Holly Hobby

I mentioned that I love to cook and bake. I am a little bit of a nerd when it comes to "home-maker" hobbies and entertaining. I enjoy making others happy and creating new memories and one of the best ways to do that is through food. I think a lot of that has to do with my mixed heritage of countries very "culinarily-conscious" and strong in familial closeness. My family is always thinking and talking about food. We even discuss it while we are eating!

A meal is often more than nourishment. How can we as humans not be so enthused about eating? It is only natural. To prepare and consume requires the use of every sense which causes heightened awareness of our physical and mental state. We eat passionately, when we are joyful, sad, stressed, and so on. We connect our memories (pleasant or not), with the sensory-imagery of food. We are reminded of the people whose hands served us or sat with us, the places we have travelled or want to see one day, and how we felt while we dined. We may not always recall the name of that restaurant we enjoyed so much on a road trip long ago or every exact ingredient our mothers used, but that is not important. What matters is what it meant to us, that we store it away in our hearts.

I have heard it said that food is our greatest democracy, the great equalizer. It is certainly true! Every culture the world over depends upon the necessity of sustainance to survive. Every country has their own method or version of the same dishes. We all use mostly the exact same ingredients even! The common threads of cuisine unites us. I know it would be an exaggeration to say that all the world's troubles could be solved by food! All I am saying is that there is something very powerful, an underlying message. Aren't we all just people with the same basic needs and emotions? We rely on eachother to nurture and provide, to show compassion. If we could serve one another as we do when we share a meal, perhaps this world could be a more peaceful, understanding place. Call me sentimental and naive if you wish.

On a lighter note, this is my favorite time of year to create in the kitchen. I adore autumnal ingredients. I am not the type of person to think too highly of myself, but I have to toot my own horn a little in regards to my zucchini bread and pumpkin loaf! Then in winter, I make soups and stews, all the comforts of warmth and home. Christmas is a big deal. A large branch of my ancestry in Sicilian, so we have never been like most families with the whole WASP-y-Norman Rockwell feast. No, we slave all day Christmas Eve and the day before preparing polpette, braciole and vermicelli in suga, insalata (more like a relish than a salad really), and once in a blue moon if there is time, crab stuffed mushroom caps. It is truly a labor of love! This year will be the first year away from my family at Christmas time. Come heck or high water, there will be a Sicilian-Italian dinner for me, even if it is small!

I could go on and on about this kind of thing (I am not kidding) so I better stop here while I am ahead!

Trip to NYC (Part II)

"Silver Lining"

Now for the more cheery part!

Our apartment is really quite a find, I feel. Though it is small, it is very bright and has a lot of character (only natural for a building at least 75 years old). I cannot wait till we can gradually decorate it and make it more home-y. As far as convenience is concerned, that was the real selling point. It is so easy to get to and from the city. There are many laundromats, colorful produce markets, discount and nice stores, banks, medical facilities merely steps away. There are lovely cafes of all kinds everywhere you look. A lot of establishments are open late to 24 hours which is always a bonus. I know it is not Manhattan (pooh-pooh it if you like), but what I really like about Astoria is that it has a lot more visible sky than Manhattan, but it has that ecclectic, urban feel to balance things out. We were there on Halloween when families were taking the little kiddos out all day long, and the leaves had changed colors. It appears to be as safe a neighborhood as you can find anywhere else. Obviously, I will be cautious anywhere I go, but I did not feel that I was in a seedy part of town at all.

Our broker was the most wonderful, interesting woman. She comes from Bulgaria and her voice is reminiscent of Julia Child (with an accent)! While it is charmingly humorous when she mixes up pronunciations or American sayings ("You will have time for see-sighting now, yes?"), the respect she has garnered in the community, which she knows like the back of her hand, is inspiring. She came to the U.S. about 17 years ago, having grown up under communist rule. She had been an engineer, a good one, and had to start all over again. She has seen a lot of hardship, but is incredibly positive. She was so patient and dedicated to helping us from the time we contacted her over a month ago through this weekend. She works on the same block as our place, so I feel comforted by that. Our landlords have been equally nice so far and I really hope they will like us as tenants also!

