Beautiful Creatures? eh.

Review by: Do



My husband and I had date night (spanned out over 2 days cuz we're good like that) and we went to see the movie Beautiful Creatures. I am a sucker for a good supernatural thriller, and this movie is NOT that. I do love me a good witch fight, buuuut this movie is NOT that either. I wasn't really in the mood for a romantic love story that gets me all teary....guess what? Yes, this supernatural witch thriller turned out to be 97% love story, 2% witch slap, and 1% comedy. All the witch brawling took place in the trailer, and that wasn't much. Although this movie was lacking in the supernatural thriller category, it was a fine love story. The main characters are good young actors, the supporting actors are well known, and the story line of forbidden love is an oldie but a goodie. I should have realized that a trailer that contained glowing eyes and exploding witches was nothing more than a teenage love story - silly me. The movie is over 2 hours long, but I didn't think it dragged or was dull in any section. I can't say I didn't like it, because I did. Would I see it again, no. Would I recommend it, maybe....if you are looking for an endearing love story that has just enough supernatural sprinkles to make it interesting.

Note to Self: Do more research on a movie you want to see instead of solely relying on the trailer.

Dog

Posted by Ju
We got a dog! Well, we got a dog a while ago. She's now 13 weeks old. She's a Shih Tzu and her name is Daisy. I'd fogotten about puppies. Holy cow. We've never had a dog as a family and she's fitting in quite well. She LOVES Matthew, and loves to chase Dominic. She is crazy about boxes, as you can see below; loves jumping on them, in them, chasing them and chewing them. If I'd known that, I'd have forgone the squeaky toys. Seriously cute. Think Matthew will let me get another one? A puppy to keep the puppy happy!

This dog rocks. You need to get you one. Or two...

Books...

Review by Ju
First, I'd like to say sorry for being a blogging slack. Second, I'm not really liking the new Blogger interface. WTH -- I know icons are fancy and all but STOP. It's painful.   Okay. Books. You like books? I like books. I've been reading a lot more lately and knitting a LOT less. What I've been reading...

• Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen -- Rizzoli and Isles book. There books are seriously unlike the TNT series. I like the series but the books are rather different than the show -- the characters especially. It's rather strange how different. I really enjoyed this installment in the series; centers around Chinatown in Boston. Very interesting.
• The Passage by Justin Cronin -- this book, I'm still processing. Odd and overly long. It's about a virus that sweeps the world creating an apocalyptic type civilization with weird vampire-like beings. It's hard to explain. If Cronin had a much better editor, I'd have like the book better. I know back story is important but not that important. The sequel comes out in October but I'm not sure I am anxious to read it. It's 600 pages. Eeek.
• I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak -- I did enjoy this book. It is categorized as a YA book but I'm not so sure about that(language alone is pretty sketchy) but I can see that teens might enjoy it. This book is about discovering yourself and realizing everyone has secrets, desires and dreams. Make a choice, live a life, be something -- we all have the capacity to do great things. Neat book; great story, intriguing characters. He wrote The Book Thief also. Loved that book.
• Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand -- all 1168 pages of it. I started reading it over a year ago and kept putting it down because, at first, it is written in a strange way. Once you get past that, you can really pick up steam. It's an intriguing cultural and economic philosophy book disguised as a novel. Who is John Galt? He's the man that can stop the world. And he does, and it's a beautiful thing to see. You have to read the book to find out why. That's the "fun" in it.

Currently I'm also reading Righteous Indignation by Andrew Breitbart, An American Son by Marco Rubio, and Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly.

How about you? Reading anything good?

Books and music, music and books

Review by: Do

So today I received a gift from my husband. A gift that I am very appreciative of and that I will use until the day it dies. Yes folks, I am the proud owner of a brand new, shiny blue, small compact laptop!! My former laptop was faithful up until the day it decided to just go black on me. I thank my former laptop for its semi-reliability, and I think it would be happy to know it has been donated to science to further our knowledge of its inner workings (aka, my son is tearing it apart to see if he can make it run after a real live tech said it was beyond repair). I would like to blame the fact I haven't blogged on my dead laptop, but I don't like to talk ill of the dead (and it would be a lie anyway).

Books I have finished since my last blog:

I recently finished reading "The Forgotten Garden", by Kate Morton. Recommended to me by my sister, Ju, this book was very enjoyable. A well written combination of my favorites; mystery, touch of romance, and interwoven time periods. The author made you wait for tid bits of information from the past, making you wonder and speculate before you are given the answer to what actually happened. I was left guessing until the very end.

Prior to that I finished book#9 of the Dresden Files; "White Night" by Jim Butcher. I like to throw one of these in every once in a while. I really get into this series, but after all the magic, and killing, and vampires, and death...I need to take a break. Yes some of the actions are unbelievable and outrageous, but that's what makes it so much fun to read. And now that Harry has found a family member that he has to take into consideration, it makes things a bit more complex; he can't run into situations all gung ho and rambo-like...he has to think first, act second, which is hard for him. He also has an apprentice now and I am digging his new role as "master".

