Three day weekends I believe should be mandatory. I always come back to work from a regular two day weekend feeling unsatisfied as how quickly Saturday and Sunday had gone by. But with three day weekends I feel accomplished and relaxed. Honestly though no matter how many days I have off it's still a little difficult getting back into work mode.
Niel and I stayed close to home because it's just too crowded to go away or visit any of the touristy spots such as museums. Plus Niel walked his brother's dog since my B-I-L was away. So Niel and I watched a lot of movies, Team America(had some funny scenes), Lucky 13(such poop) and the British version of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy(very good. Mostly matched by the American version). BBQ'd at Niel's mom's house and my parents, had yummy Indian food with Dave and Holly(always nice to see them). And happy that we have a good Indian restaurant in our town that not only we, but Niel's friends from his old neighborhood can enjoy also. We also ran a few errands, did some chores around the house. I crafted a bit and wrote, we found a cool sculpture park and tried Thai Chi. We thought it would be mostly help our flexibility. But wow did it kick out butts. We went back home and had a good two-three hour nap. I could have slept more. And I am not generally a person that likes to nap or sleep for too long. I feel like I miss out. The sculpture park's current theme is sports. We're curious to go back and see what their next theme will be in a few weeks. It's funny how many neat things are so close by. Plus there is a Costco right next door to peruse. We also tried Smores for the first time. Sorry to say I don't understand what the big fuss is about. I also tried Stove Top for the first time. I like it as stuffing mixed with other things, but not alone. Here are pics of the weekend. Please also go check out some of the pots I made.

Song Stuck In My Head: "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel

Let's all take a few moments today on Memorial Day to remember all of the people who are currently in the armed services, who were in the armed services and who gave up their lives for this country.

A Memorial Day Friday Five . Play along if you like! Have a good holiday weekend all! Hope you get to eat yummy food, be surrounded by good folks and have fun times.

1) What is your earliest childhood memory? (If you can't think of
one, tell us a story about something funny or crazy you did as a
child!) I have some faint meories. I remember looking under my parents couch when we lived in Armenia. It was a pretty high couch because I could see there were jars of jam under there. And I remember another time my cousins who were ten years older than I were over with my aunt and uncle and we were eating gelatin. And watching my mothere clean the windows.

2) Would you say that you have a good memory (or even perhaps a
photographic one)? Do you tend to remember people's names and faces
easily? Are you good at remembering facts, dates, etc.? I do have a pretty good memory for some things. Like special occasions and a person's name. Or if someone has told me a story.

3) Memorial Day weekend is often considered the "kickoff" to summer.
What are some of your best summer memories? Is there a particular
summer that was the most special or memorable for you? A few summers ago Niel and I went to Western NJ for a long weekend. We stayed at this nice bed and breakfast. Slept in the most softest bed. Dried off with comfy bathrobes. Walked around a fair and jumped on trampolines. It was a lot of fun.

4) Do you do anything to preserve your memories, such as taking lots
of pictures, scrap booking, journaling, etc.? If so, what ~ and how
long have you been doing it? I am no photographer by any means but I like to take lots of pictures of special occasions and everyday life. A picture brings back memories and I like to hold on to the good ones.

5) Will you be remembering anyone special this Memorial Day? All the people who sacrificed their lives for this country.

Song Stuck In My Head: "Sexy, Mother F..ker" by Prince

I've always been curious about the variety of foods there are in the world. Especially for breakfast. All the different type of breakfast meats. Particularly Canadian Bacon. Foodreference.com describes it as "Canadian bacon is made the rib-eye of the pork loin." While "In the U.S. bacon is made from pork bellies."

Niel and I ate some for breakfast our last day in British Columbia a few years ago.

Since then I've cooked with it a few times for breakfast. I made something I saw in the South Beach Diet book called, egg cups. I put the bacon in a greased muffin pan and put a scrabbled egg with Cheddar cheese over it and then bake it. Sometimes I'll just fry the bacon. It's nice to have different breakfast meat options.

Recently I found that Oscar Meyer also makes it and surprisingly it tastes as good as the Canadian brand I found in the supermarket.