Our last night there, we did get a little time to visit my friends (one of the coolest couples I know) who live on the Upper West Side. Before we even made it to their floor, their adorable rescue beagle came to greet us on the steps! They have been so helpful and I have a lot to learn from them both. Luckily I was able to eat something decent by then because we went to Land Thai!

What am I going to do next? Believe me, I have so many lists going it would make your head spin. Let's just say that I will update as things unroll. I am going to attempt to take one thing off the list at a time.

Trip to NYC (Part I)

"Stormy Weather"

Well, we got back last night from New York. The trip was successful overall, although to tell the truth, it began rather strangely. I was almost afraid the signs were ominous! Driving home from work Thursday was an adventure all its own, with nearly impassable roads and sheets of rain, taking hours to get home. The next morning was clear as can be thankfully, but the tension was thick between "certain individuals" because of nerves I suppose. After a packed flight, we arrived at the hotel at midnight and retired straight away to rest up for a full day of apartment hunting with the broker. This was meant to be a short trip so we really had to get down to business. We have been to NYC about 5-6 times now though, so I did not mind missing out on the leisure too much.

I felt strange on Saturday morning almost instantaneously but chalked it up to anxiety. No sooner had we purchased our metro cards and awaited the subway when I knew something was definitely wrong. I felt so nauseated and dizzy that I had to sit down with my head to my knees and we missed the first train. A really kind lady offered me a water bottle, proving that stereotypes are not always true of course. I was just glad she didn not flee like I was carrying H1N1! Anyway, I sucked it up and we made it to Astoria with plenty of time. I have to say, normally I would think nothing of little shops with goat carcass hanging in the window, but on this particular occasion, I veered my eyes on purpose.

We looked all day, comparing seven different places--it can be difficult with a very modest budget, but we had plenty to choose from and wanted to see a wide range for our own education. In the end we found a nice compromise; a great deal by most standards actually. It was a long and overwhelming day, especially when your head and stomach are a ticking time bomb. Honestly, I felt extremely pressured. I wanted so badly to make the right decision, an adult decision, but I still felt like a child. I do not know if there is a curse that comes with being the youngest child or what! It does not matter how old you are or how prepared and organized, there will always be a wealth of decisions that are out of your control. Until the day I die, there will always be someone telling me what I should and should not do. I was disappointed that I was not allowed to do this entirely on my own (I was more than ready to, just like millions do every day), but sometimes, you just have to accept help when it is offered. That said, I am truly grateful, humbled and blessed. I have always known this, but more so now than if I were a child.

Anyway, I almost made it out of the broker's office that evening but could not without having to confess that I just had to sit back down again. Everyone said I simply needed to eat--we had not eaten since about 7am and it was nearly 6pm--but at that point, my state of mind and physical being were not exactly conducive to discussing who has the best souvlaki in town! I am positive I turned five shades of green. Armed with water and apple juice, I got back to the hotel okay. I had some soup, sprite and a little fruit from the cafe next door. Big. Mistake. Huge. We'll leave it at that.

I rested most of Sunday, determined to see "West Side Story" as planned. I was really trying to move forward and relieve some of the worry. It is so difficult to leave things up to God and fate. I know that is the whole point; life is supposed to be a challenge. Still...

We returned to Queens in the morning to finalize things on my end. It was a much improved experience although I was still nervous. None of this feels real yet. It is far, far different to do it than even the years upon years of planning and scheming. I have to say, the load is a little lighter. There is still so much to do, and quickly, but at least I know one part is checked off the agenda. If only my mind would shut up and quit jumping thither and yon, far into the future then right to this minute! I wanted to move sooner--funny, that was supposed to be long ago if I had my way-- but I promised to be home for Thanksgiving at least, so the official move in date is December 4th. I think it is a conspiracy to have me in charge of the cooking! Kidding.