Friday, January 3
My Book!
Coming out this Sunday! My first novel!
I can't wait! I'm sorely excited to have this out in the world. If it's at all successful, I'm hoping to make actual prints next year. For now, cheek out the ebook!
"A Study in Steel", a new cyberpunk noir by Eliana Vale at Smashwords!
Vera is a Search Engine; a private investigator driven to find the truth in a world of machines. When her client is murdered, she finds herself caught up in the sordid history of her city's past, and those trying to survive within it.
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/393997
Check it out, and email me for a coupon code to get yours!
Thursday, November 14
Cream Tea for Two
Some local "handmade" Devonshire cream was discounted at the hippie store today, and I just got a small paycheck, so.... I bought it, of course.
I love clotted cream and jam, so I grabbed a few scones and planned a five o'clock teatime.
A few bags of masala tea, one warmed, sliced scone, some heavy cream, sugar, clotted cream, and jelly (i didn't think to grab some fruit jam) later, and my late afternoon tea was set!
And with the jelly, it was amazing! Even the not-great scones were delicious with the sweet and rich mixture.
I just thought I'd share.
Related Posts :: posts labeled Afternoon Tea
Wednesday, November 13
Inspirations :: Holly Golightly
Today's Inspiration Icon :: Holly Golightly
(Character) Played by: Audrey Hepburn
Movie: Breakfast at Tiffany's (book as well)
Played (beautifully) by Audrey Hepburn (another icon in her own right) and written by Truman Capote, Holly is not necessarily all that bright, but is fun, sleek, quick, fashionable, and oh-so independent.
"Holly (age 18–19) is a country girl turned New York café society girl. As such, she has no job and lives by socializing with wealthy men, who take her to clubs and restaurants, and give her money and expensive presents; she hopes to marry one of them. According to Capote, Golightly is not a prostitute but an American geisha."[1]" -- Wikipedia
“I'm very scared, Buster. Yes, at last. Because it could go on forever. Not knowing what's yours until you've thrown it away.” -- Holly, book
The book and movie are certainly two different things. Not only is one literary fiction (book) and one a romantic comedy (movie), but Holly is definitely different in each. Also, details in the plot and ending are very different (In the book, Paul [no name] is gay-- though in love with her-- and *spoiler* they don't end up together)
"Capote: Holly Golightly was not precisely a call girl. She had no job, but accompanied expense-account men to the best restaurants and night clubs, with the understanding that her escort was obligated to give her some sort of gift, perhaps jewelry or a check ... if she felt like it, she might take her escort home for the night. So these girls are the authentic American geishas" --Wikipedia
Yet both the book and the movie are two of my favorite things in the world, with very different reasons for each; but Holly is still a strange, wild, delightful character to read, watch, and be inspired by. I really think, though, that this is not only because of how cool or glamorous or independent she is (she is all those things) but all because of her very real, very human flaws.
"there are a lot of major differences between Capote's 1958 novella and George Axelrod's screenplay to the 1961 movie. There's the setting (the 1940s, not the contemporary 1960s), the nameless narrator (called Paul in the film), Holly's age (she's still in her late teens in the story but played by 31-year-old Hepburn on-screen), Holly's fondness for marijuana (gone in the film). Holly's bisexuality (ditto), and the wistful, ambiguous ending (replaced in the film by a conventional romantic happy ending)."
-here
"Holly likes to shock people with carefully selected tidbits from her personal life or her outspoken viewpoints on various topics. Over the next year, she slowly reveals herself to the narrator, who finds himself fascinated by her curious lifestyle." -- Wikipedia
Holly is kind-hearted, but also selfish. Desperate to be free, she leaves her family behind and chooses a life for herself. Brave and free-spirited move? Yes. But there are many times when Holly shows her occasional selfish, shallow side. Also, her... intellect? I don't remember if this was an issue in the book (I'll check), but in the movie she shows a very simple lack of knowledge in things such as books and the law and her interpretations of people and situations. There's also her depression and sort of... lack of direction, which I think is a very human touch; her Mean Reds.
"“The blues are because you’re getting fat and maybe it’s been raining too long, you’re just sad, that’s all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you’re afraid and you don’t know what you’re afraid of.” " --Holly, movie
Yet despite these flaws she's still beautiful and fun and free, and kind of the very essence of a (admittedly lazy) modern woman who wants to choose her life and live it exactly as she likes wherever and whenever she wants to. She still feels out of place and like she hasn't found herself (or her home) yet, which is a theme that reoccurs in both the book and movie, but she continues to search. In the movie this is somewhat resolved with romance (of course) but in the book it's never really solved, perhaps because it doesn't have to be. Holly continues to explore the world and live as freely as she chooses, and I think it's a more empowering, freeing ending that allows us to remember that we can always continue on our journey. The romance is cute and all, but not exactly empowering.