Current music adventures:

Amaryllis by Shinedown is a great follow-up to their "Sound of Madness" album. Although not as heavy, in my opinion, I think it is a very strong compilation of songs. Of course, with any album, there are some songs I don't care for and skip over without hesitation, but for the most part this album rocks. I have been a fan of Shinedown since their SOM album, and I even caught a glimpse of them at the Great NYS Fair. They are touring this summer with the Uproar Festival, coming to the Great NYS Fair this August, and my husband and I are in discussions on whether or not we are going to that event. We already have 2 concerts set for this summer, and the Uproar Festival is an all day event, which we may just be too old for. We shall see.

Oddly enough, I also borrowed the cd soundtrack to the movie "Burlesque" from the local library recently. This movie you will recall, or probably not, starred Cher and Christina Aguilera. I heard 1 song from this album (Show me how you burlesque) at a dance recital and decided to see what the rest sounded like. Unfortunately that 1 song is the ONLY song I like from the album. The rest of the tracks range from "ok" to "omg bad". The last song on the album threw me for a loop...it samples "Beautiful People" by Marilyn Manson...in a burlesque song? Really? In the immortal words of Florian Bellanger, "it dinn't work for me".

Happy 4th of July!

:)

Never again

Review by: Do

My day started out on a good note. I took a mental health day from work, and after the kids left for school, the sun came out, and I was planning for a wonderful day off. :-)

All was going just fine until I decided to check my online banking account.

I just wanted to check my deposit, and what did I see? A charge to my account for $9.06 that didn't belong to me. Now, I know $9.06 isn't a lot of money, but it's my money and no one BUT me (and my husband of course) has the right to take my money without my consent. Bastards.

This scenario is very familiar to me because it happened to me this past December too. Exactly 2 months ago I encountered a similar charge for $9.90 that was deducted from my account for a transaction I did not do. Why do people think they are entitled to money or objects that do not belong to them? Why do they think they should have MY hard earned money, and not me? Maybe if they got off their theiving, lazy, good-for-nothing hoodlum asses, they would make their own money and not have to resort to breaking the law and stealing mine or anyone elses.

So once again I had to call my bank, cancel my bank card, and now wait 7-10 days for a new one. As the bank stated, and only cuz I asked, these damn worthless thieves (I may have embellished that part) steal small amounts like that because most people don't notice them. The bank will probably just reimburse me MY money without an investigation because the amount is so small. And that's exactly why these bastards do it and get away with it time and time again. No one bothers to find out who did it, or how they got the stolen card numbers in the first place. Both transactions were for online stores (spornetzone.in and everingame.com), which means items were shipped somewhere to someone! And given the fact they can trace the card number to a transaction number, which in turn is attached to that certain someone who is using stolen card numbers, you would think someone would do something about it! Nope.

My point for this rant is that I think I know where the problem started. I find it VERY coincidental that I have only ever used the local Redbox kiosk TWICE in my life, and BOTH times I ended up with unauthorized transactions on my bank account within 10 days. The 2nd time only took 3 days. Same kiosk, same bank card, same outcome. So be careful, my friends, of your local Redbox because I have a feeling they are not as safe as they claim to be. I, for one, will never try to save a couple of bucks by using Redbox again...I will spend the extra $4 and order on-demand from my local cable company in the safety of my own home, and have the piece of mind that my bank account is safe.

"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me".

>:-(

Arcadia Falls

Review by: Do

Wow it has been a while! I apologize for my absence. Not that I haven't done anything interesting to write about...maybe I just had too many interesting things going on to find the time to write about them...yeah, we'll go with that.

Any way, I finished a book last night that was a pretty good read. It's called Arcadia Falls, and it was written by Carol Goodman.

This book revolves around a Meg Rosenthal and the new life she is forced to create for herself, and her daughter, after the death of her husband. Meg's daughter Sally is a rude and rebellious teenager, and I didn't like the way she treated her mother at all. I sure hope all teenagers aren't like this character because the thought of that scares me a little.

Meg has taken a teaching position at a boarding school in Arcadia Falls, which is in upstate NY. There they become surrounded by many interesting people and some very strange school traditions. While trying to mend their own strained relationship, they are thrown into murder, mystery, some artsy stuff, a lot of snow (good ol' upstate NY), and a little bit of romance.

Intermingled with Meg and Sally, there is also another story going on at the same time. This story starts in 1927 and is about the life of Vera and Lily, the founders of the Arcadia School. You learn how they met, how and why the school was formed, and why the focus of the school is on art. This story is just as interesting, and at times I found myself skipping over Meg to read more about Lily.

Other than the occasional imagery overkill...the scenery is beautiful, I get it...I thought the book was very good. It contains a lot of things I found that I could relate to; upstate NY landscape, snow fall, fairy tales, and it also included plenty of art references. I would definitely recommend this book if you like any of the above mentioned items, and even if you don't, it's a well written historical fiction story that I think all will enjoy.

Reading much?

I have a confession to make. I'm addicted...to my NOOK Color. Do -- you have to go get yours again. We can share books!


I never, in a million years, thought I would have any interest in an e-reader. I'm a dorky librarian who loves books. They are ALL over my house and I will not be getting rid of them anytime soon, but I have become seriously attached to my NOOK. I've been reading like crazy on it. Since May I've read eight books on it and have three more downloaded to read.

