Crafting? Gili? Really?

Craft day in the East Village with my adorable coworkers.


The main artist at work led the workshop. We were told to sew dolls by hand, to make up our own patterns.


Kelly, hard at work on her animal.


Here's the beginnings of my Eileen Fisher inspired, linen jellyfish. The bottom fabric will eventually become the legs. Let it be known that I have never sewn anything (or had the desire to sew anything) by hand in my entire life.

Last night I had sushi with Denise at our favorite spot, Shima.

Then Joe and I ran across town to see Waltz with Bashir. I am still processing the power of this film. It's a psychological piece, inside the minds of Israeli soldiers, dealing with post traumatic stress experiences. Afterward, I couldn't stop thinking about what soldiers are expected to live through. How can a person live through so much and go on? The brain is such a powerful organ, developing coping mechanisms like memory loss for processing trauma on such grand scales. If you have the opportunity to see this film, go while it's still on the big screen.

!!!!-!!!!

Lately, each day feels like more of a celebration than the previous one.

I know I promised no more Gili-the-Homemaker posts for a while, but I can't stop baking. Maybe it's a winter thing. Forgive me. To celebrate CHANGE (Obama), HOPE (Obama), LOVE (Obama), and my coworkers' birthdays, I tried out a couple of new recipes, chocolate-zucchini mini-cupcakes (yes, you read that correctly) with sourcream chocolate frosting.

Tomorrow, my test audience (my coworkers) will let me know if this is just a really weird trick to get children to eat zucchini or if this is indeed a good idea. We're having a crafting party all day in the East Village to celebrate two of their birthdays.

I'm shy about talking about the inauguration since I'm not sure I can contribute anything to the conversation that hasn't already been said. What will it be like to live in a country with such a decline in cynicism and despair? Since noon today, I think most of us are breathing a lot easier.

Embarrassed to quote Sade, but I will anyway: "It's only love that gets you through." Feeling that right now.

All my cheesiness is flooding back. Forty-four exclamation points.

According to the Wikipedia entry:

Forty-four is a tribonacci number, a happy number and an octahedral number.

Since the greatest prime factor of 442 + 1 = 1937 is 149 and thus more than 44 twice, 44 is a Størmer number.

The aliquot sequence of 44 is (44,40,50,43,1,0).

44 is the number of derangements of 5 items.

***

None of that means anything to me. All I know is that we're so blessed.

Shhh, it's snowing.

Snow is finally here. Work gets better everyday. Today I sat in the kitchen on the eighth floor of the building where I work, watching the snow fall, the aroma of freshly baked macaroons and coffee all around me. Why is snow associated with quiet? Why do I feel more introspective when it's snowing?

Happy MLK Day!

Could they get more grossly domestic?

winter = hibernation = baking


Honey oatmeal bread was the special of the day.


Joe wrestles the loaf.


One loaf for my workplace and one loaf for us.


Insert cutesy pun: Yummy, any way you slice it.


I realize all these domestic activities may translate into annoying blog updates. I'm going to make a concerted effort to tone it down.

bits and pieces

Sorry I've been so behind on blog updates. This past week I started my new job, and there hasn't been a lot of downtime.

I watched one of the worst movies I've seen, Revolutionary Road. I knew from the preview that I would hate the adaptation, but it was a free viewing, so I thought I'd give it a try. I've been a Richard Yates fan since high school, but his work doesn't translate into contemporary film. Why does every book have to be made into a movie? Don't answer that; I understand more than I wish I did.

Tried to go to the MOMA last night. Joe and I saw a little bit of everything, but Free Friday Nights are such a mess of people that it ends up feeling like I'm shopping at the mall.

I love a vice president who says things like:
“I’m the most experienced vice president since anybody.” (Joe Biden, last Wednesday.)

Tuesday's the BIG day! How excited are we? I wish I could go to DC for the festivities. Seems like one of the most not-to-be-missed events in my lifetime, but sadly I will have to settle for watching the inauguration on the television at work.

Speaking of television, tonight I'm going to watch the first episode of season three of Friday Night Lights. Go Dillon Panthers!

Update: Watched the first episode. So glad to have the writers of Friday Night Lights back from the strike and to see that they're restoring the show's integrity. Well done!

Snowstorm in Brooklyn

Stepping out of the potato ration line

(Ecard from Alexis for obtaining my new job.)

To celebrate my new and improved future, Joe and I watched the slowest moving film ever, Silent Light, a visually stunning drama, if it can be called that, about a Mennonite community in Mexico centered around one man's struggle with his faith and destiny. This is definitely a worthwhile watch, if you have the opportunity to see it on the big screen.

A snowstorm is headed to New York. I can't think of a better excuse to hibernate.

*High fiber purchase of the week: Check out Trader Joe's Black Beluga Lentils with 17 grams of fiber, which are an ingredient in this yummy hummus recipe that I plan to try this weekend.

bribery cookies

For job interviews, I recommend baking a couple batches of cookies.


Joe and I made the Oatmeal Toffee Cookies, which are not gorgeous, but delicious.


And inspired by Riva's mom, we baked the super-easy Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies.

Then I suggest stacking the cookies in those slick, clear, plastic boxes, attainable at Surprise!Surprise! for a couple of bucks.

Trust me, employers will eat them up!

January Bookslut Interview

My January Bookslut column is now online. Enjoy!

Challah baking

Joe and I have decided to start baking bread regularly. This weekend, we made Challah.


one


two


three


four


five

Pastrami: straddling the two years

Some things will not change in 2009. At the beginning of the week, in 2008, Riva and I ate hot pastrami sandwiches at Second Avenue Deli. Yesterday, Joe and I shared a hot pastrami at Katz's Deli.

Meat goals for 2009:
-taste liver (not chopped liver, an old favorite)
-eat more chicken

update on Sandra's bagels:
I received a refund for the shipping from UPS, but they refuse to compensate me for the lost, and then ultimately stale bagels. I'm deciding whether it's worth my time and energy to write to the manager and to UPS' corporate office. Maybe this year, I will learn how to let things go.

Happy New Year!

My Coney Island celebration never ends.

To continue my celebration of Coney Island, I ordered Coney Island Lager at Bingo Tuesdays tonight. Because she's such an amazing friend, Alexis stole the Coney Island cup for me from Blackbirds. We may not have won bingo, but we're still winners.

Escape to Coney Island

Spent the day at Coney Island. No explanation necessary. A perfect place and time.
Happy Birthday, Dad!

Beautiful things in New York

First time at the Ess-a-Bagel in midtown.


First musical I've seen on Broadway.


Best holiday window display at Bergdorf Goodman's.







watch: A Christmas Tale
read: Skim by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki
tip from Riva: in order to figure out if someone is Jewish, imagine them in either a yarmulke or a long denim skirt and a wig (preferably pushing a stroller).