""Good luck: and believe me, dearest Doc -- it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes and things disappear.”" -- Holly, book
While Holly's leaving is remembered with melancholy, the book seems to say, in a way, that we never have to stop searching for ourselves if we don't want to. We don't have to settle down. We don't have to give in to what other people want. We don't have to be what other people want. We can live our own lives. Even as women. Even as someone selfish, vain, naive women; we can live our lives.
Related Reads:
Revelations about Breakfast At Tiffany's
Holly Golightly is my Guru
The Making of Holly Golightly
25 Things You Might Not Know...
Sunday, November 10
A... Grocery List?
So, I'm a poor person. I'm working now, which means slightly less financial stress in general, but still, anything that's more than $5 (and i mean anything) is too expensive for me.
Unfortunately, the beau and I have three eating modes. Freezer Foods -- foods I buy all at once that require only a few ingredients, then pre-prep, pre-season/marinate, separate into servings, and freeze (meatballs, pre-seasoned, pre-cut chicken, stews etc) to simply be thawed and cooked without any work put into it -- Going Out (we're lazy and this is the biggest way we WASTE money, by saying "but i don't waaanna eat ramen...") or Cheap Foodie Eats.
So that's what this post is about. It's just a grocery list, really -- and i'm not going to post the recipe steps unless anyone asks (they're pretty simple foods)-- but I wanted to show you how I do simple but delicious (and kinda healthy) things that don't cost much but often fill you up and handle some kind of craving. And I'll include approximate costs for things from my international store, to give you an idea of pricing.
Not my photos today, unfortunately...
So here's this week's three primary meal plans:
Quinoa Bowls
this is inspired by a HelloFresh recipe for next week, and though i'm not getting it from them, i knew i could make it
myself and it's so damn easy i can't wait to try it.
--Quinoa (2.99/lb)
--Avocado (1.99)
--Sweet Potato (1)
Chimichurri sauce: -- Parsley/Cilantro (1) --Vinegar (1), garlic, chili flakes, lemon
salt
Approximate Cost: $8 -- 2 servings
Spicy Krab Hand Rolls
I am always sad by how little I get to have sushi. It's really my favorite food, and not being able to eat it often because we don't have any places that are both good and affordable here is really depressing. I can make sushi-- its pretty straightforward-- but all the ingredients together tend to add up to big costs, even if it does last you much more than the same amount of money at a restaurant-- it's still an investment. So this is my makeshift recipe list to satisfy my desperate craving for a spicy, nori-packed, crispy spicy tuna roll, since raw tuna is expensive, but imitation crab isn't.
--Nori (1.49)
--Rice (1.99)
--Krab (1.99)
--Cucumber (.5)
mayo
shiracha
sesame oil
(optionals- avocado, lettuce, sprouts, tobiko, panko crumbs, etc)
Approximate Cost: $6 - 2-3 servings
Super Simple Thai Chicken Bowl
I've worked with a lot of asian people of all different types, and so far I've never been let down by their food (except maybe that fertilized duck egg... thing...i don't really want to try that again...). But since my go-to, super cheap, super easy, super lazy meal of choice is just chicken and rice (with optional additions like black beans, avocado, tomatoes, or quick-pickles) I have a lot of ways to do that now that incorporates things I've had or loved, and started to mock-up at home.
This is one example.
--Rotisserie Chicken ($5 on sundays) [can you use your own cooked chicken? of course. but i'm lazy, plus i save the bones in the freezer for stock]
--Rice (1.99) [cook it in broth for extra flavor, or, if you have some from before, use quinoa for a super health punch]
Ingredients for following asian additions;
*Quick pickles -- cucumbers/onions/zucchini (1), vinegar/lime (1), salt
*Thai dipping sauce [I call it moomoo sauce, because the guy who showed me how to make it was called Moo Moo (however, he was not Thai)] -- lemon/lime juice (1), fish sauce, garlic, chili sauce, sugar
Approximate Cost: $10-$12 -- 3-5 servings/
A fun alternative to this is an altered version of "Larb"-- which is essentially similar, but with ground chicken instead, with shredded veggies like lettuce or cabbage, and serving it on rice noodles smothered in the sauce would be a fun change.
See how simple and awesome these all seem? And the cooking part is just cut everything, make the starchy bit, and put it all together, either in a roll or a bowl!