 


 


Song Stuck In My Head: "Since You've Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson

The concert was awesome! I had fun with Isabel. Hanging out and eating Korean beforehand. Sarah McLachlan is an incredible singer. It is obvious she is classically trained. Her voice is so strong. She sang all my favorite songs. And right before she sang "Ice Cream", her husband Ashwin, who is also her drummer, came out with an ice cream cone and started to offer some of it to the crowd.

Shanny emailed me this and I decided to share it. Play along if you like.

What time did you get up this morning? 6:10 am
Diamonds or pearls? diamonds
What was the last film you saw at the movies? Star Wars III
What is your favorite TV show(s)? Gilmore Girls, Scrubs
What did you have for breakfast? Feta and toast with scallion
What is your middle name? I do not have one.
What is your favorite food/cuisine? Favorite food is anything with cheese
What foods do you dislike? Asparagus and Artichoke. But that may change.
Favorite flavor ice cream? Strawberry
Favorite CD of the moment? I don't have one.
What kind of car do you drive? I don't.
Favorite sandwich? Grilled Cheese
What personality characteristics do you despise? liars, manipulators, back stabbers, phonies, controlling, intimidators, selfish, mean, evil, ruthless, heartless,impatient, rude, arrogance
Favorite item of clothing? PJ's.
If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be? Great Britain
What color is your bathroom? Light blue
Favorite brand of clothing? Old Navy
Where you would retire to? Probably Florida
Favorite time of day? After work.
What was your most memorable birthday? 30.
Where were you born? Yerevan, Armenia
Favorite sport to watch? Ice Skating.
Who do you least expect to send this back to you? No expectations
Person you expect to send it back first? who knows!
What fabric detergent do you use? Whatever is on sale
Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning
What is your shoe size? 8.5 to 10. LOL.
Do you have any pets? No:(
Any new and exciting news you’d like to share with family & friends? Nope.
What did you want to be when you were little? Archeologist
What are you doing today? Working hard for the money
Who is your alter ego? A business owner

Song Stuck In My Head: "Ice Cream" by Sarah McLachlan

I am trying to grow herbs again. Yes I know I'm out of my mind. There are perfectly good herbs I can buy at my local veggie stand, but I end up throwing a way a lot of it because recipes only call for a little amount. I heard if you put pebbles under the soil. It can help with the water irrigation. This is my fourth attempt at trying to keep herbs alive. And hopefully this way I can be economical and not wasteful. Plus I really am enjoying how the pots look on my window sill. It's also part of my 101 list which I am still compiling. Crazy me also decided to also take up the challenge of trying to grow beefsteak tomatoes (I would have preferred grape tomatoes) and greens. Below are the various pics. Wish me luck.

I first placed them in small pots.
 


 


Then moved them into larger pots. These are the first signs of life.
 


 


I hope I see some tomatoes soon and I hope the greens grow larger.
 


This picture is for Hannah who wanted to see a pic of the Pear Tart I had made with the pears from Harry and David.
 


Song Stuck In My Head: "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani.

Our friends Jennifer and Renzo sent Niel and I a lovely package from Harry and David's. It was a nice surprise opening up the large box and seeing the pretty wrapped boxes. And the treats inside were so delicious. There were apples, pears, mixed nuts, creamy cheddar cheese, the best candy corn, tangy lemon short break and jelly candy. It was so very thoughtful of them. I'm planning to make a pear tart from the pears. We already went through the apples. LOL.

 


 


Tomorrow night my friend Isabel and I are going to see Sarah McLachlan in concert. The concert does not begin till 8 so we're going to eat some yummy Korean food before hand. I am pretty excited. And Thursday night Niel, me and my mom are seeing, Beast On The Moon. Maybe we'll get to have some Sushi beforehand. It's about the Armenian Genocide. It should be interesting how the topic will be made into a play.

I have three good movies to recommend for renting. Eulogy, (funny, quirky and reminded me of Passed Away,) Oceans 12, (Suspensful) and National Treasure.(Action Packed!)

Song Stuck In My Head: "Hold Me Now" by The Thompson Twins

As you know Niel and I saw Star Wars last night. Niel was right to ask me to get onto the ticket holders line early. It was getting long and the very first person on line was a guy dressed as Darth Vader. I wish I had my camera with me. The movie was good!! I was so happy. The film really tied all the other movies together. It was so heart wrenching to see Anakin really suffer in this one and yet so cool when he became Darth Vader. Lucas gave humanity to Darth Vader. In the three original movies he was this evil one dimensional figure and in 1,2, and 3 we see that all Vader really was is human. All six movies are all about him and his transformation from a confused, sweet, little boy, to this easily persuaded, hopeless yet at times hopeful man. Niel pointed out that the inside of the ships looked more like the ships from 4,5 and 6 which I think also helped tie in with the films for 4, 5 and 6. I cried a few times while watching it(when Anakin is about to kill the "younglings", when Padame is giving birth and the final transformation of Vader happening simutaniously, and when the twins are separated). I found the Star Wars movies, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the first Matrix and a bit of Hitchhikers Guide to be reflections of societal ills. George Lucas really saved the best movie for last in this current series. It's sad that there will be no more Star Wars but happy that it ended so well done.

 


I am asking my bloggy friends to please be on the look out for the below Star War Toys from Burger King. The toys I am looking for are have an orange dot next to them and there is another picture below it, which for some reason that figure is not included in the first picture, is also one I want. They sell them individually for 99 cents at Burger King, so you don't need to get a meal, unless you happen to be hungry and want to. If you can find any for me and mail them I will totally reimburse you and will appreciate it.

 


 


In other news, I have a cold. Blech. I started sneezing a lot on Tuesday and Wednesday morning I woke up nauseous. Throughout Wednesday I was still sneezing and was stuffy. Then my throat started to feel scratchy. I am popping vitamin c like they are peanut M & M's.

Now that my camera is acting somewhat properly again I can post the pic of the lovely bag I received from the lovely Leslie a little bit ago for my birthday. I love it when special occasions are extended. Hee Hee. The bag is so springy and cheery. Thanks again Leslie. I love it!

 


Onto the Friday Five. Fitting since it's Star Wars themed. Play along if you like. Have a good weekend y'all!

1) Are you a "Star Wars" fan? OH YEAH! I really like them. Especially 4, 5 and 6 and now 3! I watched it when I was younger. Will you be seeing the movie anytime soon (or if you already have, tell us what you thought of it). See above post:)!

2) Have you ever attended any "Star Wars" conventions or dressed up as
a "Star Wars" character? No I have not. But I think my brother in law has and I know one of Niel's friend's definitely has. If not, do you think that you ever would? I have actually always wanted to go to one of those conventions. I think it would be fun and interesting. I don't know if I would dress up though I think it pretty cool.
What do you think of the fans who stand in line for hours and hours to
get movie tickets? They just really love the movie.

3) Who is your favorite "Star Wars" character? Why? Which "Star Wars" movie is your favorite? You know I really like Anakin just because he is such a great character. I can't help it but I felt very bad for him. He really wanted to do the right thing but was so easily manipulated.

4) Do you own or collect any "Star Wars" merchandise or memorabilia? If so, what? Do you plan on buying any "Episode III" items? Yes my hubby has several. Niel used to have a lot more as a kid between him and his brother. He has cups, and a Yoda. We've begun to collect the Burger King Toys.

5) Are you on "the light side" or "the dark side"? :) definitely Light.

Song Stuck In My Head: "B.Y.O.B" by System of A Down

Meet the newest member of our collection:


DARTH TATER!!!

 


It sort of reminds of Rick Moranus from Space Balls. Can't wait to see Star Wars tonight!!

Song Stuck In My Head: "Die, Die My Darling" resung by Metallica

It's pretty common knowledge how I love to travel and learn about other cultures. I remember when Niel and I didn't have so much responsibility as we do now, we would go away every few months. Now we are lucky if we can get away once or twice a year. And sometimes I really wish Niel and I could live in a different city for a few months and then move onto another city. But that wouldn't give us much stability and a stable retirement fund. I found this quiz to see which city is the perfect city for me. Although I couldn't picture myself living in Rome (I would want to visit) I think the quiz nailed it. I do love the city life but I am a small town girl at heart. I love the community feel of a small town I guess. Just as long as I had a city near by. And also my husband is 7/8 Italian. Take the quiz if you like and let me know what you get!

You Belong in Rome You're a big city girl with a small town heart Which is why you're attracted to the romance of Rome Strolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in hand And gorgeous Italian men - could life get any better? What City Do You Belong in? Take This Quiz :-) Song Stuck In My Head: "More" by Sisters of Mercy Tuesday, May 17, 2005 Lately I have been obsessed with cheese burgers, the color blue (oddly enough though have been purchasing and receiving a lot of lavender), listening to the same songs over and over again, patterns with lines and polka dots. Sometimes I go through times of repetitiveness (is that a word?) and it comforts me. I don't know why I need comforting now. Things are going pretty well for Niel and I. There are of course things that could make life better for us. But hey I could be wishing for those things till I am blue or lavender in the face. Anyway every chance I get I eat a cheese burger. Which is funny because I prefer a veggie burger or a portabello burger. I have been having crazy cravings for cheese burgers for months now. No I am not in the family way and no I probably will not be for a while and yes I do know how old I am. Maybe my body needs the iron? I usually bring lunch with me, but I have been indulging myself whenever I can with a burger when I don't brown bag. Based on cheese burger quest, I've decided that Burger King, Nathan's and Checkers make the best burgers. And McDonald's and Checkers have the best fries. Who do you think makes the best burgers and fries? I also have been staring at the sandals at Old Navy and Payless with my mouth half gaped open with a bit of drool coming down the left side. I have been specifically coveting the slippers with blue lines or polka dots. The cute shapes make me happy. The songs I have been listening to over and over again are below. I have added more songs than what I originally had on the Ipod, but all I seem to want to listen to is the following: "Bigger Than My Body" by John Meyer "Only You" by Yaz "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service "Synthesizer" by Electric Six I think I'll eventually tire of the burgers, cute shapes and those songs. And move on to something else. What are you grooving on right now? Song Stuck In My Head: "Club Foot" by Kaspian Monday, May 16, 2005 Well it didn't rain this weekend. I'm a bit concerned. Camera still acting up so no pics. Any pics you see will be old ones I have stored on our computer. I don't want it to be another Summer without much rain. Saturday Niel and I finally got to see Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and has some Indian cuisine afterwards. The film is based on the books of Douglas Adams. I highly recommend everyone go see this movie. It was hilarious, witty, and well done. I really enjoyed the costumes of some of the aliens. And the love story between Triallian(Deschanel) and Arthur(Freeman) was so very sweet. I really like the characters that Martin Freeman chooses. Sam Rockwell was brilliant and Mos Def is a fine actor. The Indian restaurant is a few neighborhoods from ours. I've been meaning to try the place for a bit now and after the movie we decided to eat there. Niel scored with a great parking spot right infront of the place. The food is not as good as the Indian restaurant in our neighborhood, but it is nice to have tried some place else for variety sake. We also went by our favorite German deli to get some Cherry Strudel for much later in the evening. We hadn't been there in such a long time, so it was nice to browse in their shop and look at all the jams, cured meats and sweets. Sunday was the baby shower that I went to with my MIL. It was real nice of my MIL's friend to invite me. The mother to be scored with so many things for the baby. Which is always nice to see. And the mom's to be in laws are such nice people. Her sister in law's fiancee is going to be the baby's Godfather. I thought that was really special. Afterwards we went to visit Anna and Harry. Anna cooked a great lasagna for dinner and we brought dessert while we played Trivial Pursuit. Their baby is so very cute. They decorated the nursery very nicely. They are both artists and stenciled the bedroom by themselves with stars and creamy yellow paint. I couldn't put the baby down. I nibbled on his hands a bit and played peek a boo. The baby really likes being around people. The cutest thing he did all night was fall asleep at the dinner table. Song Stuck In My Head: "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega Friday, May 13, 2005 I was happy to receive the Friday Five questions this week more than usual because I had been thinking about similar topics since I turned 30. I guess Lisanne has been also since she has a big birthday coming up in September. Then I found the 101 challenge in 1001 days. And I really want to accomplish my own 101 things. I am compiling my list at the moment. Because if not now when? Anyway here are the questions. Play along if you like and have a good