Hurray!!!

Sorry we've been a little MIA recently... but....
CONGRATULATIONS JESSICA!
It was beautiful from top to bottom and the bride was stunning. ah, our little girl is all grown up!!



(Back in the day, the groom came from a place of no when it came to appearing in our blog... but if he changes his mind, I'll remove the "mask"! hint hint!)

You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant

My grandmother was quite the cook. We used to tell her that she should open up a restaurant, and then my Dad and I would sing the chorus of Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" to my Grandma while she was cooking the Sunday night dinner. (Grandma's "American" name was Alice.) (In fact, my Dad and I used to listen to "Alice's Restaurant" quite frequently on cassette single. The real meaning was lost on ten-year-old me, but as I got older, and we continued listening to the song, I gradually realized that my Dad was ...very much like Steven and Elise Keaton from Family Ties.)

Anyway, one of our favorite meals that Grandma used to make for our Sunday night dinners was corned beef hash patties. Her recipe called for tons of potato, grated onion (because our family liked the flavor of onion, but not the texture), corned beef from a can, and an egg (for binding). I was her kitchen helper and got to grate the onion, mash the potatoes, and make the small patties. She would then pan fry them in her cast iron skillet, and we would eat it with rice (of course), and some vegetable/salad.

When my Grandma got sick and too old to cook Sunday night dinners for us anymore, the torch was passed on to my Mom. In fact, my Mom inherited the old school wooden bat-like instrument that we used to mash the potatoes. She updated the recipe by substituting onion powder for the actual grated onion (do you know how hard it is to get the smell of grated onion juice off your hands?), and recently, has taken to baking the hash in a non-stick pan instead of pan frying the patties. This, she discovered, cut down on the need to use as much oil, as well as a lot of cleanup.

Tonight, I tried my hand at making corned beef hash for our own little Sunday night dinner ritual. I baked it and used onion powder, like my Mom's updated version, but hummed "Alice's Restaurant" as I was mashing the potatoes and mixing the ingredients together with the egg, which brought me back to my Grandma's sunny avocado colored kitchen, and my childhood Sunday night dinners.

(The secret to get the hash crispy while baking is to spread a little olive oil on the bottom of the pan and then brush a little more olive oil on the top of the hash before putting it in the oven.)

I served it with braised cabbage (a nod to Hon's Irish heritage), rice, and topped it with French's fried onion strings....because French's fried onion strings makes everything taste better. (What can I say, I like trashy food.)

And that is my updated, third generation take on Grandma's Corned Beef Hash and Sunday night dinner.

...Walk right in, it's around the back, just a half a mile from the railroad track. You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant.

Beauty Buzz: My new nighttime moisturizer!

I am, I admit, a person with many neuroses. And one of those is that I can't use any face product that comes in a tub or a pot in which you have to stick your fingers. (I also think that the little spoon that comes with the pot is useless - it either gets lost, or dirty, or simply doesn't work.) It just bugs me that I'm "touching" and exposing to air all the product all at once. So, one of my requirements for a moisturizer is that it has to come in either a pump of a squeeze tube. This, I have learned, is hard to find when you are also looking for a thick, nighttime, extra hydrating moisturizer that is also anti-aging. Most of those come in the pots.

So, after scouring Barney's for a while, I finally found an anti-aging moisturizer that is in a pump - the Chantecaille Bio-Dynamic Lifting Fluid!



My thoughts? It goes on smooth, and it makes my skin feel soft. But it is not a thick lotion, which is good in the sense that it absorbs quickly and isn't greasy, but bad in the sense that it doesn't feel thick enough for nighttime use. I also feel like I need three or four pumps of the fluid to cover my whole face, which seems excessive and possibly quite expensive (given the price of the bottle).

I have been using it in conjunction with a Vitamin E oil that I got a the drugstore that I pour on a cotton pad and smear around my under eye area and laugh lines - to try and prevent wrinkles from forming. I have enjoyed this combination and my skin feel hydrated and happy in the morning. Plus, I haven't experienced any unwanted breakouts from this combination.