And I think it's all very Weetzie. Healthy, quick, a tiny bit exotic, and less than $30 in total, for a giant chunk of the week's food, when you think about how many servings/meals each can make as far as using leftovers.
**items without a dash are things i always have at home anyway.
Unfortunately, the beau and I have three eating modes. Freezer Foods -- foods I buy all at once that require only a few ingredients, then pre-prep, pre-season/marinate, separate into servings, and freeze (meatballs, pre-seasoned, pre-cut chicken, stews etc) to simply be thawed and cooked without any work put into it -- Going Out (we're lazy and this is the biggest way we WASTE money, by saying "but i don't waaanna eat ramen...") or Cheap Foodie Eats.
So that's what this post is about. It's just a grocery list, really -- and i'm not going to post the recipe steps unless anyone asks (they're pretty simple foods)-- but I wanted to show you how I do simple but delicious (and kinda healthy) things that don't cost much but often fill you up and handle some kind of craving. And I'll include approximate costs for things from my international store, to give you an idea of pricing.
Not my photos today, unfortunately...
So here's this week's three primary meal plans:
Quinoa Bowls
this is inspired by a HelloFresh recipe for next week, and though i'm not getting it from them, i knew i could make it
myself and it's so damn easy i can't wait to try it.
--Quinoa (2.99/lb)
--Avocado (1.99)
--Sweet Potato (1)
Chimichurri sauce: -- Parsley/Cilantro (1) --Vinegar (1), garlic, chili flakes, lemon
salt
Approximate Cost: $8 -- 2 servings
Spicy Krab Hand Rolls
I am always sad by how little I get to have sushi. It's really my favorite food, and not being able to eat it often because we don't have any places that are both good and affordable here is really depressing. I can make sushi-- its pretty straightforward-- but all the ingredients together tend to add up to big costs, even if it does last you much more than the same amount of money at a restaurant-- it's still an investment. So this is my makeshift recipe list to satisfy my desperate craving for a spicy, nori-packed, crispy spicy tuna roll, since raw tuna is expensive, but imitation crab isn't.
--Nori (1.49)
--Rice (1.99)
--Krab (1.99)
--Cucumber (.5)
mayo
shiracha
sesame oil
(optionals- avocado, lettuce, sprouts, tobiko, panko crumbs, etc)
Approximate Cost: $6 - 2-3 servings
Super Simple Thai Chicken Bowl
I've worked with a lot of asian people of all different types, and so far I've never been let down by their food (except maybe that fertilized duck egg... thing...i don't really want to try that again...). But since my go-to, super cheap, super easy, super lazy meal of choice is just chicken and rice (with optional additions like black beans, avocado, tomatoes, or quick-pickles) I have a lot of ways to do that now that incorporates things I've had or loved, and started to mock-up at home.
This is one example.
--Rice (1.99) [cook it in broth for extra flavor, or, if you have some from before, use quinoa for a super health punch]
Ingredients for following asian additions;
*Quick pickles -- cucumbers/onions/zucchini (1), vinegar/lime (1), salt
*Thai dipping sauce [I call it moomoo sauce, because the guy who showed me how to make it was called Moo Moo (however, he was not Thai)] -- lemon/lime juice (1), fish sauce, garlic, chili sauce, sugar
Approximate Cost: $10-$12 -- 3-5 servings/
A fun alternative to this is an altered version of "Larb"-- which is essentially similar, but with ground chicken instead, with shredded veggies like lettuce or cabbage, and serving it on rice noodles smothered in the sauce would be a fun change.
See how simple and awesome these all seem? And the cooking part is just cut everything, make the starchy bit, and put it all together, either in a roll or a bowl!
And I think it's all very Weetzie. Healthy, quick, a tiny bit exotic, and less than $30 in total, for a giant chunk of the week's food, when you think about how many servings/meals each can make as far as using leftovers.
**items without a dash are things i always have at home anyway.
Tuesday, October 22
Baked Avocado Breakfast :: A Recipe
After seeing it over and over on Pinterest, I finally sat down and made the baked avocado with egg.
Since Weetzie (at some points or other) and other FLB characters are often vegetarian-- and typically live in California-- this seems like a very Weetzie recipe. Creamy, rich, simple, healthy.
 |
| Theirs (from Pinterest) |
 |
| Mine. |
So after reading a few blog posts about it (some bashing, some praising) and a few different versions of the recipe, I gave it a shot.
First off, I didn't actually expect it to come out as pretty as in the pictures, but by doing it carefully (full
prep time only took less than ten minutes, btw) it came out pretty awesome.