weekend! It will be a soggy one in NYC. A busy baby Sunday for us; because I have a baby shower to go to on Sunday with my mother in law. After the baby shower Niel and I will be visiting with Anna and Harry so we can meet their little boy. 1) What haven't you done yet in your life that you'd really like to do someday? Why? Gosh many many things. I like to travel more, have children, own a home, publish some books, continue having a successful marriage. The list is long so I will stop here. Will you do any of those things in the near future? I am going to try real hard to. Are you making progress toward them? Yes and no. 2) If you could completely start your life over from scratch, what would you do differently the second time around (if anything)? Why? Many many things. To name a few I would have finished school sooner. Not gone into debt. 3) What do you think you'll be like when you're 70, 80, 90, possibly even 100 years old? Well I don't know if I will make it to 90 or 100, but if I do I hope to be still be mentally strong and be able to move around physically some what. Where do you think you'll be living, and what activities do you think you'll enjoy? Hopefully be able to grow old with Niel, live some place nice and warm. But not too humid. And have kids and grandkids that want to visit us. I would go the movies more. Travel a lot! Knit and do other crafts. Read more. Play board games. Be more leisurely than I am now. 4) What ages do you think have been the best for you so far? Why? From high school till now. I got a bit more freedom when I entered high school. And now is so very good. My husband is my best friend. He always makes me laugh and is very sweet. We have fun together. What do you think of your current age ... are you enjoying it? I feel more of an urgency to accomplish my goals. So I am taking some actions to do so. Things that I stupidly did not in my 20's. I am trying to enjoy getting older. Are you looking forward to your next birthday? Yes. 5) What do you feel is most important in life? Health, family, surrounding yourself with good people, have a steady paycheck and some savings. Without health one cannot accomplish any goals they set for themselves. Word Stuck in My Head: "Nee" by the Knights of Nee from Monty Python and the Holy Grail/Spamalot. Thursday, May 12, 2005 Some time ago when my parents were over, my mom and I were watching The Food Network. It was a special about chocolates. One of the chocolate stores featured was Mariebelle's. My mom thought it was clever of them to put pictures on their chocolates. So when Mother's Day rolled around I was ready to order her some. Then I noticed they were located right in Manhattan, in the neighborhood of Soho. A very cool neighborhood to explore if you've never been. It is a small store and I easily walked right by it. But inside I felt like I was in some Parisian chocolate shop. There were so many pretty packages and lots of lovely chocolate to explore. I even got a sample of some Aztec hot chocolate. Super yum. It didn't make my mouth dry like most sweets do. I picked up some chocolate for my mom and on the way back stopped at the Godiva chocolate shop for my mother in law. Godiva are her favorites. But we don't buy anything sweet for her very often, because my MIL is a diabetic. My mom was pretty happy I remembered the chocolates we saw on TV. I would say they had a sweet Mother's Day.   Song Stuck In My Head: "Buddy Holly", by Weezer Wednesday, May 11, 2005 It's really the simple things that make me happy. Right now after a hectic week I was so very happy to sit here with my lunch, a soda and reading material. Update 1:53. I got this from Jessica's blog and since I just love these quizzes I had to post it. Please feel free to play along. A to Z Accent: I really don't think I have one. Even though I've lived in New York since I was five. Bra Size: Too personal. Let's just say big. :) Chore I hate: Hmm I actually don't mind chores. They kind of relax me. Dad's Name: Nazaret Essential Make-Up: Moisturizer Favorite Perfume: Right now its Gap's, Dream More Gold or Silver: Silver Hometown: Yerevan Interesting fact: I ate a good deal of butter once. Job Title: Sales Rep Kids: They're just a glimmer in my eye for now Living Arrangements: Rent or have my money pay someone else's mortgage Mom's Birthplace: Yerevan Number of Apples Eaten in the Last Week: None. Been eating Apricots, Plums and Berries. Overnight Hospital Stays: When I was 18 and I stepped on a nail Phobias: Hmm heights? Question You Ask Yourself A Lot: Why? Religious Affiliation: Spiritual Siblings: One younger brother. Time I Wake Up: 6:30. Unnatural Hair Color: None right now. I want to try red again and maybe black. Vegetable I refuse to Eat: None. I like them all. Worst Habit: I bite my nails X-Rays: All over. I am accident prone. Yummy Food I Make: Chili Zodiac Sign: Aries Song Stuck In My Head: "Bad, Bad Man" by John Cena Tuesday, May 10, 2005 For Mother's Day Niel and I took our moms out for lunch along with Niel's brother, Mike. We