All in all, however, I will probably go back to my Kinerase Ultimate Night Moisturizer when this pump is done. The Kinerase is a thicker cream, so I felt like it was more effective at hydrating, (but not oily!) and it is a touch cheaper as well. (And, I don't have to combine it with the drugstore oil for me to feel like it is working.) If I was willing to invest more time into my "daytime" or "morning" face, I would use the Chantecaille fluid as a daytime moisturizer or makeup primer, making sure to put makeup and/or SPF over it. As it is however, I am lazy and just smear SPF moisturizer on my face as I run out the door. Maybe when I grow up this Chantecaille can be part of the morning makeup routine.

Be Good Johnny Weir

OMG, I saw a little bit of this show on Sundance, I have to say that I love love love it, and may be obsessed.



The most hilarious bits are the stuff with Johnny and his "best friend" and "roommate" Paris.



This is definitely on my must DVR list. I am also rooting for him in the Olympics too. Weir in 2010!!

New year, new closet!

GOAL NUMBER ONE FOR THE NEW YEAR: CLEAN OUT THE CLOSET

I devoted all Sunday to this task and succeeded in cleaning out about 40% of my closet, with my mother's help. Her motto? "Be ruthless." So anything that was even slighted frayed or faded or out of style or that I haven't worn recently went into the trash bag. I filled up FIVE white garbage bags full of clothes, that I intend to donate.

I also transferred all my clothes from the white plastic tubular hangars to the slim, velvet hangars that I got at Costco - 50 for $15, I got two boxes, which turned out to be just enough. The good thing about the slim hangars is that more fit in the closet (tho, my closet is half empty now), and than nothing slips off those suckers. The bad thing is that nothing slips off those suckers, so it is a little harder to hang shirts and other garments straight, and I can't just slide something off the hangar in the morning as I get dressed for work. But, this is a small price to pay for a roomier, more organized closet.

We also refreshed the closets with new cedar sachets and organized my dresser (purging many tshirts in the process).

A good start to 2010! How did everyone else start the new year?

Happiest Girl in the Whole USA

This weekend as Sandi and I were discussing "Women Singers That We Love," I told her that I liked Classic Country Women Singers, such as Skeeter Davis and Donna Fargo, who sang my absolute favorite Classic Country song, "Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." Every time it plays on my iPod, I mentally dedicate the song to Kelly before belting it out. It is also one of my go-to karaoke songs, and I've been known to serenade Kelly with it if he's present as well. I feel that whatever I lack in skill, I make up in enthusiasm. Sandi indicated that she hadn't heard it before, so I present it now without further ado:



Sandi, do you like the song?

Thanks Giving Back

(Image from anitagrant.com)

These days, we (and by "we" of course I mean "I", but let's just go with it) get so overwhelmed with stress and work (like working on Friday, not that I'm bitter) and all the manufactured drama that goes with my life o' relative privilege that we forget that there is actually quite a lot to be thankful for. I am thankful that all my friends and my family are healthy. I am thankful for being able to see some of my cousins last weekend, and seeing my other cousin next weekend. I am thankful that my mother will be here in a few short weeks, and that both Kelly and I will be able to spend the holidays together with our mothers, Kelly's extended family, and Casey and Molly(!).

I'm thankful that Jason and I decided to start this blog, mostly for us, so that I can keep up with what is going on in his life even though he now lives behind the Orange Curtain. I'm thankful that my friends are all safe and sound and employed (mostly). That no one is hurting for basic necessities (food, clothing, shelter), and that families are growing larger with new little ones and weddings, and not smaller.

I'm thankful for Nancy, who gives us candy, cards, and compliments, and lets us walk Foxy; and Foxy, who is always so happy to see us, even if we aren't carrying doggie treats, and even when we are rushing out the door and can only stop for a second to rub her belly or behind her ear.