I used seasoning salt and pepper as my seasoning, and cubed prosciutto that I bought for brushetta last week and have been trying to use up as my topping.
I can see why people either love or hate this. My beau loved it, and ate it straight out of the shell with a spoon. I was a little more iffy. It was good-- the prosciutto crisp and salty, the egg a little harder than I like but good, but the baked avocado has a smokey, just slightly bitter taste (possibly because it wasn't fully ripe) that I just didn't take to on its own. Solution? Carbs! I toasted up a crumpet (<3) -- though a regular slice of bread would do fine -- and smeared the avocado egg mixture on top. New result? Delicious!
My version::
-1 ripe avocado
-2 eggs
-seasoning (ie. salt, pepper, cayenne, seasoning salt, etc.)
-toppings (ie. bacon, cheese, ham, etc.)
Preheat oven to 425.
1. Crack two eggs into a bowl, careful to keep yolks in tact (in my research, this seemed like the best way to get the egg to fit)
2. Cut avocado in half, remove pit.
3. Season avocado.
4. On a baking sheet, wrap coil of aluminum foil in two circles, make sure they're steady.
5. Set avocado halves onto circles, making sure they are steady and don't wiggle.
6. Gently spoon one yolk into each avocado, then top with however much egg whites you can fit without spilling over.
7. Season and add toppings.
8. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.
Thursday, October 10
A Dream I Would Have Kept Private If Not for an Intense Need to Share it
I had a dream about a boy. He was young and beautiful and naive.
He had an amazing accent and a face I could love. I didn't want to tell him I was older than him. That I had a boyfriend. That I couldn't- and wouldn't- be his.
We met by my first apartment and we, with another girl, his roommate, went to drive, then walk, somewhere. I asked about school and life, and it felt real. They are quiet from friendly and fun. I didn't notice an accent, or the face like james mcavoy, until later. I spent this early time appreciating this chance with new, young people. Making friends. Soon we were walking towards the school, and at one point my best friend was there, then gone, but soon the tree-lined streets became new york lights and bustle. I talked about my love of the city and how I'd never gotten to do the things they do on tv. Be with friends on crazy adventures on manhatten streets. I keep asking questions, talking, laughing. I stay close to the boy. I tell myself that we could just be friends, that he wouldn't want more- that I wouldn't. I talk the most and the three of us lose each other in the crowd all the time, but my hair is blue and I'm wearing my new jacket and my arm is around them like old friends and I love it all.
There were strange parts in between- stores and cars and fear and drinks and a tennis court- but then we are back on the street and my heart already aches for him. [this feeling will last the rest of the dream, and carry through my slow wake up. I want to hold on to it so much I will put off waking to create an ending to our story. I want to hold that feeling, that aching longing, as long as I can.]
After that the dream was soon different. The three of us want to walk home. At one point the boy does drugs I don't want, and it makes me sad. At one point he kissed my now-bare shoulder, forgetting I wasn't his to kiss, and I wanted him and it hurt. At one point my boyfriend was there, his arm around my waist as we all walked, and though I didn't want him gone, it hurt as well, and I wanted to wrap my arms around the boy.
Then it is just us, walking somewhere else, still trying to go home. I don't know where I am but I keep going. A busy highway, a shopping center. We're arguing. I'm mad about something. I mention his behavior, and the fact that I'm not his to-- what? be jealous about? At some point I notice the accent. Mild, almost irish. I love it instantly.
There's a turnstile and then we're in a grassy valley, walking. There's a few other people and it's bright and I don't feel afraid. He asks about school and I finally tell him I'm older than he is. We walk and talk and I'm dreading the end. I'm offered a joint I gladly take. We say we'll meet later, go for a drink. I see in his eyes that we both need it. We meet at a bar I've been to in my dreams before. I find him after seeing other people I seem to know. We see something strange here that I don't understand. We've already realized that we want to be together. And that we can't. There's something here we find, something that tells u s we were supposed to meet, that because of it he will do something he's meant to do and become a better person. His face is afraid and hurt. He worries that it won't be true and that he'll be the same. The face is so young, his self-doubt so strong. I hold his face in my hands and tell him I don't care, because even if he stays the same, that's a pretty great person. What I mean is that I love him anyway. I can feel it and it hurts.
Then we're in a cobbled street and someone knows me. I'm supposed to do something. Another part I didn't understand, we follow them and we're somewhere else, a gun fired into the air and i am supposed to be there. I don't understand but the me in the dream is sobbing, and the boy is holding me tight.
Here I'm waking up.