I try only to purchase books that are over a year old. The new releases tend to be a bit more expensive. And with the NOOK Color, you get the apps. They have added the Android software to the new NOOK Color and holy moly! The Angry Birds are BIG. It works kind of like a tablet now and it's cool. Apparently there are things to do to hack the NOOK and make it fully like a tablet but I don't think that's necessary. I have a few games (like Sudoku and Solitaire) to keep me occupied when waiting around for any of a variety of things.

I love it. I'd buy it again and for other people if it wasn't so pricey. It's not cheap, but...I'm worth it! And so are you. I'd love to know what you think. Do you have a NOOK or Kindle?

Yogurt Shmogurt

Review by Do:


I like yogurt. I like granola. So when I saw that Activia is now offering both in one nifty little container, I just couldn't help myself.

Boy was I pleasantly surprised! Described as "a blend of creamy lowfat yogurt, fruit pieces, and lowfat crunchy granola" the new Activia Parfait Crunch is very tasty and filling! The container has 220 calories and 3 grams of fat per 6oz, and is offered in 4 different flavors. My local grocery store only carries Vanilla and Strawberry, if it's in stock at all. I prefer the Strawberry, which has the fruit pieces, over the Vanilla, which does not.

The only complaint I have is that the container of yogurt is only half full...literally. Normally when you open a jug it's almost full; with this container, not so much. I'm not sure if they do that so there is room for you to stir in the granola or what, but it's a little deceiving. Somedays you want to eat healthy, but then again you're sooo hungry, and then you open this container and find that someone has already eaten half! Oh no...but don't worry my friends!! Like I said, it is very tasty and filling, so it is well worth the purchase.

Although Activia claims to "naturally regulate the digestive system", I do not eat it for that reason. I have had my share of activia yogurts and I never felt as though it helped me out in that "area". I eat this particular activia product because it is good, plain and simple. I hope that if you give this yogurt a try, you'll like it as much as I do. And if it does happen to 'help you out' with other things, then just think of it as a little added bonus. Enjoy!

Cracker Chips

Review by: Do

I enjoy crunchy snacks. Crunchy, salty, yummy snacks. But it's hard to indulge in such a treat with all the fat and calories they usually bring along. So when I spotted the new Special K Cracker Chips in the cracker aisle at my local store, I decided to give them a try.

Let me just say, they are a tastey treat! They taste like a cross between a pringle and a rice cake. Thin and salty like the pringle, but crunchy and ricey like the cake. And they only pack on 110 calories, 2.5g fat, in 30 chips! And you wouldn't always think so, but 30 chips is a lot.

They come in 2 flavors, sea salt and sour cream & onion. I prefer the sea salt over the sour cream & onion variety. I find the sc&0 flavoring to be too powdery and not as flavorful as I would have hoped. So if you are looking for a light and crispy crunchy snack, do give these cracker chips a try. They definitely pack the big potato chip crunch you like, but without all the fat & calories you hate.

The Dresden Files

Review by: Do


So I've been reading.

Recently I started The Dresden Files series. Book one, Storm Front, is a very good introduction into the life of "Harry Dresden. Wizard." Harry is a freelance wizard who advertizes his abilities with vague listings, which leads him to very sporatic work adventures. But he is a very interesting character. He isn't particularly nice, doesn't play well with others, but is always willing to help someone in need, which makes him very likeable. He has slim pickens when it comes to family, friends, and people he can count on. Most of the creatures he comes in contact with aren't even human.

This first book has Harry tracking down someone or something that is murdering people with black magic, which, in the wizarding world (really in any world), is a no no. He teams up with the local police department to solve these killings; the director of Special Investigations believes in what Harry can do, or rather, when she is out of ideas as to what could have happened, she consults him. While learning who/what is doing the killings, we get a glimpse of his life, who he is, what he's capable of, and possibly even a little love interest. I thought this book was pretty good. A little confusing at times with all the author tried to throw at you, but in the end, a good story.

Book two, Fool Moon, was a much better read.

I've always been a big fan of werewolves & vamps, etc., so when I started reading and finally realized this book was about werewolves I was excited. I didn't notice it right off the bat but if you look closely at the cover, the full moon and bloody paw prints are a pretty good indication that this book is about werewolves. Duh. I need to start paying closer attention to detail. So keep that in mind with all the Dresden Files titles. STORM Front, Fool MOON, you get the idea.

This story also involves the Chicago Police Department, which I am assuming is going to be an important reoccuring event. More supernatural, unsolved murders have the PD calling upon Harry again. To figure this set of grisly murders out, Harry dives deep into a hidden world of werewolves. Who knew there were so many different types!! All different and all deadly...not a nice set in the bunch. And won't you be surprised where the deadliest are hiding! We also get more tidbits of Harry's past, his parents, and other details of the wizarding world. Definitely an interesting and enjoyable book!

But not as good as number three...

Book three, Grave Peril, has been my favorite so far.