In addition to recognizing all that we have to be thankful for, I also think that this time of the year is a good time to give back to our communities, our societies, our world, to help others that do not have as much to be thankful for. This could be a donation of goods, money, or time - whatever you have to spare. The best thing about giving back? Is that every bit (no matter how small) counts. Here are some things I'm thinking about:

Donating bedding and food products to the Los Angeles Mission. It is just amazing to me that we are one of the most prosperous and advanced countries in the world, yet we still have homelessness and people going hungry and falling through the cracks in the system.

Clearing out the closets and donating gently worn, re-sellable items to the American Cancer Society Discovery Shops.

We can't forget our animal friends too, both in our communities (by donating to the ASPCA) and to preserve their habitats on our planet (by donating to the WWF). If the wallet and budget are tight, please consider volunteering some time at an animal shelter. Many of the positions just require one orientation and then you can set your own hours as a volunteer (in case your schedule, like mine, is up in the air all the time).

Literacy and writing are THE MOST ESSENTIAL SKILLS for children (and adults) to have to enrich their lives, enhance their critical thinking, and empower themselves. Get involved in a Motheread-type program, which provides literacy programs for children and adults, or WriteGirl, which mentors high school girls in the art of creative writing and story telling.

We can also share some of the love and joy we feel this season with those that may not be as lucky. One of my favorite Christmas memories was spending a day at a domestic violence shelter wrapping donated Christmas presents for the women and children residents. But you could also volunteer at a hospice center to provide some much needed companionship to those that may feel forgotten and alone.

So this Thanksgiving, I will remember all that I have to be thankful for, in my life, in my community, in this world. We're all in this together, after all.

I will also look forward to eating turkey, stuffing, and pie. Yum.

Jessica's Holiday Gift Guide 2009

I'll confess, I'm a hit-or-miss gift giver. Some years, I get a fabulous idea and hit it out of the ball park with the PERFECT gift that is remembered and cherished YEARS later (if I do say so myself), and some years I bomb and give a totally boring gift that I don't even remember giving the day after Christmas.* Like one year, when Jason and I first met, I was showing Jason the socks I was wearing, and then he, in turn, showed me his socks, which were these boring NIKE swoop socks, and I was all, "Ummm, okay, why are you showing me your boring NIKE socks when I am showing you my fun sparkly SUPERSTAR socks?" He informed me that I was showing him the socks that he gave me as a present (oops, I had forgotten where I'd gotten them - my terrible memory is a bane of my existence), and so he was reciprocating by showing me that coincidentally he was wearing THE SOCKS I HAD BOUGHT FOR HIM AS A PRESENT. Yes, friends. I had bought my bestest friend (granted it was early when we first met, but still) NIKE athletic socks for Christmas and then I promptly forgot about it. It is a wonder Jason found it in his heart to give me another chance and didn't dump me as a friend right then and there.

* No matter what, if the gift is a hit or a....(I guess I'll just say it) miss, I always try and put 110% into the wrapping. I have never met a person that does not appreciate a well-wrapped gift. Jason and I have had a competition through the years about who is the better and more creative gift wrapper. I'm sure we'll elaborate more on our wrapping styles and techniques in a later post. (This also reminds me, I've got to stock up on ribbon! (Ribbon is what MAKES the gift wrap.))

ANYWAY, tangent aside, my point is this: We all want to give good quality gifts to the people we love, but if you are like me and just barely climbing out of credit card debt, you are in no condition to spend unlimited quantities of money on gift-giving. Therefore, I am compiling this list for some great ideas that will make your family and friends happy, but will also do minimal (hopefully!) damage to your wallet.

I started this list with one basic rule: Just because I was trying not to spend too much, I didn't want to simply give "stocking stuffer" gifts to everyone. I mean stocking stuffer gifts (NIKE socks, magnets, one small candle, etc.) are fun and definitely have their place in a Holiday stocking amongst other stocking stuffers, but as a stand alone gift to a friend? I think we can do better, don't you? So let's get to it!

