springtime in columbus, cont.

so spring here in columbus is in full force but i just got some diana film back from the first real day of spring here in columbus.



more to come.

thrifted.

i spent sunday afternoon alone driving around town, running errands, and mysteriously ending up at three different thrift stores. i really just can't help myself.
i saw this awesome way to hold rings in a little card shop in the short north and was inspired to recreate it myself.

you need is a pretty glass bowl with a stem, a bag a dry black beans, and your pretty rings.
i got my glass bowl at the village discount somewhere on cleveland avenue for $1.34.

now all i need is more pretty rings.




bbq chicken pizza

after a long night of apples to apples and multiple bottles of wine, i am so unbelievably lazy it isn't funny. starving, i chilled out to Animal Collective "Merriweather Post Pavilion" and made a bbq chicken pizza.

what you'll need:
pizza crust
two chicken breasts
bbq sauce
onion
green onion
cheddar and mozzarella cheese


prepare the dough. aka just follow the directions on the box.
i added oregano and cracked black pepper to the dough for some extra zing.

cook the chicken breast throughly on a george foreman type grill.
when done, in a bowl pull the chicken apart with two fork and smother with some bbq.


use 1/3 cup of bbq sauce and spread over crust.
cover with the cheddar and mozzarella cheese, add onions and bbq chicken mix.
and bake for about 15 min.

a perfect dinner to a miserably lazy, rainy sunday.

bon vie brunch

after a fun friday night at char bar in downtown columbus, brunch was definitely in order.
we headed out to easton to bon vie.
bloody marys, bread with too much butter, new rules of zero discretion, omelets
and the best company in town.
(minus kayla who was home taking diddy to the vet)


big plans of apples to apples tonight.
too excited!

cilantro!

i have to admit i am having a terrible time getting all my other herbs to sprout.
but the good news is my cilantro is going crazy!
mmm guacamole salad in the summer sounds amazing.


south drive in flea market

i love flea markets.
sunday morning em, kayla and i ventured way down high street and went to the south drive in flea market. i ended up buying 4 things, all a dollar each. gotta to love that.


courgette bread

apparently courgette is the british word for zuchinni and personally i think it sounds alot more lovely than zuchinni. so that is what i will now call my zuchinni bread; courgette bread.


i made courgette bread muffins for my merchants birthdays last week.
i'd like to share.

what you'll need:
one courgette (the vegetable formally known as zucchini)
three eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 2/3 brown sugar
some vanilla
one cup whole wheat flour
two cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking power
one teaspoon baking soda
one teaspoon salt
lots of cinnamon


the recipe is so easy it will blow your mind:
in a large bowl beat eggs and oil, add in the grated courgette, brown sugar and vanilla.
stir well.
blend in baking powder and soda, salt and flour.
add as much cinnamon as you want (i add alot).

bake at 325 degrees for about an hour.

if you really want to get fancy - you can add cream cheese frosting on top.
you wont regret it.

the fix for starvation central.

i woke up sunday morning, refreshed and feeling 100%. i went on a brisk walk around goodale park around 9 after i naturally woke up at 830, came home, made coffee and a breakfast of champions.

kayla em and i went flea marketing, thrifting and targeting all day and i was ravenous by 5.
because i held myself over with crackers i was able to make myself the best chicken dish i have ever had.

pepperoni stuffed chicken breast.

what you'll need:
1.) music
i listen to the passion pit station on pandora.
2.) two large chicken breasts.
3. pepperoni.
4. fresh mozzarella.
5. quarter of an onion (maybe more if you like onion)
6. flour
7. one egg
8. bread crumbs
9. olive oil





chop up the onion

i got to use my chopper i got from ikea - it was really nice.

slice the two chicken breasts diagonally creating four pieces

then slit the breast so you can easily stuff it with the pepperoni, onion bits, and pieces of mozzerella.

dust the pieces with flour, dip in the egg, and then dip in the bread crumbs.

then, in a skillet, brown both sides of chicken piece in olive oil until golden brown.

place pieces in a glass dish and cover with marinara sauce, shredded mozzerella and red pepper flakes (if you like spicy like me).

bake in 350 degrees until chicken is cooked throughly.

mm. honestly hit the spot.

northstar morning.

the best part of columbus is saturday morning.
northstar with friends after a friday night out.
lots of coffee, ham and cheese scones, cobb salads.



and perfect opportunities to play with my cameras.

now i will be spending the rest of the day horizontal.

first rebel pictures




very excited. i love spring.

project happy stool.

growing up i had this anitque bar stool in my room my mom painted antique gold.
i have been searching thrift stores for months for a nice, super inexpensive bar stool to paint a really fun pop color for my apartment. i found this guy at goodwill for 8.99.

and after a quick stop a lowe's, wham, the happiest stool you've ever seen!


i completed it this morning by putting daffidills i cut from my parents out and my basil potter it got for easter.



sippin on some sunshine

kayla and i ran home friday night for two specific things:
to see our friends play in thier band Human Nature for the Midwest Reggae Festival in Kent
to finally get my car fixed.