This story involves...(title hint, GRAVE)...you guessed it...ghosts! And boy do I like a nice ghost story. Ghosts that are being tormented and causing major trouble for the living makes for a good read. Again Harry is working with the PD, but on a smaller scale as they are still recovering from their last encounter. This book also introduces someone new that Harry works and usually gets in trouble with. This character, we'll call him Michael (cuz that's his name) is a champion of God, a Knight of the Cross. He's honest, trustworthy, strong, religious, and the total opposite of Harry. Once you take away all the fighting, some of their interactions are seriously funny. And it's just nice to see that Harry can have an actual friend.

The book starts off very different than the first two. Immediately thrown into a situation, you work backwards to get yourself forwards in the story. Very interesting! I was confused at first, thinking maybe I had skipped an entire book because I had no clue who Michael was, but just keep reading and it's all explained.

I liked this book best because it had many storylines going on at once, but they were all tied together. Whoever was doing this, was doing that, and may be involved in something else too...maybe. More supernatural creatures are introduced, including Harry's Godmother who is not a very nice person. A story I couldn't put down, just ask my husband. ;-)

For those of you who are looking for a nice sci-fi, supernatural thriller I do recommend The Dresden Files. No matter what abnormal, dark, and/or unnatural being is your favorite, this series is sure to have a little something for everyone. (sidenote: Although I have chosen to read this series in order, you don't necessarily have to. Each book recaps enough info from the previous books so you are not lost; but not too much that it becomes annoying.)

So I've been reading...times three. I am not a big believer in buying new books, as the local library, my mother, and used book stores are all excellent alternatives to purchasing a new shiny book. But after checking all those resources first, the next book is not available for me. I have put The Dresden Files books 4-6 on my Christmas wish list, with the hopes that Santa will find me NICE this year, and fill my stocking with a new (or gently used) book. I wait patiently, bookless, for the next two weeks. But on the bright side, I should now have plenty of time to finish my Christmas cards.


Happy Holidays!!

Apples apples apples!!

Review by: Do

My favorite season in CNY is Fall. The air is crisp, the foliage is beautiful, and there are so many fall festivities to take advantage of! One of our (or just my) favorites is apple picking.

This year we went to Beak & Skiff in Lafayette, NY. My favorite kind of apple is Empire & they started picking them Oct 3rd, so that's the day we went. It was a really nice day too - sunny and not too cold. It takes about 40 minutes to get to the orchard from our house, and since apple picking came a bit early this year (because of unusual spring & summer weather) the leaves were just starting to change.

We got there just before noon and the crowd was a pretty good size...I guess a lot of people like Empire apples. First we walked around a bit to see what was going on that day. We traveled through the local store where they sell things from apple cider to apple socks. Among 'everything apple under the sun', they also offer items made from honey, pumpkins, corn, etc.

Just about this time I pulled out my camera so I could take some nice pics. I was snapping shots of everything. I was taking pics of signs, scenery, gigantic pumpkins, buildings...just everything. I didn't think anything was wrong, but I guess I must have gotten a bit carried away cuz my hubby started calling me 'Hirohito'. Yes, I'm your local japanese apple orchard tourist.

With camera in hand we checked out the cider mill, which wasn't running, but was cool to look at. From there we headed over to the snack shack. They were offering coffee, hot cocoa, cider (h/c), and apple fritters. We all got some cider and fritters....let me just say, Hirohito likey! The fritters were awesome. For those of you who have never had an apple fritter, it's like a hot mini apple pie all your own! Mmmm...wish I had some right now. I even took a pic of one, if you can imagine that.

After our snack we went to hop on a wagon ride out to the apple orchard. The trees were jam packed with huge red beautiful empire apples!! You wouldn't believe how over flowing they were. We grabbed three empty bags (1 each for the kids, 1 for hubby & I to share), and started our apple search. This place was great because they set up ladders near the trees so you can climb to the top for the best selection of apples. Awesome! Took a pic. :-)

Apple picking is easily addicting. There are so many beautiful apples that you can't stop picking! I'm not kidding. Eat an apple, pick a couple, snap some pics, eat another apple, pick a couple more, repeat. Good thing they didn't weigh us before and after our visit. We ended up buying 23+ lbs. of apples! Now that's a lot of apples.

After we were done picking, the kids got their faces painted, I took some pics, and then we did an apple taste test to find our favorite variety. I found out that I like Jona Gold, Honey crisp, and of course, Empire. My poor husband is still searching for his fave.

The day started to warm up nicely, and it was obvious that the orchard was getting way too crowded. So I snapped a couple more pics, sent my hubby to buy some Beak & Skiff apple cider and we were done for the day. I think apple picking is a wonderful way to get the family outside for a day trip. Beak & Skiff offers great apples, yummy snacks, and a variety of activities for all ages. And if their other store items are as good as their cider, then you just can't go wrong.

So until next apple season, this is Hirohito wishing you all Good Pickin'!! Domo Arigato.

Books, books

I've been reading a bit over the last few months. These are the books I've finished. Now I'm reading the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Have y'all read it yet?

This book was recommended to me and, all-in-all, I liked it. Nothing too earth shattering, but it was an interesting take on the "grass is greener" concept. Tessa King, an attorney in London, starts the book by returning from a five week vacation in India. Due to a mental breakdown of her boss, being stalked and harassed, she needed to get away. She's back and ready to be a part of her rather large group of friends and godchildren.