Somewhere in between dreaming and waking I slow it down.
He doesn't want me to go, and I don't want to leave. I try to explain. there are different kinds of love, and just because you could - or do - love someone, doesn't mean you give up the love you already have. you can love an infinite amount of people in different ways and for different reasons, but you can't always be with them. i tell him he's young and fun and beautiful and maybe I could spend the rest of my life with him, but I'm already spending my life with someone else. i can't leave that life, and wouldn't want to.
Being in his arms is a painful, beautiful longing. When my eyes open, I wrap my arms around myself and let my heart ache. I want to hold on to this feeling. This passion. I miss this kind of pain.
Soon I'll forget his face and the way his voice felt in my head and how his long, slim arms felt around me.
Soon I'll forget. But I'll miss it.
He had an amazing accent and a face I could love. I didn't want to tell him I was older than him. That I had a boyfriend. That I couldn't- and wouldn't- be his.
We met by my first apartment and we, with another girl, his roommate, went to drive, then walk, somewhere. I asked about school and life, and it felt real. They are quiet from friendly and fun. I didn't notice an accent, or the face like james mcavoy, until later. I spent this early time appreciating this chance with new, young people. Making friends. Soon we were walking towards the school, and at one point my best friend was there, then gone, but soon the tree-lined streets became new york lights and bustle. I talked about my love of the city and how I'd never gotten to do the things they do on tv. Be with friends on crazy adventures on manhatten streets. I keep asking questions, talking, laughing. I stay close to the boy. I tell myself that we could just be friends, that he wouldn't want more- that I wouldn't. I talk the most and the three of us lose each other in the crowd all the time, but my hair is blue and I'm wearing my new jacket and my arm is around them like old friends and I love it all.
There were strange parts in between- stores and cars and fear and drinks and a tennis court- but then we are back on the street and my heart already aches for him. [this feeling will last the rest of the dream, and carry through my slow wake up. I want to hold on to it so much I will put off waking to create an ending to our story. I want to hold that feeling, that aching longing, as long as I can.]
After that the dream was soon different. The three of us want to walk home. At one point the boy does drugs I don't want, and it makes me sad. At one point he kissed my now-bare shoulder, forgetting I wasn't his to kiss, and I wanted him and it hurt. At one point my boyfriend was there, his arm around my waist as we all walked, and though I didn't want him gone, it hurt as well, and I wanted to wrap my arms around the boy.
Then it is just us, walking somewhere else, still trying to go home. I don't know where I am but I keep going. A busy highway, a shopping center. We're arguing. I'm mad about something. I mention his behavior, and the fact that I'm not his to-- what? be jealous about? At some point I notice the accent. Mild, almost irish. I love it instantly.
There's a turnstile and then we're in a grassy valley, walking. There's a few other people and it's bright and I don't feel afraid. He asks about school and I finally tell him I'm older than he is. We walk and talk and I'm dreading the end. I'm offered a joint I gladly take. We say we'll meet later, go for a drink. I see in his eyes that we both need it. We meet at a bar I've been to in my dreams before. I find him after seeing other people I seem to know. We see something strange here that I don't understand. We've already realized that we want to be together. And that we can't. There's something here we find, something that tells u s we were supposed to meet, that because of it he will do something he's meant to do and become a better person. His face is afraid and hurt. He worries that it won't be true and that he'll be the same. The face is so young, his self-doubt so strong. I hold his face in my hands and tell him I don't care, because even if he stays the same, that's a pretty great person. What I mean is that I love him anyway. I can feel it and it hurts.
Then we're in a cobbled street and someone knows me. I'm supposed to do something. Another part I didn't understand, we follow them and we're somewhere else, a gun fired into the air and i am supposed to be there. I don't understand but the me in the dream is sobbing, and the boy is holding me tight.
Here I'm waking up.
Somewhere in between dreaming and waking I slow it down.
He doesn't want me to go, and I don't want to leave. I try to explain. there are different kinds of love, and just because you could - or do - love someone, doesn't mean you give up the love you already have. you can love an infinite amount of people in different ways and for different reasons, but you can't always be with them. i tell him he's young and fun and beautiful and maybe I could spend the rest of my life with him, but I'm already spending my life with someone else. i can't leave that life, and wouldn't want to.
Being in his arms is a painful, beautiful longing. When my eyes open, I wrap my arms around myself and let my heart ache. I want to hold on to this feeling. This passion. I miss this kind of pain.
Soon I'll forget his face and the way his voice felt in my head and how his long, slim arms felt around me.
Soon I'll forget. But I'll miss it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments