Mid-Season TV Review

It's that dark and desolate time of year when the holidays are over, you still have three months of winter ahead, and there are no new episodes of your favorite TV shows.  Even though Santa's already made his rounds, I'm taking this time to reflect on who's been naughty and nice in the TV world, what's worth the wait, and what needs to be thrown out with the holiday leftovers. 

Now of course I don't, and can't, watch everything on TV.  So this is my opinion based on what I have been watching.  I did start off the fall TV season with 23 shows on the roster, so I dare say it's at least relatively comprehensive.

Best new comedy - Brooklyn 99
Funny and smart, I fear this comedy may go the way of many of my other favorites (RIP 30 Rock).  Andy Samberg is the clear star, but I enjoy the many funny lady cops who back him up. 

Best new drama - The Blacklist
While the serial aspect of the show can get a little tedious, the big picture plot is supremely intriguing.  Also James Spader is genius in it.  

Best returning comedy - The Mindy Project
I have a serious girl crush on Mindy Kaling and this show is hitting its sweet spot with new characters and lots of charm. 

Best returning drama - Scandal
If you work in an office with at least two female co-workers, someone is talking about this show on Friday mornings.  It just keeps getting juicer, flashier, and more outrageous and I can't get enough.  

New shows to drop
Hostages - This show might look shinier if it didn't have to compete with The Blacklist in the same slot.  Unfortunately, it just pales in comparison.
Super Fun Night - I wanted to like this show, but it just wasn't funny and I like my female characters to be, well, more than just characters (see: Mindy Project.)

Returning shows to drop
New Girl - If Nick and Jess don't make you gag, you  may need to see a doctor.  This crew just needs to grow up already. 
Glee - What is the plot/point of this show again?

Sad to see it go
Breaking Bad - It was epic. 

Excited for its return
Portlandia - Should be mandatory for anyone living in hipster meccas including Portland, Austin, and Brooklyn.  Let's hope they start off season four with a new "Dream of the 90's" ballad. 
The Following - Season one is on Netflix so get on it.  The creepy quotient is high and getting higher.  Like the best episodes of Criminal Minds, but so much better.

2014 - New Beginnings and Old Blooms

Happy New Year!  New Year's Day is all about new beginnings.  And while everything's covered in snow now, nothing makes me think of new beginnings more than my little garden.  I started "urban gardening" about a year and a half ago and I've since accumulated a nice little collection of pots and hanging boxes.  I usually do two plantings per year - one in the spring, and the other in late summer/early fall.  So as I'm dreaming of warmer months, here are some bright blooms to add cheer to your day.

Flox are pretty and colorful, but short-lived

These marigolds continued to bloom long after the first frost

Taking a vegetative turn with decorative cabbage and peppers

Nothing's prettier than flowers against a backdrop of fall leaves

Mums are my favorite fall flower

Journeyman - A Bit of New York in Somerville's Union Square

You know the highest compliment any restaurant could receive is that it's "as good as something in New York."  At least in my humble opinion. 

Journeyman is a true diamond in the rough.  Not only is it located off the beaten path in Somerville's Union Square, it's not even visible from the street.  Tucked away, you'll find an industrial space and an ultra-modern tasting menu ($75 for dinner or $40 for a late supper on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sunday).  It's the perfect place to celebrate the New Year or go to warm up on a cold night.  In addition to their unique fare, they are masters of the craft cocktail. 

They say you eat first with your eyes and these plates are true works of art. So feast your eyes on these delicious offerings and then make your reservation right away!

Lessons From My Facebook Hiatus

 

This time of year your social media feeds are probably full of people's holiday cheer, and it may be making you sick.  That's okay; you're not a bad person.  In fact, studies show, Facebook is bad for you.

Before I even read about this study, I was noticing that Facebook was not bringing out my best self.  Perusing Facebook made me feel at times jealous, but also superior.  Whenever I would post anything, I would constantly check to see how many "likes" it got.  It was a big game of comparison: who can best edit their life online to make it seem as enviable as possible.  I knew it wasn't reality, but it was damaging nonetheless.  While discussing this phenomenon with a friend, I made a spur of the moment decision to take a break from Facebook and pledged not to check it for one week.

The very next morning I logged on.  Out of habit.  Actually, to figure out what the free cupcake of the day was at Georgetown Cupcake.  But I almost immediately realized what I had done and logged off.  Over the course of the week I got notices that I had been tagged in photos and statuses and it was extremely hard not to check them.  What if I looked fat in that photo and I needed to untag it?  What will so and so think if I don't "like" the photo of the two of us she posted?  I felt compelled to curate my life, and anxious about the consequences of not doing so. 

I admittedly did use Facebook one other time during that week for a very practical purpose.  I was making a photo book of our family vacation as a gift for my parents and my sister didn't want to send over all her pictures so she told me to pick them from Facebook.  I made a point not to look at the newsfeed, and went directly to her page for the agreed upon purpose and nothing else. 