FOR THE ONE WHO HAS EVERYTHING
We all know people like this - they are always shopping and always buying things so that it is impossible to find something that they want that they haven't already bought for themselves. For these people, the key, I think, is to get them something that they NEVER EVEN KNEW THEY WANTED. Which, as you know, is hard to do. But how about a Jeweled Skinny Headband ($32)? A girl can never have enough hair accessories, especially if she idolizes Blair Waldorf.

The other option would be to go basic with this friend. Everyone can always use another basic - like leggings, or tees, or tights. The key with basics? Make sure they are quality. So LNA Latex Leggings (on sale for $64) (admittedly, maybe not so wallet friendly). Even if she already has a pair (or several) of leggings, she'll always appreciate one more pair. Or Wolford ($45) or We Love Colors ($12.50) tights, in a fun, deep fall hue or pattern (lace, deep berry, grey). Or how about an unbelievably soft Alternative Apparel basic tee ($38) that she'll want to live in forever (Bonus! This tee is unisex!)?

Of course, if this friend REALLY has EVERYTHING, you can't go wrong with a donation in their name to their favorite charity. I know money and money-type gifts get a bad rap, but I think they are ok. If you don't know what kind of charitable leanings your friend has, I suggest the adopt an animal program from the World Wildlife Fund. They have a list of species that need help, and different donation levels. For as little as $25, you can adopt an animal (snow leopard! polar bear! grey wolf!) in your friend's name, and they will get a species info card and a photo. For $250, they get other goodies like a plush toy and reuseable bags, etc. Who wouldn't want to help these animals?

FOR THE ONE THAT NEEDS SOME INDULGENCE
She's so busy that she doesn't have time to pamper herself. Fabulous lotions and potions would allow her to indulge herself on a day-to-day basis, and can fit seamlessly into her wash-and-go lifestyle. There's the Bliss body wash and lotion set ($25) in that addictive lemony scent. Or the Fresh Rice Body Oil ($45) which smells clean and divine. Or the Rachel Zoe recommended Kiel's Argan Dry Oil ($30) for a luxurious after shower experience.

There are also hair products. Hair dries out in these winter months and then gets frizzy and unmanageable. Give her a bottle of Kerastase Bain Satin 3 ($35) for a luxury hair shampoo that could add a fun oompf to her hair care routine. And I know both Rachel Zoe and Nicole Richie swear by Moroccan Hair Oil ($39) as a conditioning treatment - it is supposed to work wonders!

FOR THOSE CRAFTY GIRLS:
You know what I have recently discovered love of? Etsy.com. It's like homemade ebay for hipsters. Or a virtual flea market/craft fair.

(BTW, did I ever tell you that my friends and I in elementary school started a stationary business in which we would stamp our stamps on card stock and then try and sell them at craft fairs? It was pretty pathetic because it would only be our parents that would buy our "wares". I cannot, for the life of me, remember the name of our company. But we expanded to other girls (mostly because these other girls had more rubber stamps that we could use) and finally, we expanded too much where I felt like I was losing creative control over the company and the design aesthetic (no, Summer, I DO NOT WANT you to make stationary with BLUE BALLOONS. EVERYONE KNOWS that our signature stationary has PINK BALLOONS.) The group also became fragmented and political (as all large groups of pre-teen girls are bound to do) and it became less about the stamps and stationary and more a popularity contest. So we disbanded. And [insert totally forgotten name here] shut its doors for good. And now I apologize for this tangent, but this is what I remember when I first wrote "craft fair".)

ANYWAY, Etsy is like a modern-day internet craft fair. And you can get canvas bags or scarves or fingerless gloves in all kinds of bird patterns and funky colors for $30 or less.

(Hahaha, do you like that when I think "hipster" I think orange feathers, owls, scarves, ironically printed bags, and fingerless gloves?)

