Coming Home.

In reading this blog you have been aware that Brendan, my boyfriend, spent the semester abroad in London, England.  I spent spring break visiting him and traveling both London and Paris, how breathtaking! He himself took multiple trips as well including a two week whirlwind adventure through Scotland (his homeland) with his brother, Patrick.

Tomorrow he finally comes home with his best friend Jake, their relationship is really closer than "best friend" status but all in all their both great.  While they're both sad to be leaving Europe after a trip to Germany and pub crawling London, I am busy planning their arrival (so typical me!)  Plan for a few posts on the next two days just because I'm too excited for words and simply have to fulfill my role as a emotional female.

Here's a few random pictures from my trip to London:

 Brendan fighting with a goose in a park near Buckingham Palace.  So confrontational.

 One of my favorite images.  The natural lighting was gorgeous out that day.

 Roman took this of us on the metro in Paris.  Meeting up with him at a local pub was so much fun!

 Brendan in a very touristy photo, something he dreads.

Last night in London on the Eye :)

Tummy Ache.

My lovely boyfriend and his best friend (or should I say significant other) turned me onto this video.  Epic Mealtime has become a sensation across America where people attempt to make the craziest meals and consume them.  Strange?  Hm, I wonder what other countries would say about this?  Probably that we are fat obnoxious Americans that don't care anything about our health but would love to become famous by Youtube just so we could say that we did it.  Well I would tend to agree with them, I find this video to be HILARIOUS.

Jake and Brendan kept repeating the "drink a da Chocolate Sauceeee" line to me last night on skype and I had no idea what they were talking about until I actually watched it.  Genius! I would have to go with the deep fried kit-kat bar if anything with, of course, the frosting dipping sauce.  In any case, watch it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Smart, Dumb, Funny, Genius? All I know is that I would need two things before ever attempting this at home (a) ambulance on call, and (b) completed will.

I'm a BIG kid (I Promise).

Okay okay okay, I was going to wait until exactly a week before the big summer concert season kickoff but I can't wait any longer! I am simply too excited.  In any case, Saturday marks the 1 week countdown to Kristen, Cara, Mandy and I's long journey (I mean 1 1/2 hours is a long way) to Buffalo, NY.  Backstreet Boys and New Kids on The Block will be amazing, common, should I expect less?  When I was at my heightened BSB phase, I want to say hmmm 4th grade, I was clearly too young for such a concert but now I am 20, a junior in college and ready to do it right.

We not only are taking Connie my Corolla but will also probs stop for a nice lunch along the way.  Janene, my mom, got us a Hotel close to the venue so we can taxi back and forth.  Oh, and there is a pool in the Hotel...which better be open after the concert! Champagne toasts are a must.

Sun-Dried Maters & Eggs.

Who doesn't love eggs?  I quite honestly don't know a soul who does not like some sort of egg, including myself.  Quite honestly though, eggs get boring!  So we fix this problem with omelets and adding toppers such as cheese or veggies.  A new one to try?

Sun-dried Tomato with Spinach and Feta!

Devils Food.

My dearest friend Carolyn (Cara) celebrated her 20th birthday this past April.  However, on the day we chose to celebrate, she was still practicing lent and was unable to eat any sweets!  Seeming she is a better Catholic than I, since she actually participated in lent, I decided to make it up to her by baking a cake for her return from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, NY!

In recruiting one of my other best friends, Mandy, we came up with a devils food cake with chocolate Ganache filling and a whipped cream frosting decorated with chocolate flakes and Raspberries, YUM!

The Bakers :)

Kate.

No, not Kate Middleton.  Kate Spade!  I love the classy elegant style that is shown through both her Purses and other accessories.  However, on most occasions, my wallet is not thick enough to soften the blow of the prices.  Luckily another sample sale is in the works and I have been going back and forth on a certain purse that my heart adores.

 Bone colored speckled leather and I am in love with this shape, whose name escapes me at this very moment.  I had been looking at a patent leather sort of barrel (maybe that would be it) purse by Dooney and Bourke but I never felt as giddy as I do with this one.  Originally priced at $425 I can now get this for a whopping $169 and only $5 shipping.  To splurge or not to splurge that is the question!

While it is a rather classic style I am not sure how long I could keep the bone color from turning a putrid brown or various other nasty color.  This thing would never touch the ground.  Also, how practical is this for romping around in the summer, not very.  Could be a nice date night purse but I could find one of those at some cheap store like Forever 21 or even TJ Maxx.  Ahhhh, the dilemma's a girl must go through.

High for This.

Collin McLoughlin, have you heard of him?  Seriously, if you haven't by now that I don't know where you have been.  I was turned onto this guy last summer by Brendan, since the two both studied (are studying) at Colgate University.  I'll tell you one thing, this guy can sing and write some pretty great songs along with make great acoustic covers. 