Tessa's godchildren -- Caspar, Cora and twins, Bobby and Tommy -- are different ages of different parents (all of whom are her friends). Each set of friends is married; Tessa is the only single person. She's not sure what she wants to do or how to live but she wants to have children and a life. There is a LOT of angst, self-doubt, anger, bad feelings and drama in this book -- some self-generated, some thrust upon Tessa.

One would think that once you get to a certain age, you would stop behaving badly. Not so in real life, not so in this book. At times I think Tessa is a good person who means well and tries very hard to be a good friend and godmother, but there are times when she is so self-consumed that she cannot see past what she wants.

It's chick lit, if you are wanting to read chick lit book. The big bow at the end kind of bugged me, as it does with most chick lit, but that's the genre. (3 stars)


This book is an invented journal written by Marie Antoinette, the queen of France who was sent to the guillotine during the French Revolution in 1793. The book starts out with her childhood as Austrian Archduchess Maria Antonia -- her royal family, the death of her sister and her ultimate betrothal to Louis XVI. Once Marie Antoinette arrives in France and is crowned queen, you see through her eyes the daily bombardment of rules, luxury and excess. Louis is simple, unwilling to make decisions, and weak. She becomes fond of Louis, becoming his friend and confidant throughout their marriage. Marie Antoinette also an affair and falls in love with Swedish nobleman Axel Fersen.

Various events and happenings, fictional and real, are woven together to give a glimpse at what Marie Antoinette's life could have been like. She had four children, only two survived. She was unilaterally hated by the French people for her excess and lavish lifestyle. She was made a scapegoat for a way of life, and was ultimately executed for being who she was.

The book was interesting, well paced and generally on track. Too many outlandish tales could have lead this book astray, but Carolly Erickson managed to keep the tall tales to a minimum. The book is definitely sympathetic to Marie Antoinette. She was not the villain she was made out to be by the peasantry of France. She was a victim of circumstance – she was condemned because she was born to royalty. She was neither a saint nor evil.

I enjoyed this book. It made me want to learn more about her as a person, though the fictionalized areas of the book were frustrating at times. (3 stars)


Katniss Everdeen is a citizen of District 12 in the land of Panem. Panem is what is left of the US after the multiple revolutions. The Capitol runs the country with 12 districts to control and supply it. In order to keep the districts in line, they have an annual event called the Hunger Games.

Each district must choose a 2 children, ages 12-18 -- one boy, one girl -- to participate in this battle to the death. Normally the children are selected at random but Katniss volunteers when her 12 year old sister is chosen. This story is about Katniss and what she endures to try and survive the Games.

This books if fascinating. Suzanne Collins can write characters and plot extremely well. The story is fast paced, well coordinated and quite engrossing. It's hard to put down. (4 stars)


Jane Green needs to find a new genre. While I enjoy a good chick lit book every now and then, this one is just like all her other books. I know they sell well but it is getting old. Green is a good writer with great character development but when she writes the same vapid, perfectionist character each time...done.

I've read three of her other books. Jemima J was the first -- I read it at least ten years ago when I less cynical. It was good, I'd give it 3.5 stars. Then I read Mr. Maybe and Babyville. Same books, different names. Bleh. 2 stars each.

This book is about cancer and families and figuring it all out. Sorry but I wasn't impressed. (2 stars)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I've always wanted to try making whoopie pies, and since I keep hoping fall will finally show it's lovely face, I decided to try the pumpkin variety first.








Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves (I used allspice -- I had no cloves)
2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.

I found this recipe at Serious Eats -- it's by Matt Lewis from Baked bakery in Brooklyn, NY.

This is an easy recipe. Just make sure you chill your pumpkin before you start pulling everything together for the recipe. I used a basic cream cheese frosting recipe for the filling (very similar to the recipe listed). The allspice was fine instead of cloves but next time I'd use a bit less, maybe 1/2 tsp because it was a bit heavy on spice. Otherwise, they were wonderful. Good pumpkin flavor, cream cheese frosting was perfect with the spices, and they weren't too big to handle and eat. They were a big hit in pottery class.

We had five or six left over so I put them in the refrigerator. I would NOT recommend making them for anything other than a gathering of people or party to be eaten same day. Keeping them in the fridge (because of the cream cheese frosting) makes the cookie part of the pie rather moist and sticky; not pleasant. The flavor is still good but I'd rather not deal with that kind of ickiness.

First time campers

Review by Do:

Every year we plan a little family getaway, usually trying to work in a little something for everyone. The past couple years we have traveled north to the Adirondacks. Old Forge is a great town with lots of shops, great eateries, and a water park. We decided that's still the best place for us, but for a little change, we decide to try camping!

Now this camping idea is a big thing for us because we all really enjoy the comforts of a hotel...you know...comfy beds, hot showers, tv, free breakfast, etc. Once we started looking for camping accommodations the one that really jumped out at us was Old Forge Camping Resort. More specifically, their cottage rentals. Their cottages are a small cabin-type housing with electricity, indoor plumbing, and even a small kitchen. For our first camping excursion, we thought it sounded perfect!!