Alright. That's all I've got for today. I was going to post on gifts for guys and maybe gifts for kiddies, but my brain is hurting a little and my laundry is piling up so I will have to save guys and kids for another time. I hope this was helpful for you. At the very least, I hope the little tangents and stories of my ineptitude have amused you!

the two best purchases I have made for fall

Purple Target tights = $5
Payless black suede booties = $50
(not pictured, Agnes B grey turtleneck, Old Navy kids black cotton dress with pleated skirt)

AM I AWESOME OR WHAT WITH THE BARGAIN SHOPPING? This winter, I will probably be living in cheap Target tights, oversized sweaters/tunics, boots. To that end, man, those equestrian style boots would sure come in handy.

Jetsetter.Com

From the people that brought you Gilt, there is now a new travel website called Jetsetter. From their website:

Jetsetter provides exclusive access to insider travel deals by invitation only to our membership. Sales are limited time offers while availability lasts. Properties don't pay to be listed in our sales they are hand-selected by our team of curators and our globetrotting correspondents.

So, they will feature travel deals culled from actual experiences at the most fabulous places. (Above is a deal for a suite at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris for $550/night.) Send us an email if you'd like an invite to join this website!

Got the Boot?

One of the best things about fall is trouncing around in some tall flat boots, into which your jeans are tucked. I have recently bought the "generic" heeled black knee highs ($80 ish at zappos), and I also have the $40 Payless brand black suede booties. But, to round out the boot collection, I'm looking at a pair of flat "weekend" boots. Something more sophisticated than Uggs, but not something with a heel. The only problem? These boots are expensive!

These Frye Veronica Slouch Boots are $304 on Zappos:



These Loeffler Randall Matildes (in a gorgeous wine/brown) are $695.00 on Singer22:


Hmm, maybe I should hit up Nordstrom Rack and/or the Zappos kid section to see if I can score something under $50. I remain on the lookout and will keep you posted if I find something.

Today in Food

Even though I'm not in NY with Jason (sigh, I wish), I have found myself eating all day, like I would when I'm on vacation. Fried chicken (breakfast and dinner), stovetop stuffing (dinner), a very buttery apple crisp (dessert, baked with the apples Sandi bought me), and pan-fried noodles (lunch). I guess I was hungry today. Maybe I have a worm?

It has only just begun

Yes, my lovelies. After a year and a half of effort, (and about nine months of concerted effort) this Lil' Bit has become credit card debt free!

It has not been an easy road, let me tell you. There has been many a clothing item that I wanted to buy, but I didn't. Many a restaurant I wanted to dine at, but I didn't. Many a vacation I wanted to take, but I didn't.

Granted, much of the blame for the un-taken vacations and non-party times (aside from lack of funds) lies with my crazy, hectic, unpredictable work schedule (boo) and my learned love of "staying in" on a Saturday night (yay!). These days, instead of fun fancy dinners, you can find me snuggled up with Hon watching a movie, or grabbing "cheap eats" with Jason. The staying in, I think, is also a product of the super crazy busy work schedule, because the older I get, the more I realize that the last thing I want to do on my so-called "days off" (in quotes because I am more often than not working in some capacity on the weekend, or at least stressing about upcoming work) is to exert any effort at all. I mean, I've got a pile of laundry from a month ago that I'm scared to look at. I CAN'T EVEN DO LAUNDRY PEOPLE. What makes me think I could plan a party and/or go out? WORK: Keeping the Kitty off the Streets since 2008.

I also gotta give Hon some credit. Now, I can hear his incredulous voice in my head almost as a knee-jerk reaction when some of my baser and more materialistic instincts assert themselves. Like the time I recently found myself in Bed Bath and Beyond, fondling the $120 SonicCare toothbrushes. "Are you kidding me?" I heard (virtual) Hon say, "Don't you already have a SonicCare toothbrush?" Yes, I do. Two, actually. (Shut up, one is for travel.) It's just the home one is gross and a little grungy and there are newer, prettier models, and...well, you get the idea. And you can pretty much insert any product that I may think of in for the "SonicCare toothbrush" and get Hon's authentic reaction to most anything I would want to buy.