Last summer I found myself hitting the streets running to his Back to The Wall and Come Back to You, and over the past year he has only made more great hits.  Not only does he make more upbeat jams but he has also infiltrated a sort of relaxed summery feel that we all love on those hot lake days & long drives.

His latest is a cover of The Weekends| High for This.

Here is the original.

Head over to Mediafire and dl his version, which is personally, more my taste.

Collin McLoughlin| High for This (Weekend Acoustic Cover)

Vineyards Lost.

When the sun finally made an appearance a few months back, I took a drive down to Fox Run Vineyards on Seneca Lake.  The vineyard is on my usual drive that I take whenever I need to clear my head or just get away from the crazed atmosphere of college.  While going through my photos of London I found three of the vineyard that had been forgotten and tucked away deep in the world of technology.  So, here they are, months later and are now serving as a pick me up from this rainy week we have been having.

The Beast.

Better time than any to formally introduce all my followers (yes I love all 8 actual followers plus whoever else decides to spend their procrastination time reading my blog) to my wonderful and adorable dog Greta.

Okay so you may know her as the following: Bunny, Stinky (Stinks) or Beast(y).  She has had many names throughout her 12 short years on this earth and in my life and may or may not suffer from a slight identity crisis but I love her all the same.

I should also address that though she may seem vicious and fierce at first, she does have a heart and lovable personality (yes she is a dog not human but genuinely deserving of such characteristics!).  Shes my beast, my stinks, my bunn-ayyy and though she very often tries to attack me and leap at me with her fangs ready to bite, she never has succeeded!

Shes ALIVE and fighting :)

Lack of Lilacs.

Today I spent the better half of the afternoon exploring Rochester's Lilac Festival.  To my dismay I found that the lilacs were not in full bloom and at least to me, were not very attractive.  So a bit of an epic fail on the "lilac festival" but who can control the weather?  What I was able to enjoy were the tulips and various flowering trees around the park, in addition to my chicken gyro (which was also sub-par).  Luckily my mother introduced me to the delectable Red Osier dipped sandwich, a bit heavy but delish!

Flowers:

Avocado & Pepper Jack Panini.

Summer has finally arrived, and while I am not quite used to the 85 degree weather, I have managed to make myself used to the kitchen once again.  Today I spent the morning looking for a skirt/suit/dress...something to match my black Ann Taylor suit jacket whose pants don't fit quite right at the moment (a bit too many late night snacks at school).

Afterwards I ventured over to the Tall Trainer to have my fitness assessment prior to starting some personal training (or small group!).  Even the short 10 minute assessment was a bit of a shock having not exercised much since before spring break but the trainer, Bo, was very friendly and knowledgable about nutrition and fitness--I loved it!

So, being 3pm and not really lunch, I decided to splurge a bit and make this amazing sounding Avocado & Pepper Jack Panini on Whole Wheat (WW).  And what do you get out of it?  A tutorial on how to cut avocados, since I didn't know how to either, and a great recipe!

What you'll need:

2 slices of Pepper Jack Cheese (milder cheese if you don't like spicy)

Panini Roll or crusty bread

1 Avocado

Small cup of Salsa for dipping

Equipment: Knife; Panini Press

 Avocado "slicing" (in case you didn't know, like myself!) Take your knife and cut to the core, a dull-ish knife is fine since the ripe avocado should be soft.  Go around the entire outer area and then gently "wiggle" the two halves apart until you have this:

 Then take your knife and slice like so.  Make sure to run your knife around the edges and turn over to POP out.

 pick out the slices you'd like and lay then on top of the cheese.

 Assemble like this:  Butter the outer sides of the bread to make sure they don't stick to the panini press.

 Place it in until the cheese is melted (4-5 minutes) and enjoy!

 TIP: I read in a magazine that you can place avocados in ziplock baggies and place them in the freeze to avoid browning.  Make sure to suck the air out first though!

Chicken Salad SANS Mayo.

Okay so we all have those foods that we crave or are tempted to purchase at a restaurant/ cafe.  Mine? Chicken Salad.  The dilemma comes when I realized just how much mayonnaise is added in the process of making it so delicious.  The other serious issue?  The mushy texture that somehow creeps into my favorite summery sandwich and completely ruins the experience. 

However, I give you the CURE to all chicken salad nightmares in both realms of taste & health.

Introducing: Greek Yogurt!  You may commonly use it as a breakfast or snack item but this yogurt does wonders as a substitution as well.

For those of you who still like a tiny hint of mayo flavor, you may modify this with a tablespoon of mayo (no not a heaping spoonful either!)

