The first Friday night back in Ithaca, the two lovely roommates and I had a downtown food adventure!

We first had dinner at The Moosewood! And yes, I do have to tell you what we all ate, because The Moosewood is like the genius behind all good vegetarian food. Lovely Roommate 1 had lasagna + a salad with lemon tahini dressing, Lovely Roommate 2 had a vegetable/bean burrito with a pinapple slaw and a salad with lemon tahini dressing, and I had a vegetable bean burrito with the pinapple slaw and a salad with miso ginger dressing (this stuff is practically drinkable—recipe here). I awkwardly cleaned my entire plate while they each took half to go. 

Afterwards we went to Sticky Rice. 
This place is about as dive-y/hole-in-the-wall a restaurant can get. Perhaps not the place to go on a first date, but I think it has the best Thai/Laotian food in Ithaca. We all split a giant sundae that Lovely Roommate 2 and I had once had out for a friend’s birthday last year. Basically… it’s 5 scoops of mango and/or coconut ice cream, a scoop of purple sticky rice, a scoop of white sticky rice, cashews, raisins, fried banana things, and a honey sauce. The best sundae I’ve eve had.

After we headed back and food coma’d. 
THE END! 

PS: If I’ve never mentioned it before, I’m obsessed with lights in wet pavement (this was taken waiting (freezing) for the bus to come). 

Firstly, I’ve tried to use Instagram more lately. I take a lot of pictures of random things, but they are kept hoarded on my phone, so why not share some of the picturerific love? 

Secondly, this past week was the last week of classes. It’s on to study time now. Thankfully my schedule is the easiest it’s ever been… besides physics. I cannot complain. I’m not ready to be home yet, but I will be soon. It’s been quite awhile amies. I do know that.

So anyways, the things of a week:

1. Classics 

I finally finished Pride and Prejudice this past week, and moved onto Little Women. I’m quite embarrassed that I’ve never read either before. 

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Creeping in my nutrition class last Thursday, I noticed the girl in front of me on this website. I figured it was more of a diet website (which by no means applies to me), but checked it out later anyways… (as I said, I’m a creeper). 

Basically, it’s part of the governments “Choose My Plate” nutrition initiative, which is like an updated version of the food pyramid we all grew up with. 

Turns out it can be used for dieting…but  it also tracks all the food groups, vitamins, and minerals you eat! I figured that I’d try it out for a bit… Not that I eat unhealthily, I just often have issues with getting enough dairy, protein, and iron in my diet. I also eat a lot of “empty” calories. 

Anyways, here’s me so far today:


The only caveat I have found so far the way protein is counted (ie: I ate 62 grams today when 46 grams is the target for someone of my size/activity level, but it only counts stuff like eggs and beans). 
But cool, right?!
I shall definitely strive to eat more veggies and dairy tomorrow!  

Some Other Wonderfulness:
* New Matchbook Mag out today! 
* Obsessed with re-watching this show lately. I have no idea how I’ve had time to re-watch 7.5 seasons in the past 3 weeks AND manage to have my best/most productive semester yet.  
* Election Day is tomorrow. Hopefully whatever the outcome, people take this sort of attitude. 

PS: Sorry for any random typos… Didn’t really read over like crazy. 

Lately I’ve been following this blog (I heard about it because the author sends her kids to farm camp/put a farm camp recipe on her blog). To summarize, it’s about a woman, her love affair with dinner (she’s kept a dinner diary for 10+ years), her family, and some non-judgmental advice.

This past week I decided I’d get better at doing the home cooked dinner thing—not that I’m bad or anything, I just could be doing better. I usually do home cooked meals 5 or 6 of 7 nights, but I decide at the last minute what to make. To fix this, I devoted a section of my journal to dinner planning. (Obviously this means I’m serious ;P) 

Anyways, why I’m here saying this is so far so good. Planning makes things easier. I started this past Monday. I had rice and microwavable Indian. Tuesday was chili and cornbread (both vegetarian obviously). Wednesday was grilled cheese and squash. Thursday was the delicious burgers above (highly recommended). Friday was leftovers of the delicious burgers above too! So yes..! One week down, hopefully many more to go? 

PS: If anyone has other (vegetarian) dinner recipes, I’d love to hear! 

“I had a new experience eating bread and butter today!”

How often do you hear someone say that? 
But I did have a new experience eating that simple combination (and relived it three times)! This morning I used my lovely bread maker to make some lovely homemade bread. I was also sent home from work on Friday with some butter made by campers. So this afternoon, I had homemade bread with homemade butter and overall it was a very modern (and delicious) homespun experience! 

I’ve been lucky. My summer break has lasted exactly one month and one day. During this break I have unpacked, slept in, read 4.5 books, run 100 miles, hiked 18 miles/3 mountains, seen le copain twice, seen le extended family once, seen various amies various numbers of times, cooked/baked delicious foods, watched two entire seasons of both Modern Family and Arrested Development, planted some basil (that was yesterday), and for the most part enjoyed myself. 

Today I did as I’ve done for one last day.

• I slept in until 10am. 
• I ran 8 miles (the most I’ve run since January). It was slow, but lovely. 
  

• I watched 9 episodes of Arrested Development. If you haven’t watched… sooo funny!
• I read some… (books too, but totes obsessed with J.Crew! (as always))
  

• I watched Pretty Little Liars. Exciting as always.  
• I made orange cupcakes too!
  
  
  Now I guess I’m just anticipating work tomorrow!

Back when I was at school, my lovely mother went to Stone Barns and attended a talk by Tamar Adler on her book An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace (Tamar is coincidentally one of my mother’s running friend’s daughters). Fortuntately my lovely mother ending up picking up a copy knowing that I’d probably enjoy it.  

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