I know that while I may have won this battle, I must remain ever vigilant so that I don't lose the war. This is only the beginning, and the hardest part, actually is to come. (It is easy to say, "I can't afford that," when you are in debt; it is harder to justify the non-spending when you don't have debt to blame it on.) Which is why I'm devising new goals: Paying off my car loan (early), saving money for a real estate downpayment, and saving money for an international vacation. So friends, no, I will not be rocking that new Gilt Group item that is OMG such a good deal, or those McQueen "Faithful" booties that are mesmerizing because they are so ugly, because now that I have pulled myself out of the morass that was credit card debt, the last thing I want to do is dive right back in (even if I would be wearing McQueens).

The basic black boot

Now that the weather has turned colder, I have been sporting the knee high basic black boot from last year several times a week. However, these boots have been through the wringer - I've had the heels replaced on them several times, they are scuffed and they just generally seem run-down. So I've just ordered these from Zappos - they are cheap (less than $100) so that I don't feel bad about using and abusing them if they don't last past this season. I'll let you know how confortable they are (they have a platform, so they should be.

Chicken and Dumplings; so easy and so tasty!

We're still battling the remnants of a cold/flu/allergy/general malaise over here, so I decided to try my hand at another comfort classic - Chicken and Dumplings. The results were fantastic - we both downed our servings, and our seconds. I used an amalgamation of different recipes online to create the best (and easiest) recipe of all time. However, I will say that I was primarily influenced by Sunny Anderson's recipe from Cooking for Real.

Jessica's Super-Easy and Awesome Chicken and Dumplings (generous 2 servings):


What you need: (1) sweet onion, (1) bunch celery, (1) 32 oz box of organic chicken broth, (1) 32 oz box of organic veggie broth, (1) cup of all-purpose flour, (1) package of chicken breasts, seasonings and herbs to taste.

(1) Dice the onion in large dice, and chop about half of the celery. The rest of the celery, leave in long stalks, but split in half lengthwise (this will be used to flavor the soup, and will then be taken out before you serve).

(2) Cut the chicken in large pieces. I got about 4 or 5 pieces per breast. I like to keep the pieces large so the chicken doesn't get too mushy when it cooks. Season with garlic salt and seasoned salt and celery salt.

(3) Brown the chicken and onions in a large pot with a little olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent, and the chicken in brown on the outside.

(4) Add in celery on top of the chicken, and then pour the broth in the pot. Make sure the chicken is fully covered by the broth. You can add in some chicken bouillon too, if you'd like a more intense chicken flavor.

(5) Cover and bring to an easy boil for 20 minutes.

(6) In the meantime, place 1 cup of flour in a small bowl, add some salt, fresh cracked pepper, and some dried parsley and basil leaves.

(7) After the soup has been boiling for 20 minutes, take out the large celery stalks, and remove the chicken to cut into smaller pieces, if you so desire.

(8) Take out about 1/2 cup of the both and add it to the flour mixture to make a dough. It should be the consistency of a wet dough, but not a batter. Mix well to incorporate all the flour.

(9) Form drops of dough with a spoon or fork and drop each one into the broth, which is still simmering. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, and then add the chicken back in and cook for another five minutes. This should be enough to make sure the flour is cooked all the way through.

(10) Serve piping hot! Yum.

design blog inspiration

Thank you Love Maegan for the link to my new favorite design blog, coco+kelley. While I do not have the funds or the time to actually redecorate (or actually decorate at all) this apartment, I love getting inspired by all the pictures. And one day, when we're finally able to afford our own house, I will be able to put my inspiration to good use.