What you'll need:

Cooked Chicken breast or Bird as my mom uses

Celery Sticks

Onion

1 Cup Greek Yogurt (Plain variety)

1 Teaspoon Mayo (if you choose)

Red Grapes

1-2 apples

This is simple if you've ever made chicken salad.  Chop the Chicken into small bite size cubes.  Add some salt and pepper to taste while mixing in chopped onion and celery.

After this is in a bowl, mix in the greek yogurt and mayo.

Finally, cut grapes in half and chop apple into small pieces, garish this on top for a more summery salad.

Words to the Wise(r).

As classes are quickly coming to an end, if they have not already, and us college students quickly realize that finals are upon us, I hope to give one piece of advice.

Backup your files.

It takes time and effort, which I know most do not want to do, but trust me on this one because even your trustworthy MacBook Pro may flounder.  Yes, I have had first hand experience with this tragedy.

Just yesterday I was typing away when my computer ran out of battery power, oh no! Like this usually happens I grabbed the power cord and plugged it in (simple, yes I am aware).  But, unlike the 23948029834834 times before, it did not go to the "password" screen but simply stayed with the apple logo and twirly woorly symbol and decided to get rather loud and VERY hot.

After calling the trusty folk over at the Apple Mecca, wherever this may be located, we trouble-shooted a bit and determined a checkup was in store.  So, long story short: a trip to the Apple Store at Eastview Mall and Two hours later,

My hard drive was FRIED!

I had about 5 minutes to save what I needed (granted I had no flash drive or external hard drive).

and then my trusty laptop was wiped clean, gutted and received all new parts (for free!).

What could have prevented such a tragedy, no one knows. But I am on my way to purchasing an external hard drive. They are worth the $100 dollars folks and are located at your local Walmart supercenter.  Do me a favor, BUY ONE.

God Bless.

Time Square 5/1/2011.

Moments after President Obama gives statement that Osama Bin Laden has been killed.

A day that made history, will you remember where you were?

I wish that I was in Times Square or D.C. at the time of the speech.  Watching all the college students flood the streets waving flags and chanting "USA, USA, USA" was breathtaking.  It is not often we see so many people come together for a specific cause.

I also know that many people have many opinions surrounding this issue for everyone was affected differently.  Remember that people are sensitive and that there are still troops we must pray for and hope retaliation is not sought.


For those of you who were unable to watch the Presidential Statement LIVE last night:

God Bless America.

No Sun, No Problem.

Its May 1st and the weather this spring has been, umm, less than exciting.  I think in the handful (and yes I mean maybe 5) nice days that we have had, people have gone crazy with spring fever.  So maybe it isn't sunny and gorgeous everyday and the rain has everyone down when it starts flooding the streets, but hey, a chill playlist is in order.  Summer is almost here afterall.

For a chill playlist, as I previously mentioned in the last post, requires some typical summer artists.  You know, the ones that you always turn to, they never get old and you can always turn to them.  What about new additions?  Here's what I have:

(1) Rolling in the Deep- Adele

(2) Rolling in the Deep- John Legend

**both versions are necessary because they're both so different.  Look for another post on this at another time.

(3) Alligator Sky- Owl City ft B.o.B.

(4) Can't Let it Go- Goo Goo Dolls

(5) Little Lion Man- Mumford & Sons

(6) The Cave- Mumford & Sons

(7) Dog Days are Over- Florence and the Machine

(8) You've Got the Love- Florence and the Machine

(9) Guns and Horses- Ellie Goulding

(10) Nature Feels- Colin Mcloughlin

(11) Summertime Girl- Shwayze

(12) I Do - Colbie Caillat

(13) Hello- Martin Solveig

(14) Meet Virginia- Train

(15) Love to Get Used- Matt Pond PA

My best friend, Cara, would be so proud that I am finally starting to listen to something other than frat-rap.  While Brendan does have a great eclectic taste in music I seem to get the fratty rap side of me from him and sometimes its nice to listen to the things that make me chipper..which does include country :x

Banjo.

While I am constantly surrounded by the ever so popular "frat rap" and fratty music, sometimes it is nice to get away and go for something with a relaxing feel--you know what I'm talking about, that summer playlist that you find yourself continuously going back to whenever talk radio gets you down.  So instead of my usual O.A.R., Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Jason Mraz I decided to spice it up a bit and go with some great banjo music.

If you haven't been convinced by the video, take a walk over to Itunes and listen to the rest of their album.  Mumford and Sons have a pretty nice vibe going on.  In addition to The Cave, I would also say some personal favorites include Little Lion Man, Awake My Soul, Sigh No More & Winter Winds.

The craziness of the Banjo may be too much for some of you to handle but if you find yourself liking The Cave or Little Lion Man at all then I've got you.  Give them a chance folks, whatever you want to call this genre of music, it has got ahold of me.