 2010 looks to be a positive year for me. Mercury is going to spin out of retrograde (finally!) and it looks like my luck just might turn in terms of career, love, money..... (shit, that's the trifecta of life, right? yesssss) More specifically, Feb. 27th is supposed to be the best darned day of my year. And guess what, it's good for you, too. And you. And you. And you, over there. By my calculations, if 2010 is a good year, and the 27th is the best day out of the year, then shoot- isn't today supposed to be like, the best day of our lives?! That's a lot of pressure.

I'm not going to buy myself an entire bodega's worth of lotto tickets or anything. In fact, I think I'm going to wake up late, have some oatmeal, stick with my original plans for the afternoon, and then tag along with LF at night to a party in Red Hook. Astrology, like love and like bowling, is one of those things where in order for the situation to turn out good- to turn out as "planned"- one can't possibly focus on the end. The more you think about bowling a strike, the more you're gonna gutter that big ol' ball of yours.

So, drink a beer, loosen up, and granny-chuck your way to a ten pin victory. Cheers to the day!

White Air

I know I'm about a week too late with this news- and with a sport as fast-changing as snowboarding, it may mean I'm ages behind- but I just saw the clip of Shaun White's gold medal halfpipe runs. Upon very first glance, all I could think was how much air this kid gets under his board. He must be 20 feet up above the ground! And his Supersize Megameal Combo Deluxe McTwisty trick that he does- the one that's got all the mountain tops apraise- is anti-gravity, I just can't grasp how he does it.

Above all else, what struck me as truly deserving of a medal, was his interview following his runs. Not your average boarding brosef, White defied all my traditionally held stereotypes by carrying himself with such poise and eloquence and big-time sincerity. For reals. Plus, it warmed my heart that he gave a shout-out to his pups, who apparently was watching him alongside the rest of the clan.

Edible: The Book

I'm so excited. I love the Edible Communities; it's without a doubt one of my favorite publications (In fact, I've been daydreaming about writing for them....living the life of a food-obsessed community-oriented rogue....but that's another story). After reading about the release of their new book today- chock full I'm sure with recipes, heartwarming stories, local heroes, and juicy pictures, I absolutely cannot wait until May arrives.

FoodPrint

I am going to food geek out this weekend and go to these lectures about the Culture of food in the city, and where it stands looking into the future. Join me?

avatars on ice

So, um, there was an avatar on the ice last night in the ice dancing competition in Vancouver.

Does anyone else see this?

Snowmageddon...

Snowpocalypse, snownami....

The list of cheeky names is endless for the blizzard that hit DC and the east coast about a week back. It covered the city in a blanket of snow that is now, sadly, only puddles and ugly mounds of brown ice.

Since moving to the East Coast, I have realized that scarves and hats aren't just for flair, they are actually an important part of winter wear. As are a pair of waterproof boots. I stumbled upon these THESE recently, and have (yet again) fallen in love:

Can't you see yourself winning a snowball fight wearing a pair of these?

Three Philosophers

If you haven't tried this beer, I HIGHLY recommend it. I have been obsessed with this beer lately, and can't stop drinking it. Er, maybe that's a problem?

I first heard of this beer at work, and ever since have seen it (thankfully) just about everywhere- from restaurants in DC to my local grocery store. Ommegang Brewery is located in upstate New York, where it seems like many a great alcohol is being produced. From what I've learned in some basic internet research, the Belgian-style based brews are the Brewery's specialty, and just based on their website alone, they seem to infuse so much care and attention to each batch that is produced.

Back to the star of this blog post- the drink is so rich, so complex, so luscious. Chocolaty, Cherry infused, malty and smooth, I can picture it served both extra cold or, as I prefer, closer to room temperature, and perfect with cheeses, red meats, and by itself as a digestif. I don't know if my Cali homies will have the pleasure of finding this beer around, and I'm not for the cross-country transportation (and the fossil fuel consumption that it requires) of foodstuff, but for Three Philosophers I might make an exception. It's just that damn good.

Weck

I read about these Chicago-based canning jars in a subscription of Martha Stewart Living. Yes, I get Martha Stewart Living. So what.

They're not only gorgeous, but definitely live up to the hype that has become the home canning revolution. Can't wait to get my hands on a case of these.

iPhreak

After two cracked screens and a couple of Russians (to be brief), a beloved boy I know gave me his iPhone. The wonders of unlocking phones still seems to perplex me- but like many things, I'd rather play dumb on that whole front.

After spending far too long on the phone with a TMobile customer representative who spoke to me like I was a 5-year-old (he attempted to describe what Apple was, and spelled out h-t-t-p-:-/-/, as if there is anyone in America who can't readily assume when someone says http://), I happily began customizing my phone. I spent almost all day Sunday getting a little app-happy. Any recommendations....?