Anatomy of a Cat-o-Lantern

One of Kelly's favorite holidays is Halloween. I conceptualized this cat-o-lantern, but Kelly did all the heavy lifting, as I am not to be trusted with sharp objects. I think it turned out really well, don't you? The step by step Cat-o-Lantern INFERNO after the jump.

Now, all that is left is to roast the seeds.

Sunday's delicious dish: Pasta Carbonara

This weekend, Kelly asked me to make him a pasta and bacon dish - pasta carbonara. The last time I made carbonara, I used Ruth Reichl's recipe from "Garlic and Sapphires" which was quite simple and tasty (basically, just pan fry the bacon, pour the hot pasta over raw eggs and add the bacon). But, yesterday, I thought I would amp up the recipe a little by using an edited version of The Pioneer Woman's recipe, which is a little more complicated and involves deglazing the pan and adding copious amounts of butter. (BTW, the Pioneer Woman's site has SO MUCH BETTER pictures of the dish and is one of my favorite "food porn" sites.)

My Pasta Carbonara:

1. Cut up 1 package of bacon into one inch pieces. I used "center cut" bacon.
2. Pan fry the bacon in a stainless steel pot. (I use a sauce pot to try and contain the grease splatters.)
3. Once the bacon is a the desired crispiness (I like it really crispy, practically burnt), strain the bits out with a slotted spoon, but leave all that delicious bacon grease.
4. Dice 1 sweet onion and add it into the bacon grease. Wait a couple minutes and then add 4 cloves of minced garlic.
5. Sautee in the bacon grease until translucent and soft. Strain out the onions/garlic with a slotted spoon.
6. Discard or save for later the used bacon grease. Place the pan back on the stove with the black bits on the bottom and turn up the heat. Once the pan starts smoking, pour in some stock (I used veggie stock, but you can use chicken stock or white wine) and scrape the black bits off the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Once the pan is scraped, then add in another cup of stock to create a both. Add the onions back in and let everything simmer. (The recipe also calls for us to add the bacon back in, which I did, but then realized that this made the deliciously crispy bacon bits get soft again. So, the next time I make it, I would not add the bacon back in at this juncture, so I can keep the bacon crispy.)
7. Meanwhile, boil another pot of salted water for about a pound of pasta. (I used fresh linguine because it was on sale, so I waited for the last minute to cook the pasta.)
8. Crack four eggs into a giant bowl, add about half a cup of Parmesan cheese, a bunch of fresh ground black pepper, and some coarse chopped parsley. Mix together thoroughly.
9. Once the pasta is cooked, drain, and place the hot pasta on top of the raw eggs (the heat of the pasta will cook the eggs). Add the onion broth over the pasta, and also the crumbled bacon (see how this will keep the bacon crispy?). Also add a bit of butter to bring it all together. With a big pair of tongs, mix everything together. Top with more cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.

Ample amount to serve at least four. Buon Appetito!

Deconstructing the RZP: Viva Paris!

Season 2: Episode 7

Ok, so this has actually been in the back of my mind for a long time. I am constantly impressed with Rach's ability to lavish superlatives on each and every designer, but yet in a sincere way so that you completely believe her. I mean, she told Karl Lagerfeld that she came to Paris just for him, but she told Galliano that she experienced a fashion orgasm and that she has probably used his dresses the most on the red carpet. Then she said to Marc Jacobs that his show was "beyond." I think the key is that she remembers one or two pieces from the collection she's seen and then references them as amazing when she talks to the designer. "The silver dress? I die." "The leggings with the leather jacket? Ah-mah-zing." That shows a kind of people skill that separates the stylists from THE STYLISTS. I can't believe I just wrote that.