We had to borrow most of our camping necessities since, as I mentioned, we don't camp...ever. Luckily we know people, so we were able to borrow fishing poles, lanterns, sleeping bags, etc. We did have to buy our worms because it was a no brainer that none of us were going worm digging any time soon.



We always opt for a long weekend in August (Sun-Tues) to ensure warmer weather and low volume water park attendance. We packed as much as possible the night before, loaded up Sunday morning, and we were off by 10:30am. OFCR is very easy to locate and check-in was a snap. After we found our cottage and checked our place out, we unloaded. Who knew 4 people could need so much crap!



The cottage has 2 rooms, so the kids had their side and we had our side. Not the greatest amount of privacy, but some is better than none. The kids loved the bunk beds and we liked the fact our bed was a double...although Steve still didn't exactly fit. :-)

One of the first things we did was go fishing. OFCR has a private lake so all we had to do was walk to the water and find a nice spot. The kids were really eager to try, but not willing to put their own worm on the hook. My husband got that honor - but he wasn't too keen on it either so he picked up the worms with a bag on his hand. OMG...funny!! We would never survive in the real wilderness.

After about a half hour, no fish, some casting issues, and two fishing lines stuck in the trees overhead, the kids had enough. Me too for that matter...and how are you supposed to catch fish with paddle boats in the lake any how!! But you'll be happy to know the remaining worms were kindly let go in the woods to live out their last days in the dirt.


We went to dinner in town (which was our plan, you don't need to cook over an open fire every night!) at the cool new pizzeria Tony Harper's Pizza and Clam Shack. Indoor/outdoor seating, cold beers, great pizza (even Paige liked it) and their Whiskey Wings are awesome! Definitely a place you should eat at if you're ever in Old Forge.

Back at camp my husband made a campfire and got it going pretty good...would you be surprised if I told you that he used his torch from work? Anyway, we all sat around the fire until it barely got dark and then we could hold the kids off no more - we had to make smores!! My husband just ate the chocolate, my daughter only ate the marshmallows, and my son just wanted to play in the fire. What ever. :-)

Our next day was really busy. We got up early and headed out to Enchanted Forest Water Safari (...where the fun never stops!). We enjoyed hours of water rides, food, wave pool, more water rides, more food, train ride, over the park ride, and even more water rides!! We got back to the camp by 4pm, and then went to try the paddle boats. We all soon realized that paddle boats are not as easy as they look. My husband and daughter got to the middle of the lake and my daughter gave up...my husband had to paddle back mostly by himself. We then cooked burgers and dogs on the open grill at the camp, made another camp fire, and had more smores. The kids ventured on some small walks but didn't go to far. We all retired early that night.

The next morning we slept in, packed up, and headed out! We like to walk around town on our last day there, which is mostly for my husband and I. We hit most of the shops on main street but were a little disappointed with the famous Hardware Store this year. Not much to offer this time around.

I think our first attempt at camping went very well. We really enjoyed Old Forge Camping Resort. We even tried to scout out what cottage we want to reserve for next year. We didn't see any bears, but then we weren't bothered by mosquitoes either. The lake is beautiful, the cottages are really nice and clean, and I just think the whole location is just great. I think Old Forge and the Camping Resort together make a great little vacation getaway for the family. There's just a little something for everyone!!

Hello my friend, We meet again...

Review by Do:

Event: Creed Concert (w/Theft and Red)
Venue: Darien Lake PAC
Date: July 31, 2010
Concert goers: Me, My husband, and another couple
Ticket cost: $35

I've been a fan of the band Creed since 1997 when they released their first album, My Own Prison. I was quick to snatch up their most recent album, Full Circle, last October; and so it's of no real surprise that when my husband asked if I wanted to see them in concert, I jumped at the chance. Our friend secured us tickets in an advance sale posting in March and we were set!

Our friends, Kelly and Matt..............................My husband Steve & Kelly

The concert was at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center and so we planned to drive out that day and stay overnight with our friends at their campsite. Perfect idea because who really wants to drive 2 hours to get home after a concert?

[a bit of history: For those of you who don't know, Creed release 3 very popular albums in 1997, 1999, and 2001 and then broke up in 2004. Lead singer Scott Stapp tried a solo career and the remaining members of the band formed Alter Bridge. Neither were able to duplicate the popularity and sound of the original band. So true Creed fans were uber-excited to hear that they had reunited and were releasing a new album.]

We arrived in Darien Lake around 4:00pm, and by 5:00pm we were parked and in tailgating mode! Much better planning for this concert than the last (see previous Down in Sugarland blog for details). This was our view from the parking lot...not what you would expect to see at a concert venue, but then again, we are in Upstate New York.

Around 6:30pm the gates opened and we ventured on in. As usual the beer selection was limited and pricey. They were selling Budweiser and Michelob; a 24 ounce can was $11. I don't mind an ice cold Michelob Ultra but good lord - 24 oz.?? That's a double beer! I could barely hold the thing, it was so big. Not to mention you can not possibly drink the whole thing before half gets warm (I did give it my best shot though). I would have rather seen normal sized beer, and a beer man walking around with cans on ice...but that was not the case. They also had food and wine selections but I wasn't buying. The bathrooms were clean enough - crowded but tolerable.