Facebook is a tool, and it can be a useful one.  I reconnected with my college roommate for a surprisingly familiar and friendly lunch once.  I've reached out to old colleagues to help connect them to jobs.  Some day it will be the easiest way to contact former professors about recommendations.  But for the most part, it's a black hole of narcissism and low self-esteem (oh how they go hand in hand!)

I wouldn't say I was "happier" for the week I went Facebook free, but there was a definite absence of bad feelings.  Now I've lifted my ban on Facebook, but I do interact with it differently.  I try not to aimlessly scroll the newsfeed; when I go on, I do so with a purpose.

This article on the motivations behind Facebook statuses made me think harder before I post something myself.  Does anyone actually care about this?  Why do I want to post this?  Is there someone else I can tell instead?  As a result, no one saw would-be statuses like "Enjoying a beautiful day on the North Shore - with Jake" or "Suddenly deciding to be a baseball fan during the World Series is not doing good things for my sleep."  I wanted to show off my fun life (and loving relationship); I wanted to be a part of a group (Red Sox fans).  I wanted to craft a life I wanted to live.  But it turns out, you do that by living it, not by posting about it on Facebook. 

Holiday Party Recipes

Hosting parties is one of my favorite things to do and I recently had a holiday cocktail party.  Many people asked for my recipes so I'm sharing many of them here along with pictures!

Let's start with the all important bar.  A well stocked bar makes for a great party and the whiskey punch was a big hit on this snowy night.  I usually let people try it before I let them know the ingredients because it's deceptively simple.  Empty a can of frozen lemonade into your punch bowl.  Then use the can as a measuring tool to add one can's worth of whiskey and two of seltzer. Mix and serve! 

Then comes the savory buffet...

• Deviled eggs
• Spicy stuffed mushrooms
• Spanakopita
• Mini Reuben sandwiches
• Smoked salmon cucumber boats
• Sweet potato and pecan purses (I substituted goat cheese for blue)
• Pears with blue cheese and prosciutto 
• Smokey and sweet kielbasa bites
• Antipasto skewers (not pictured)
• An assortment of dips and crackers (not pictured)

And not to be outdone, the sweets!

Almond wedges

Linzer cookies

Mini gingerbread cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting

Pecan pie bites

All of which were accompanied by apple tart and eggnog panna cotta which escaped the camera. 

Parties are a great time to make memories.  But they also come with many memories built in.  The punch bowl was a gift from my friend Kristen and the drink tub a gift to Jake from my mom.  The flowers on the table were sent to me by my future mother-in-law.  The copper chafing dish was handed down to me by my grandfather.  I repurposed centerpieces from friends' weddings and showers as additional decor.  A cross-stitch piece of the twelve days of Christmas that my grandmother made hung in the window.  I remembered the last time I made those deviled eggs was for a lovely late summer picnic Jake and I had in Gloucester.  And the last time I wore the sparkly dress was to dinner after our engagement.   

I love the holidays and all the memories they bring, all the chances to spend with the people you care about.  Which is exactly why I love hosting a good party.  May your days be merry and bright and filled with delicious noshes and good company.  Merry Christmas everyone!

Friday Inspiration - 5 days 'til Christmas (gift guide for foodies!)

Okay last minute gift buyers, here's some options for the food lover in your life.  Amazon Prime and expedited shipping are your friend!

For The Baker 
Stonewall Kitchen has a huge variety of baking mixes, including gluten free options.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pie Mix, $8.95

For The Cheese Monger
Murray's Cheese offers monthly cheese clubs as well as gift baskets

Gift of the Mongers, $120

For The New Yorker 
Chelsea Market Baskets provide a variety of big apple treats, both sweet and savory.

Nosh Above and Beyond basket, $159

For The Tea Drinker 
What goes better with tea than honey?  The Savannah Bee Company offers a wide variety of flavors and honey products that anyone would enjoy.

Tea Lover's Gift Set, $25

For The Booze Hound 
The Boston Shaker is that great little neighborhood (located in Davis Square) that also sells and ships online.  Their huge variety of bitters is the first, but certainly not the only, reason to visit.

Scrappy's Bitters gift pack, $24

For the Chocolate Lover
You've heard me rave about L.A. Burdick's drinking chocolate before; now you can enjoy it in your own home!

Drinking Chocolate Collection, $87

Our Favorite Napa Vineyards (or How Napa Made Us Super Bougie)

In early September, Jake and I went on our first grown-up couples vacation.  We went to Napa and I was instantly in love.  Day drinking in one of the most beautiful locations on earth - yes please!

We particularly enjoyed...

Ridge - where the tour includes a ride up into the vineyards and the tasting includes a cheese plate and a $165 bottle of Cab that was our favorite of the whole trip

Chappellet - an extremely winding drive up to the top of a mountain with excellent white wines and a stunning view

Hall - excellent wines, an informative tour, and grounds dotted with modern art

Since we've returned our new favorite Friday night activity is cooking dinner and splurging on a (mid-priced) bottle of wine.  We actually own a wine fridge (which we rescued from Jake's parents' basement) and we bought half a case of California Cab to fill it with. The number one thing we learned was probably "let it breathe," which if I had to say, would likely be the mantra of life in Napa Valley.