went to a Malaysian restaurant in Forest Hills called Panang, that Niel and I had been to some time ago. The food was flavorful and creative. The ambiance was equally inviting. There was bamboo in the front when you walked in, bird cages were used as lamp shades, and the air vents were peeking out in the ceiling, which looked very trendy for the area. The menu offered Malaysian, Thai and other Asian dishes. For our appetizer we dined on crispy meat rolls with sweet sauce, seafood spring rolls with spicy sauce, beef and chicken satay with peanut dipping sauce and for our main meals there was spicy shrimp, ginger steamed fish, curried beef, spicy Mango chicken(served in a Mango!) and Pad Thai. Besides drinking water, we also ordered some lime aid(yummo), and Malaysian iced tea. Which seemed very British influenced because there was milk in it. Or maybe the British were influenced by them. Anyway it was also quite good. My favorite of the things I tried were the spicy Mango chicken and ginger steamed fish. I was happy to see the restaurant was busy and that there is such variety in that part of the borough. Attached are pics.   Song Stuck In My Head: "The Bad Touch" by The Bloodhound Gang Monday, May 09, 2005 Saturday Niel and I went to see Spamalot. It was AWESOME! I highly recommend anyone in the New York area or coming to NYC try to get tickets. The show was hilarious and very well done. Although Tim Curry was not at this performance in the role of King Arthur, the actor who replaced him was so very good. And what a voice that Sara Ramirez(Lady of the Lake) has. Wonderful for Broadway. It was great to see Hank Azaria and David Hyde Pierce, but I was equally happy to see Christian Borle from the Ebay commercial,(Narrator, the dead guy, and the Prince) and Christopher Sieber(Sir Galahad, Black Night and father of the Prince) who played the Olsen twins dad in Two of A Kind. I don't know why I know these things. I just do. Afterwards we went to have a little dessert at Fluff. Yummy and fresh! Anyway see the show and try Fluff!!! Song Stuck In My Head: "Mother" by Danzig Sunday, May 08, 2005 Happy Mother's Day!! Saturday, May 07, 2005 The power of three from Holly. THREE NAMES YOU GO BY: 1. Ani 2. Nuggie 3. Sweet Cakes THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD: 1. ani4775 2. Foodiechickie 3. Tapenugget THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF: 1. my legs 2. my smile 3. my eyes THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF: 1. I have wide feet 2. I wish I was more toned 3. I could be a little taller THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE: 1. Armenian 2. From Da Hood(Washington Heights) 3. Queens THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU: 1. dying (whether it’s me or someone I love) 2. not having enough money to support myself and my family 3. Not to grow old with Niel THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS: 1. brushing my teeth 2. showering 3. eating THREE THINGS YOU’RE WEARING NOW: 1. PJ's 2. Slippers 3. Deodarant THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTIST 1. The Beatles 2. U2 3. Queen THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS 1. Synthesizer 2. Somewhere Over The Rainbow 3. The Rainbow Connection THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP: 1. Love 2. Humor 3. Understanding TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE: (Which is a lie?) 1. I love animals 2. My skin is sensitive 3. I have pierced ears THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE PREFERRED SEX THAT APPEAL TO YOU: 1. Kindness 2. Make me laugh 3. Reliablity THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES: 1. Reading 2. cooking 3. chasing Niel around the apartment THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW: 1. go on vacation 2. for work to get better for Niel and me 3. pay off bills THREE CAREERS YOU’RE CONSIDERING: 1. Teacher 2. Party Planner 3. Professional Writer THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION: 1. England 2. Ireland 3. Australia THREE KIDS NAMES YOU LIKE: 1. Olivia 2. Grace 3. Laura THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE: 1. Have children 2. Purchase a home 3. Publish a book THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL/BOY: 1. I like purses 2. I like shoes 3. I like to shop THREE CELEBRITY CRUSHES 1. Ryan Reynolds 2. Batista(WWE) 3. Ewan McGregor Since I like to mix it up with who I tag. But whom ever wants to do this please feel free. THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THIS QUIZ NOW: 1. Lisa 2. Yvett 3. Laura Friday, May 06, 2005 Well its finally Friday and you know what that means the Friday Forum. Since Sunday is mother's day the questions focus on that. Play along if you like and have a good weekend! 