The stage is set up in front of a covered seating area; then set behind was open lawn seating. Our seats were great. We were in the covered seating area, set fairly close, but to the left of the stage. We were in short walking distance from all the amenities too.

The two opening acts I have never heard of before. The first, named Theft, was a bit more appealing than the second, named Red. They weren't as head bashing as Red seemed to be. I actually can't accurately review either of those bands because I was so excited to see Creed that I would have wished anyone off the stage.

Creed was awesome! From their opening song to the end of their 3-song encore. Scott Stapp is a phenomenal singer - his vocals are as strong as ever. Their mix of songs was well played. What's This Life For (my personal fave), One, My Sacrifice, Suddenly, Overcome, Faceless Man, One last Breath, and of course Arms Wide Open and Higher, just to name a few. I love them all.

Scott made full use of the stage and the concert light show was amazing. Very colorful, very energetic, and even some pyrotechnics. You could tell that the band is back, bigger and better than before. I think the crowd could tell too because everyone was so into the whole show and singing right along as loud as possible. I am so happy I finally got to see them in concert and I will never forget how powerful it was.

The Darien Lake venue gets a 4 (out of 6) on my concert meter. The bathrooms and overall cleanliness of the place were tolerable (1/2 points each), parking was good (1 point), stage setting and sound/graphics were great (1 each), but the amenities get a zippo in my book.

I would definitely see Creed again and I would also return to the Darien Lake venue for another concert. All in all, we had a really fun and memorable weekend. Hopefully the members of Creed will remain friends this time, and we will be hearing/seeing more of them in the future.

My Sacrifice...
Hello my friend, We meet again
It's been a while, Where should we begin
Feels like forever
Within my heart, Of memories
A perfect love, That you gave to me
Oh I remember

Saucy!

So I'm walking through Publix, my favorite local grocery store, doing a bit of shopping. I was in the pasta aisle contemplating making something with red sauce and cheese. And what catches my eye but price tag, not a sauce. A price tag. $5.99 for freaking jar of sauce? You've GOT to be kidding me.

Oh, Mario Batali. That explains it.

But what makes a jar of tomato sauce worth of that kind of price? I'm not a big jarred tomato sauce person, preferring to make my own. But I'm willing to try this stuff to see if it's any good.

The jar claims the following -- no preservatives, no sugar, fresh ingredients, "imported San Marzano tomatoes and slivers of fresh garlic", and "produced in a green facility." Does it taste good?

When I opened the jar it smelled like SpaghettiOs. Um...ew. I hate SpaghettiOs. They really quite gross. Not a good sign.

I boiled some Barilla mini-farfalle pasta in one pan and dump some MB marinara into another pan. Taste. Blah. Yes, blah...as in bland. Add some kosher salt, a little basil and a pinch of Italian seasoning. Better. Acceptable. Poured on the pasta.


I added some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Helped. I started eating. As far as store bought tomato sauce goes, it's okay. It's not a thick sauce, it's kind of watery. And then, what I feel, the cardinal sin of red sauce has happened -- there are tomato seeds in the sauce! Gross. I hate, hate, hate that! Who wants to bite into a bitter, nasty tomato seed? Fate sealed.

MB, I don't care HOW many television shows you have...your sauce sucks and it's seriously unworthy of any money, let alone $6! You can put all the buzz words on the label but if your product is bland, watery and annoying, no one will buy it.

Paul Newman's sauce is MUCH better. Hell, even my red sauce is better than that.

The Bone Garden

Review by Do:

I read my first book by the well known author, Tess Gerritsen, and I must say that I really enjoyed it.

The Bone Garden is a great mystery (possibly romantic mystery) that weaves a tale from 1830 in with the present day life of Julia Hamill. Having just gone through a divorce, Julia embarks on a new life for herself in an old rundown house. While digging up the flower garden, Julia finds a skeleton buried on her property, and soon learns that the person was most likely murdered. She feels drawn to finding out who the person was, and why they were buried there in such a manner.

The storyline from the 1830's follows (4) Boston Medical students and the conditions they faced in learning how to become a doctor. One student is accused of crimes he did not commit and must prove himself innocent.

How these two very different sets of circumstances become entwined is very cleverly done. One minute you think you know who the killer is, but really, you have no idea. Although this may be a tale of murder, it is also an unexpected love story that, in the end, inspires Julia to think that she could actually love again.

Tess Gerritsen has written numerous books dating back to 1985. I am very happy that I chose this to be my first book by her. I love mysteries so I cruised through this book in just a couple weeks. The medical circumstances were very interesting and very well researched, and yet not too disturbing. I borrowed this from my mom not knowing that, coincidentally, this is the same author of the new Rizzoli and Isles TV series that debuted on TNT this summer. Since I am also enjoying that show, it is a definite possibility that I may embark on a new Tess Gerritsen novel in the near future.

