Thanks to my friend, Gina, for this apropos grandma gift for my fridge! A nice reminder that we should invest in our children, and by doing so, there’s always hope for change in the future….it takes a village!
A Walk on the LES
That stands for Lower East Side in NY-speak. Kate & Jude went on an outing together (at 3 wks old..go Kate!) and Austin was at work, so I thought I’d head into the city for a couple of hours.
Whenever I see any place (restaurant, excursion, etc…) I link it to my Pinterest account….not just NY, everywhere or anything I want to do. It’s the easiest way NOT to have to remember all the things/places I’m interested in trying. It’s also great for saving decorating ideas when you need inspiration.
So, I “pinned” the restaurant Dirty French a few years ago and finally got the chance to try it out. The space is awesome, attached to the Ludlow Hotel and right around the corner from the iconic Katz’s Deli and Russ and Daughters. I arrived a little after 12:00 and the restaurant itself was literally empty, so I opted for the lobby bar (almost same menu) with it’s comfy couches for lounging and large fireplace….so cozy.
I needed to eat something healthy-ish, so opted for the Roquefort/beet salad….but then ruined the “healthy” with their pommes frites. The salad was FABULOUS, the pommes frites a bit on the greasy side and not my idea of pommes frites….I prefer the crispy shoestring pommes frites.
I read my book for a bit and just relaxed, enjoying the ambience. (FYI..warning….it’s a bit pricey)
I’ve been wanting some new glasses (I kind of collect them), so I headed to my favorite eyeglass store, Fabulous Fanny’s….just a few blocks north in the E. Village. It’s a tiny store with drawers and drawers of vintage-y frames. I’ve been known to linger for an hour or more just trying on different options. My idea of fun shopping!
I came across some great street art along the way….
and then made a stop at the busiest Trader Joe’s I’ve ever been to for some Pizza Monday stuff. You literally get a cart, get in line for checkout and shop as you wind your way around the store. Weird at first, but actually pretty efficient. I was getting up to the front of the line and there’s an employee walking the line saying “can I get any last minute items for anyone?” I realized I would like to have some gorgonzola, so she got it for me while I remained in line. Sweet!!
As always, PizzaMonday was so much fun…great seeing my niece, who attends Barnard, and some of Austin & Kate’s friends. ….and just staring at cute little Jude!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
Motivational/Wonderful Wine Wednesday
I went to The Lost Vine near my house with some friends a couple of weeks ago and this was the wine we had. It was such a lovely message…and a great picture on the front …and a decent Chard…that I had to take a pic to share!
Happy Wine Wednesday!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
Motivational Mondays….Hugs!
One of the best feelings in the world is when you hug someone you love and they hug you back even tighter.
Happy MLK Jr Day!….I hope our country can get back to his ideals and end the craziness that our current President has brought to our lives.
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
Foodie Friday…Carnitas Tacos
My son likes to cook…lucky Kate!…and when I was in NY last week for the birth of baby Jude he had already thawed a pork butt when labor started (TMI??)
Anyway, the third morning, before Austin and I headed to the hospital, he shared this recipe for Carnitas with me that is AMAZING! We literally seasoned it and threw it in the slow cooker and off we went…coming home to an incredible smell and Carnitas Tacos homecoming dinner for Kate and baby Jude.
I got home last Saturday (snow delay!!) and made it again this past Tuesday in my tiny crock pot. I had the butcher cut the regular sized piece of meat into 4 pieces so it would fit in my little pot. It was so easy, very inexpensive and I got three meals from this little piece. One I made tacos, but the other two I just brought it to work for lunch with a little cheese on top and some sliced avo….delish!! Since I needed a much smaller portion I halved the following recipe….this is for a normal size pork butt for normal sized crockpot. Perfection!!
Here you go…courtesy of Chef Austin…. (yes, there are quite a few ingredients, but you just have to rub them on, throw it in and go)
Carnitas Tacos
pork butt (I just bought one and had it cut into 4 pieces)
salt
pepper
oregano
paprika
cumin
Rub the pork butt, generously, with all of the above ingredients.
4-5 jalapenos…diced and seeded
1 onion diced
4 bay leaves
lots of minced garlic ….I use the cubes from TJ’s, he uses the minced jar
juice of 4 limes
juice of 2-3 oranges
little can of chili adobo
I diced the onion and placed it on the bottom of the crockpot, added the pork butt and then added all the remaining ingredients. Put it on low for 8 hours.
Take it out and shred it and return to the crock pot.
Let it go another hour with all those yummy juices. You can make sandwiches, tacos…myriad of options…or just eat it with a little cheese on top, as I did. Thanks Austin….Amazing!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
Motivational Monday…No Regrets
When our actions are based on good intentions
our soul has no regrets…Anthony Douglas Williams
Time is non-refundable…use it with intention!
(I will NEVER regret my crazy spontaneity of getting on a plane to be there when baby Jude was born. I think I would have regretted it if I didn’t.)
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
New Year, New You, New Laws….
Here’s a quick rundown of some laws that are taking effect for those of us who live in California… (here’s a link to the website where I got all this info)
More Time Off For New Parents…..If your employer has more than 20 employees, it will be required to give you up to 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave to bond with your new child. Employees can use any accrued vacation time, sick time or any other paid-time off to spend time with their new child. It also protects new parents from losing their job and health care benefits during time off. You had to have worked at the company for more than 12 months.