1) In your opinion, what characteristics make a good mother? What type of mom would you like to be (or if you're a mom already, what things do you feel are most important to teach your children)? Babies and children are like sponges. Learning comes from the very first minute they are born. I believe a mother or any parent should be patience, nurturing, have the ability to teach them from right from wrong (such don't steal, be respectful to people, not who to choose to love), make learning enjoyable, good hygiene(it's important), how to manage money well so they will be able to take care of themselves. All these things are a part of love 2) Do you have any special plans for Mother's Day this year? Niel and I are taking our mom's out to lunch. 3) What is your mother like? My mom is super talented. She can sew, bake, cook up a storm, she can draw very well and she gardens too. She likes Armenian music, and country music. She loves watching Monday night WB shows. She is wacky. Do you have a good relationship with her? After I have gotten married I can understand her a lot better, so yes we do. Every relationships has its bumps but its good for the most part. Does she live close by? She lives 15 minutes away by car. What kinds of things do you enjoy doing together? I like to watch her cook and when I was little we used to watch Indian movies together. 4) Do you have someone in your life who is like a "second mother" to you? Who, and how did you meet this person? Do you serve as a "second mother" to someone else? No to both questions. 5) If you have a mother-in-law, do you get along well with her? Yes. Why/why not? She's my husband's mom it's important. I mean there will be things we disagree on but I don't see us being on Jerry Springer. Or with my mother either for that matter. Are your grandmothers still living, and do you plan to recognize them on Mother's Day, too? My maternal grandmother is a live. She lives in California. I sent her a Mother's day card. I also sent one to my aunts, cousin's, friends. Anyone that had kids. I think its also important to recognize men who have to be both father's and mother's and people just about to become parents. Song Stuck In My Head: "Friday I'm In Love" by The Cure Thursday, May 05, 2005 I found Tomatillos at a supermarket on the way home. I had first seen them at a supermarket not too far from my neighborhood and now even my local supermarket carry's them. I found them a little cheaper at the supermarket on the way home and purchased them. I first heard about Tomatillos when watching Rick Bayless's cooking show on our local public television station and had been curious to try them. Tomatillos come in a husk but when you open them up they appear to be green tomatoes. And do not make the mistake that they are. I used the Tomatillos in a recipe for a Mexican lasagna. I ate the lasagna too quickly to post a pic. The Tomatillos added a nice tangy flavor to the meal. The rest of the ingredients were pepper jack, cilantro, precooked chicken, Parmesan cheese(although Montego cheese is a good alternative), and flour tortillas. Now I am on the lookout for more recipes to use this green jewel in. Happy Cinco De Mayo!! Song Stuck In My Head: "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC Wednesday, May 04, 2005 A few weeks back my coworker Dan took me to lunch for my birthday. We went to eat at the Chelsea Grill on 9th Avenue. The original restaurant is in the Chelsea section of Manhattan; this is their sister restaurant in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan. Chelsea Grill is beautifully decorated with warm colors and has soft leather couches. The food was equally inviting. The waitress gave us a free basket of their oven baked chips. And they were crispy and flavorful. For lunch we both ordered their BBQ pulled pork sandwich accompanied by their zesty waffle fries. I highly recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a delicious place to dine in NYC. They also have a nice looking bathroom. That's important. LOL. After lunch we walked a few blocks up to Fluff, a small sandwich and dessert place. It's a modern looking eatery with large butterflies hanging from the ceiling. They make everything on the premises and recreate childhood favorites such as snowballs(fluff balls), twinkies(flinkies) and sell fresh marshmallows. I brought a fluff ball and decided to take it home and share it with Niel. My God it was heaven in our mouths. The cake was fresh, moist and so flavorful. I think I may have to go back. For info about dining on 9th Avenue go here. And a very big good luck to our friends Jennifer and Renzo!! Song Stuck In My Head: "You put the lime in the coconut" by Harry Nilson (as heard in the recent Coca Cola commercial) Tuesday, May 03, 2005 I wanted to tell you a little bit about the restaurant we went to for my father's 60th birthday on Sunday, which was also Orthodox Easter by the way. It is an Armenian restaurant named Sevan in Queens. Sevan is named for a Lake in Armenia. My mother told us about the restaurant and Niel and I went to check it out. The menu looked familiar (depending on the region of Armenia or what country the owners are from the food can be adapted to that country's taste) and the prices were