YummO

Ever heard of Salt Potatoes? If you are from central New York, you not only know about these tasty little morsels, you love them. They are a staple at any cook-out, carnival or summer get-together. Me? I ♥ salt potatoes. Big ♥. You can't get them in the south. You have to make due.

The Syracuse, New York area has a long history of salt production. Salt springs located around Onondaga lake were used to create consumable salt that was distributed throughout the northeast via the Erie Canal. Salinated water was laid out to dry on large trays. The salt residue was then scraped up, ground, and packaged. Salt potatoes were created in the nineteenth century by Irish immigrants working the springs who cooked their potatoes in the salty brine. [See Wikipedia]

When I got my monthly Food Network Magazine this month I paged through the recipes. And what do I see? SYRACUSE scrawled across the top of the page. Food Network had discovered salt potatoes! Hmmmm. Little potatoes slowly cooked in a LOT of salt (which raises the boiling point so it takes much longer to cook) and drenched in butter. They are so creamy and delicious. Yeah, they won't clean our your arteries but they will make you smile.

Want to try them? Here is the recipe from the magazine. Let me know what you think!

Movies!

I had an afternoon alone yesterday and two Netflix movies to watch.

This was the first movie I put in the player. Precious is a film about a 16 year old girl in Harlem, NY. She is horribly abused by her mother, raped and pregnant by her father, and illerate. She's pregnant for the second time, removed from public school and then sent to an alternative school. She has some rather vivid fantasies about who she wants to be or who she could be. Precious leads a very sad life, an oppressive life.

I couldn't watch this film; I turned it off after about 20 minutes. I know it won Oscars; many movies that I have not enjoyed have also. I took the disc out after this girl stole a bucket of chicken. There was nothing enjoyable about that 20 minutes, I don't care how well the parts were acted. (2 stars)


After removing the first disc, I put Crazy Heart in. This story follows Bad Blake, an alcoholic, washed up country music singer. Bad Blake is not a great guy. He's self-absorbed and mostly bitter -- the man he mentored and taught has an amazingly prosperous career, leaving Bad in the dust. Bad is playing bars and bowling alleys in small towns. While in Santa Fe he meets Jane, a newspaper music writer. Jane has a four year-old son and a past she doesn't want to repeat. She falls in love with Bad knowning she shouldn't.

Cue the music. This movie wasn't bad, just predictable. You knew what was going to happen before the characters did. Jeff Bridges was very good as an alcoholic has-been, and Robert Duvall was wonderful, as always. (3.5 stars)

Have you seen either film? What did you think?

Chittenango Falls

Review by Do

Earlier this month my husband and I went on a day trip to Chittenango Falls, in Chittenango NY. I have always wanted to go and we ended up alone on July 4th weekend, so my husband planned a nice drive out for us. This is a pic from the top of the Falls. We had a gorgeous day too...we really lucked out.

We cautiously walked down rock stairs as they were pretty steep. I wouldn't recommend this excursion for someone who isn't prepared for a good hike. These are pics from the bottom of the falls on a wooden bridge that crosses over the ravine. There was a family playing in the water at the bottom, but I'm not real sure if that's actually allowed or not.

We continued across the bridge and up the other side of the falls. The trail is tricky in parts, but mostly comprised of steps carved into the rock. There isn't much of a rail to speak of, but it is not too difficult to make it all the way around the falls.

This was our tour guide (my husband). He picked up a trail map as we entered the park, and he planned our hike for the day. The trails names are pretty self explanatory. Trail A, the Gorge Trail, travels down, around, and back up the other side of the falls. This is the trail you would take if you just wanted to see the Falls. Trail B, Creekside, takes you up the creek and back.

After Trail A and Trail B, we pitstopped for a drink and then our tour guide decided we would continue on to Trail C, Chips Trail, which heads on into the woods. I still am not too sure why it's called Chips Trail, it should be called Desolate Forest trail. This trail didn't seem to be too widely used, but what the heck, we gave it a try. Our quick hike on Trail C led us to Trail D, Meadows Trail, at which point I thought the locals were going to step out of their house and shoot at us for trespassing. This was a very extended trail through...of all things...a meadow, who knew?? We did not venture on Trail E, Meadow Extended Trail, because I wanted to make it home that night. Trail C-E are through the woods and meadow with no sight of the Falls, and no wildlife that I could see. At one point we seem to have been following the power lines with the hope it would lead us back to civilization. We joked we should be leaving bread crumb trails 'cuz it all started to look familiar...again. Look kids Big Ben! (see National Lampoon's European Vacation for inside joke). After about an HOUR, my experienced tour guide, who kept insisting he was a human compass, did manage to find our way back. (note to self: do not let tour guide lead the way on Trail C, D, and esp not E, ever again).

We had a great time at the Chittenango Falls. The day was beautiful, the park was not packed, the falls were gorgeous, and I love hikes. The park also includes picnic areas, charcoal grills, a small playground, volleyball nets, and would make a wonderful place to have a family outing. To view the falls, I would positively recommend Trail A and Trail B.

I think I just talked myself into a family trip back so the kids can enjoy the falls too. If I can get everyone on board, maybe we'll plan a picnic lunch after we explore the falls. I know they'll love it as much as I did.