Anyway, Rach and Brad have a great time in Paris, going to shows and shopping (ostensibly looking for a gift for Taylor, but really shopping for themselves). In fact, Rach made Brad buy a vintage LEATHER (ugh) trench and was so adamant that he buy this trench that she gave him a raise to do so! Rach is so a fashion pusher (as opposed to a horse pills pusher). Occasionally, Rodg gets invited along to the show or is allowed to walk with Rach and Brad around the streets of Paris. Sometimes, he is left out and then he spends his time taking pictures of Rach's hairdresser and wandering around the city by himself trying to call Rach. Ummm...you wife is busy bringing home the bacon, Rodg. Leave her alone and let her do her job. Rodg manages to corner Rach and gifts her with a photo album of pictures taken of her on the trip (nothing more expensive because of "the recession"), which she declares the sweetest gift ever, but you know she was secretly wishing for something Hermes (like what she got Tay).

Back in LA, Tay has to put out fires and also mope around because she's pissed that everyone else in is Paris but her. So she brings her parents to the studio to commiserate, and instead of enabling her, her mom tells her to stop complaining about giving Paris to Brad, and her dad tells her to shit of get off the pot about getting a new job. It was CLASSIC. (And so reminded me of my parents. My mom would always say not to degrade a good thing by complaining about it. Tay thought she was being "nice" to give Paris to Brad - but if she's going to complain and be bitter about doing so, it takes the virtue out of her act.)

Next week, on the season finale, we find out if Tay is really going to quit, or if she's going to get some kind of better job position in RZ Inc. Also, in December, when my shopping hiatus is over, I'll be purchasing "stilts" like these from Piperlime:

Deconstructing the RZP: Tay takes one for the team

Season 2: Episode 6

In this episode of "Rach is the worst boss ever," Rach somehow miraculously overcomes her debilitating vertigo to get her team all in a tizzy because EVERYONE IS GOING TO PARIS FOR FASHION WEEK - YIPPEE! To be honest, this is a great perk. I mean, to go to Paris fashion week, to sit in the shows, to stay at the Four Seasons and to get (spoiler alert) an exclusive invite to see Coco Chanel's residence, um, yeah? Where do I sign up? (Note: I'm just assuming that RZ Inc. pays for her team to go to Paris. She wouldn't make her assistants pay for that themselves, right? Especially when she can take a business deduction for it.) Anyway, there are cheers all around and everything is happy in RZ land and even Tay cracks a smile and talks about how it will be a life changing experience. But then...

In a not at all manufactured plot twist, Rach discovered that she has three jobs that need someone to stay back in LA while the rest of the team goes to Paris. How she did not know this day before, when she told her whole team that they would be going to Paris, is beyond me. And, this was just the beginning of the poor handling of the situation. Because then Rach decides that she doesn't want to dictate who should stay back, though she clearly thinks that Brad should volunteer to do so. So instead of being all, "Brad, you have to stay back because you have less seniority than Taylor," she just sends them both an email that says one of them has to stay back and to work it out between themselves.

This of course does not work out well, and neither Brad nor Tay volunteer to stay back. So then Tay has a talk with Rach, who continues with the passive agressiveness and tells her not to worry, she thinks Brad will eventually "Do the right thing" and volunteer to stay. Which of course Tay passes on Brad. Who had absolutely no intention to "do the right thing" and offer to stay. So Brad gets upset that Rach and Tay would go behind his back (I guess) and flips the script on them both by claiming that he's being "tested" and threatens to walk out. Finally, after making a bad situation worse, Rach just gives up and leaves the mess for Taylor to deal with. Not wanting to the the "bitch" (which...why? She's already the bitch, she should have continued to be the bitch, IN PARIS), Tay makes the executive decision that Brad can go to Paris and she (Tay) will stay back. Of course, Brad leaps at the chance, and talks to Rach who doesn't tell him to his face that he should be the one to stay, so guess what Tay? I guess you're not going to Paris after all. After writing this all out, I think that Brad and Tay should have gone to Paris and left Rach at home because clearly this her situation was her fault.

In the next episode, Rach and Brad (and the entire rest of the team) frolic in Paris while Tay grumps around in LA. But, what else is new?