reasonable. So a reservation was made for seven people and it couldn't have been a nicer dining experience. The food was healthy, flavorful and the service was outstanding. For appetizers we ordered Hummus, Feta Cheese, Lavash(thin flat bread), Taboule, pickeled veggies, Armenian cold cuts, Kufte (bulguar and ground lamb balls) for Appetizers and for the main meal we ordered grilled vegetables, pork chops, Armenian bbq, and Salmon. And for the first time I enjoyed seltzer. Armenian seltzer comes from top of one of the highest mountains in Armenia and it was light and not bitter. And is rumored to cure some minor stomach ails. My parents were friends with one of the employees and were joking around with him. Armenians are small community in Queens and everyone pretty much knows one another. Afterwards we perused the Armenian grocery store next door and went to my parents with filled stomachs to enjoy some dessert. Enclosed are some pics I took of the festivities and of my parents garden, which is quite pretty. Also Happy National Teachers Day! Song Stuck In My Head: "Sweet Chariot" by Gavin DeGraw Monday, May 02, 2005 It was a nice weekend. Didn't feel like it passed by too quickly. Both the communion party and my dad's birthday party was fun. It was nice spending time with all the families and the food at both events was yummy. I had a really good feeling about this weekend but its funny how reading another person's perspective just turned me off. My reaction was "You have to be kidding right?" It's my own fault for constantly giving others chances. And I don't like to talk about too personal feelings. Funny I know since its a public blog. I just got frustrated. Niel and I also saw Anchorman. He had already seen it when he visited Squilky, but we got a free coupon from Blockbuster and decided to rent that since I hadn't. Niel was on the ball about the movie. It had funny scenes but was not a funny movie. Which was a shame since it had such potential to be a good film. Hope everyone had a good weekend. Lisa tagged me! The idea is to pick 5 and complete the sentences, then pass this little meme on to 3 more of your blog pals! But no tag backs! If I could be a scientist... If I could be a farmer... If I could be a musician... If I could be a doctor... If I could be a painter... If I could be a gardener... If I could be a missionary... If I could be a chef... If I could be an architect... If I could be a linguist... If I could be a psychologist... If I could be a librarian... If I could be an athlete... If I could be a lawyer... If I could be an innkeeper... If I could be a professor... If I could be a writer... If I could be a backup dancer... If I could be a llama-rider... If I could be a bonnie pirate... If I could be a midget stripper... If I could be a proctologist... If I could be a TV-Chat Show host... If I could be an actor... If I could be a judge... If I could be a Jedi... If I could be a mob boss... If I could be a fast food restaurant worker... If I could be a preacher.. If I could be a scientist...I wish I would have the knowledge to cure all the diseases in the world. And I know its a bit far fetched but its my wish. If I could be a writer...I would love to publish children's books. It's my favorite genre. If I could be a lawyer...I would help people who could not afford to pay for lawyers and help them win their cases. If I could be a doctor...I wouldn't be a slave to the health insurance companies and help people who didn't have health insurance. If I could be a chef...I would cater parties, weddings and celebrations. I always have various menu ideas and I just think it would be fun. I tag Jessica, Enid and Jess. Song Stuck In My Head: "Hot, Hot, Hot, " by The Cure Sunday, May 01, 2005 Happy 60th Birthday to my father!   Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) About Me foodiechickie View my complete profile Blog Archive ▼ 2009 (46) ▼ July (4) Recently while grocery shopping the husband notice... I am so excited the film Julie/Julia. is being mad... Ever since I had my first taste of the yummy baked... I recently got the opportunity to attend a Met gam... ► June (6) This a photo from the buffet of food that was serv... When we were grocery shopping my husband placed a ... The hubby found a McDonald's near us that sold a B... Corned beef with cabbageOriginally uploaded by foo... I'm not sure but I think I may be one of the few p... Fatty meltOriginally uploaded by foodiechickie4775... ► May (4) For my birthday last month the husband gave me a c... Since we were on a kick of trying different soda's... I've heard about Kosher for Passover Coca Cola for... I should have paid attention to the packaging. But... ► April (7) Sausage, gravy & biscuitsOriginally uploaded by fo... Turkey StragonoaffOriginally uploaded by foodiechi... Edey's SamoasOriginally uploaded by foodiechickie4... Jello in an orange.Originally uploaded by foodiech... I haven't been to a fondue place since I don't kno... 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