Carrie, Can You?

DAY 14
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

In the TV series and now, movies, Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw makes freelance (and novel) writing look so easy. In her fashionable frocks and Manolo Blahniks, she seems to breeze through her assignments with minimal stress.

Now, I'm no Carrie. While I read, write, and edit for a living, I don't exactly hop, skip about town meeting girlfriends for brunch or go shoe-shopping on a whim. I am more inclined to purchase a $400 camera than a $400 pair of stilettos. And, speaking of sky-high footwear, I can't imagine going up and down the subway stairs and maneuvering Manhattan's city blocks in them. In fact, I've just recently considered buying a pair of FitFlops—those cushioned sandals that are supposedly good for one's feet. My friend says she walked in them for days on a recent trip to DC.

Anyway, my biggest, biggest, most ardous challenge has got to be time management and deadlines. And, I realized [when I’d written this] that I'm too old to be stressing about something that should be easily manageable. Also, stressing about deadlines goes against my new mantra of being in the moment. When I postpone things on my to-do list, that's not being in the moment.

And going back to Carrie, if I'm on top of deadlines and all that, I can actually have more time to hop, skip, and brunch my New York days away. And, who knows, I might even consider stilettos once again.

[Update: I never got to purchase those FitFlops and I’d recently taken to wearing heels again.]

Image courtesy of Thesun.co.uk.

"They're men!"

DAY 13
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

Remember my recent Halal Food post? I'd actually written the draft a few weeks ago. I was in Chelsea and had a delicious meal of chicken and falafel over rice at the stall beside Bed Bath & Beyond. That same day, I decided to explore the Upper West all the way up to West Harlem and Washington Heights, just to see and know what's out there. It was a hot summer day anyway, and as such, I enjoyed hopping on the bus for AC.

Anyway, while waiting for the M4 bus, I met an elderly woman who was probably in her late sixties. We got to talking about clothes (she liked the silk romper I was wearing) and we had a pleasant conversation about keeping a young-at-heart disposition and accepting that eventhough one can stay as optimistic about aging as possible, the body eventually weakens, and so forth. (You see, it's not uncommon in New York, to have these random conversations with strangers.)

Later on I found out that this American woman was of French and Swedish decent, and she had a son who married a Brazilian woman whom she didn't like and who later on divorced her son (a pilot) after getting her green card.

"My son should have listened to me," she said.

"Oh! Your son should marry a Filipino!" I chirped. "We take care of our husbands."

"No, no...no Filipino. They are men and they get the surgery to look like women."

At that point I just burst out laughing, and the woman didn't seem to take offense. Talk about a comedy moment! By then the bus arrived and we both got on it, and when she reached her stop, we sent each other off with well wishes.

Trader Joe's

DAY 12
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

The original(?) Trader Joe's in Union Square.

So, I finally was able to do some decent grocery-shopping. By 'decent' I mean buying good olive oil, salad greens, eggs, and so forth. The newly opened Trader Joe's branch in Chelsea proved to be a fulfilling stop.

The original Trader Joe's in Union Square (steps away from Whole Foods) is known to be quite tight with long lines leading to the registers. But, most people and TJ fans claim that the queues move quite fast—and I agree. However, the new bigger branch was a breath of fresh air: One could linger and ponder purchases without having to go elbow-to-elbow with other shoppers, or feel the pressure to move along quickly because somebody has to pass through the narrow aisle you're in.

Ironically, I'd never gone to Trader Joe's the first time I'd lived in New York. Perhaps I was a Whole Foods purist, up until recently when a friend told me how much cheaper everything was at the former. AND SHE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE SPOT-ON! This evening I had a limited budget, yet, I'd managed to squeeze in said good bottle of olive oil, some cooked lemon pepper chicken fillets, milk, body wash, etcetera. Amazing.

The only sad part I see so far about the new Trader Joe's in Chelsea is that a
Barnes & Noble bookstore used to occupy this block.

Photos courtesy of dnainfo.com and besenretail.wordpress.com.

OOPS

DAY 11
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

I was so exhausted last night that I literally fell asleep in front of the computer as I was about to blog. Hence, I've just missed Day 11 of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, sigh.

I realized as the days have gone by, that it's a little more challenging to do this, now that I actually have a day job. But, that doesn't mean I'm giving up AND I am so not complaining. I love, love, love the recent turn of events, and, when the right time comes, I'm going to write about it for sure.

Meanwhile, the blogs must go on!

Taco Mix

DAY 10
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

Exhausted tonight, but before I go to bed, let me share with you a recipe for taco seasoning. I know I've just recently blogged about the Endless Summer truck (Day 3 of the 30-Day Blog Challenge), but thought I'd post this photo I took a few months ago when I first tried making the mix. Nothing beats the homemade version, with the most important reason for me is the guarantee of absolutely no MSG, as most ready-made packets have. It IS a lot of ingredients, but super easy to put together once you have everything on hand. One batch lasts a long, long time; and, you can use the spices for other delicious things (and if you're building a spice rack, this is a good way to start). Enjoy!

TACO SEASONING MIX
(Courtesy of http://busycooks.about.com)

Make your own taco seasoning mix to control the ingredients for better nutrition.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup instant minced onion
* 2 Tbsp. chili powder
* 2 tsp. paprika
* 2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes
* 1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
* 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
* 1 Tbsp. salt
* 1/4 tsp. pepper
* 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
* 1 Tbsp. instant minced garlic
* 1 tsp. ground cumin

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend thoroughly with wire whisk. Spoon mixture into a tightly closed container and label as "Taco Seasoning Mix". Store in a cool, dry place. Use within six months. Makes 6 packages (about 2 Tbsp. each) of mix. 2 Tbsp. equals 1.25-oz. pkg. purchased taco seasoning mix.

To make Taco Filling:

Brown 1 lb. lean ground beef (I used tuna) in large skillet over medium heat; drain grease. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes enough filling for 8 to 10 tacos.