(rittman diner taken with shakeit)
my car had an appointment at 745am so we decided to get some good ol fashion breakfast at the local dinner. i have to say it was one of the most inexpensive, delicious breakfasts i have had.

my new new NEW toy!

i had a thirfting date on thursday at the goodwill on morse road.
and i found this absolute gem.
this is ridiculous.
Kodak Dualflex IV

i was telling joe as we were crouched down on the floor in the home decor section that there is no way that this thing works properly. almost seems too good to be true that this Kodak Dualflex IV came in the original box, with the flash attachment with extra bulbs WITH the owners manual. it takes 620 film which is still sold. and after some investigtaion there isn't really a reason why it wouldn't work properly!
oh-all for 3.99.



tangerine bread.

so a couple weekends ago when kayla, em and i went to cinicinnati for the weekend we listened to regina spector on the way home. the song "that time" inspired me a couple weeks ago to buy a box of tangerines.
so cheap and juicy!
well a couple weeks have passed and it is down to the next day or two to finish them up.
so i found a amazing recipe for tangerine bread.
what you need:
1.) someone like kayla - a bestfriend - who will watch you sing and dance to the Crash Kings which was played of course in preparation for saturdays CD101 fest.
2.) all windows OPEN. its spring - let the breeze in.
3.) 1/2 cup butter
4.) 3/4 cup white sugar
5.) two eggs
6.) one tablespoon (or so) grated tangerine, rind
7.) one and 1/4 cups flour
8.) one 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
9.) 1/4 teaspoon salt
10.)1/2 cup milk


beat butter and sugar on high till fluffy - add tangerine zest - continue to beat.

mix all dry ingrediants in a seperate bowl.
then add half dry ingrediants and 1/4 cup milk to egg/sugar mixture and beat till smooth
repeat.

cook on 350 for about 35 min.




optional:
i added a tangerine glaze to the top of my bread.
heat three tablespoons of suagr and the juice of three tangerines on high - then reduce to a simmer until it turns a syrup like mixture.

you can pour it on but i used my new silicon brush to brush the glaze on.

my new new toy!

single handedly the most exciting this that has happened in a bit of time.
for my birthday (which is still well over a month away) i bought a canon rebel xs. i almost gave the mail guy at work a heart attack i'm sure when he delievered it to my desk this afternoon.
photography is something i have really gotten into since i bought my diana f+ last october before i went to new york on vacation and also since i inherited the nikon n2000 last month.
i couldn't take it anymore. i took the plunge.
i am going to new york city for 4 days right before my birthday in may and i desperatly wanted to have it for that trip. now, im all set.

emily flys back into columbus this evening, and in leu of an issue with my brakes i rode into work with kayla. i think we might stop at the hoover dam (the ohio one) and hang out with we wait for ems plane to get in. the weather here is notably beautiful.

the leaves are back!

oh yay. spring!

easter.

(picture took with my new iphone app - shakeit)

i have many things to be happy about this easter.
the fact that i got to spend a long weekend with my family
the fact that i got to spend time with all the friends i left in ne ohio.
warm weather.
sunshine.
the feast my mom is preparing for dinner.
the fact that i finally just bought the canon rebel xs digital SLR.
the basil seeds/potter my parents got me for easter.



home.

kayla and i took friday off work to come home/akron area for a long holiday weekend.
we danced are butts of at Thursday's on thursday night. Thursday's on thursday night plays the best music HANDS DOWN.

friday morning i had to take my car in the shop, but i woke up early enough to stop and get McDonalds breakfast. I took a moment and sat outside on the curb in the parking lot and enjoyed my egg mcmuffin, a hash brown and a coffee.






i spent the afternoon with my siblings at the aurora farms outlet mall. you can't tell, but my little brother was super excited to be shopping.