No Questions On Prior Salary…Beginning Jan 1st, you don’t have to tell a potential employer about your past salaries. This bill prohibits employers from asking a job applicant about his or her past salary, which also means employers cannot use one’s salary history to determine the salary it will offer to a potential employee.
Buying Ammo…All ammunition bought in California must be made in person through a vendor licensed by the Department of Justice. The law also applies to any transfers of ammunition. Gun owners will also be prohibited from importing ammunition from outside the state without it going through a licensed vendor in California first. It won’t solve the gun problem, but it’s a start!
Marijuana in Cars…Okay, we all know that marijuana will be legal in California starting Jan 1st, but they’ve also passed some “marijuana in cars” laws too. This separate law makes it illegal to smoke or ingest marijuana while driving or even while riding as a passenger in a vehicle.
Community Colleges…This one waives tuition fees for one academic year to first-time students who are enrolled in 12 or more semester units and qualify for aid under a FAFSA or California Dream Act application. I love this one!
High School Exit Exam…This permanently eliminates this requirement for graduation from high school….so, just pass those classes, okay!
New ID and Travel...Jan 22 is the deadline for states to be compliant or have an extension meaning if you happen to be traveling to a state that is non-compliant you will need a passport or global entry card with you. California has an extension, but New York is still under review, so I brought my global entry card and will continue to do so, just to be on the safe side. Click here for FAQ and to see if the state you live in, or are traveling to, will require additional ID. Better safe than stuck at the airport. Starting October 1, 2020, every air traveler will need a REAL ID-compliant license, or another acceptable form of identification, for domestic air travel.
New YOU…and for those of you who are looking for a new workout routine this New Year I’d just like to do a plug for my new workout place, F45, that’s so much fun and totally kicks my ass! I literally leave my house at 5:54 for the 6:05 class and I’m home by 7am. The link is for the Tustin location, but they have them in numerous cities. See if there’s one near you and sign up for a two week free pass and check it out!
I was going to try to decipher what the newly passed tax bill means for you, but there are so many variables that you’ll have to rely on your accountant and the state you live in to figure that out….good luck!
…Here’s a couple more pics of baby Jude….Thank you Austin and Kate for the new addition and the best birthday gift ever!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
Motivational Monday…Happy New Year!
Today is the first blank page of your 365 page book
….make it a good one!!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
The next stage of life….
I, honestly, don’t know where I stumbled upon this information, but I frequently read articles and make “drafts” or just a title for a post and then go back later to actually write & post it. I’m sure I thought the subject matter was interesting as I was becoming a “jammie” earlier this year and posting it now…as I’ll become a “jammie” again in the coming weeks…. just seemed like a good time to reflect….and it’s the end of the year, so why not. I’m honestly just really interested in psychology and what makes people act or live their lives a certain way. If I liked school I’d go back and get a degree in psychology, but I don’t and I won’t…so I’ll just read articles, summarize what I’ve learned and post the info here! So, here you go…
The psychologist Erik Erikson, (who, by the way, didn’t have a bachelor’s degree but a diploma from the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute…maybe I could do that??) like Freud, observed that our lives progress in eight predetermined stages, and that each stage has challenges and tasks that are built upon for the following stages. Successful completion of each stage forms a person’s personality and virtues. I find this fascinating! He was especially interested in how children socialize and how it affects their sense of self.
The first five stages take place before age 18. Failure to complete each stage makes it harder to move through subsequent stages and therefore results in a lower self esteem and sense of self (AKA arrested development??…I think so) It is possible, however, to go back and resolve some issues in order to move successfully through to the subsequent stages (hello…good therapy!)
I’m not going to go through all the stages, but thought I’d look at the last two, since that’s where so many of my friends/family have recently been and/or are headed. Sorry kids, you’ll have to look up the earlier stages for yourselves if you’re interested. The last two stages are 1. Generativity vs. Stagnation and 2. Ego integrity vs. Despair
Generativity occurs in middle adulthood, between age 40 and 65. This is a time to generate, to give back to the world through work and raising children who are contributing members of society. We are fulfilled by caring for the younger generation and giving back to our communities. Makes sense! Success in this stage leads to the virtue of caring….and making the world a better place.
In the last stage of life….the one many of us are moving quickly towards….our challenge is to “let go of ego and to find fulfillment and wisdom in our connection with the greater world.” (sorry, not sure where I got that quote…I apologize to the website I poached it from months ago??) In other words, we look back at our lives, sum up our accomplishments and, hopefully, are proud of the life we’ve led, the accomplishments we’ve had & the contributions we’ve made for the greater good of society and the world. We let go of things and focus on the memories and good things we’ve accomplished, knowing we’ve left the world a better place.
Conversely, if we are not proud, see our lives as unproductive, have guilt and the feeling of not accomplishing all that we wanted, then this stage can lead to despair. Being dissatisfied with our lives up to this point can lead to depression and hopelessness.
That’s just a bummer….but that doesn’t mean you can’t change! It reminds me of my tag-line You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails! At this point in your life, if you can’t look back and be proud of the life you’ve led, than the only thing you can do is change it from here on out. It’s pretty much that simple. You don’t get back yesterday, but you hopefully have a thousand tomorrows to, in the end, be proud of your life.
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
Merry Christmas Monday!
The ornament of a house is the people who frequent it….Ralph Waldo Emerson
May your home be filled with many “ornaments”
of friends and family this Christmas Day!