First post for June (!)

I have been so busy running around like a crazy person, my little blog has been neglected. When I got back from my 10 days in Spain, I found out I will be teaching full-time this fall (yeah!). I've since found out I will be teaching OVERtime this fall, but I jumped at the chance, because it is a literature class. (My main interest). Somewhere in there, I will also need to be working on my paper/exam that I had hoped to complete by the end of the year. I will be getting my own office, though, which will be a first, and should help keep me focused.

So, I spent my one day in Winona getting paperwork together and then we were off--out to Maine, stopping in Michigan and New York along the way to visit family. Since being in Maine, I've been getting the wedding details finished, while also working on my other upcoming trip to Spain- this one for two months. Since I'm the director of the program, I have a lot of paperwork and phone calls related to that. I've also been in what I lovingly call "boda bootcamp" (boda=wedding in Spanish), which involves power yoga for and hour and a half most days at a studio in Portland. It helps me stay a little more stress-free (theoretically, anyway) and will help tone me up before the big day.

To My Secret Pal

Can you send me an email with your anonymous email address, and I'll tell you my best snail mail address. Thanks!!!

El Rastro de Madrid

So I finally got Internet connection here- it wasn't wireless and it was a little complicated, but I got it figured out eventually. I've been having a wonderful time in Madrid with some students from the university where I teach, though I am a bit worn out. And I haven't even taken part in the "marcha madrilena" (Madrid nightlife). Today we went to the Rastro, a huge outdoor market in the southern part of the city. It has everything you could imagine for sale- clothes, books, antiques, furniture,jewelry, etc. Oftentimes, there's live music playing throughout the area, too. The Sunday tradition is to do a little shopping then "ir de tapeo" (basically bar hopping with food involved). So, that's what we did. Here are some photos I took there:

New York, New York

My trip to New York was fast. I went for an orientation conference for my job in Spain this summer- In July, I'll be directing a month-long high school program for American students. What you see above is about the extent of my New York visit- the view from my hotel's balcony. That would be a part of times square right there. Great location, just no time to explore. We did go out on Friday night to Vlada (could be spelling that wrong)- an infused-vodka bar close to the hotel. It was a lot of fun to see my friends from last summer and meet the new summer crew, too.

I am actually about to go to the airport for Spain. The hostal there should have wireless internet, so I am hoping I'll have a chance to update this page some more there.

A Sleeve is done: One down, one to go

It was a rainy, chilly weekend. So I got to watch a lot of movies, read, and knit! I had a stack of DVDs I had taken out from the university library at the beginning of the semester (one of the perks of being faculty: semester-end due dates ;) and finally have had a chance to watch. So, I have finished a sleeve of Jane, from A Yorkshire Fable. The color practically blends in with the carpet in the photo- though in actuality the yarn is green with flecks of brown, white, and dark green. I'm really loving the summer tweed yarn- this is my second sweater I've knit with it, and I will continue to use after Jane is done. (Stay tuned for THAT project).

Unfortunately, we didn't gage the right amount of yarn at the store, and I'm almost out. Luckily, I'm heading to New York City on Thursday, so I will get more then. Any recs out there for good yarn stores in NYC that carry Rowan yarn?

I finished Devil in the White City the other day- what a great book! I couldn't put it down- I think I read the whole thing in three days. Now I'm working on finishing a cute book I picked up while camping last week. It's a true pioneer story about a girl at the beginning of the century- sort of Laura Ingalls Wilder-style, which is exactly what I was in the mood to re-read. It's a good substitute for now. Speaking of...I'm off to read in bed a while- good night!

I should be in Milan

At least according to the fun little quiz below.
And where should you be this weeknd?

You Belong in Milan

Stylish and sophisticated, you want to enjoy a truly European life - away from tourists! Milan fits you perfectly. Great shopping, high quality food, lots of culture... with very little hype.

What European City Do You Belong In?

Latest Knitting Project

I've been working on a cardigan for my mom. She picked out the style and yarn colors, so it's not really a surprise to her, though I bet she will be happy when she finally gets it.

The pattern is Jane from Rowan's A Yorkshire Fable. I am knitting it with Rowan's 4 ply tweed and Summer tweed. (The pattern calls for Aran Tweed, but we decided the cotton/silk blend would make it more versatile).



I leave you this evening with a pic from the delish treats we had at my house last week during the "Knit Wits" meeting. There were quite a few younger girls there, so I made cupcakes in fun spring colors. The oranges were originally for display, but the kids actually went for them before the cupcakes! They all got eaten in the end, though. To drink we had herbal iced tea- a recipe I got from the Barefoot Contessa: 4 tea bags each of red and lemon zinger tea (steeped in 4 cups of hot water) then mixed with 4 cups of naturally sweetened apple juice. Chill and enjoy!

Home Sweet Home

One of the most important aspects of vacation away from home is being happy to be back. Of course, the fact that Winona had temps in the 70s all week while we were sleeping in the low 30s probably has contributed to this relief. Then again, I woke up this morning in my own bed to a rainy day with highs in the mid-40s. *sigh* It's spring in Minnesota.

Other than the weather, we had a great time and I will include details in the coming days with accompanying photos. It was such a weird feeling to wake up today and have nothing that I HAD to do- I have a couple of projects related to my upcoming trips to Spain and my oral exam for my doctorate this fall, but there was no place I had to be today. I won't lie- it's a nice feeling. I spent the whole morning with my nose in a book- I started The Devil in the White City last night before going to bed, and I have not been able to put it down since. I've already read 150 pages. It's been a while since I've been so engaged in a book.

Below are pics from a lovely dinner we had while in Maine over spring break. I used some recipes from Giada's books, and got to use my new bridal shower gifts, too!

Barefoot wine, a great, very affordable choice for all kinds of meals; toast rounds with fresh parsely and garlic; raw veggies and hummus.

Juan's favorite: shrimp with his special salsa rosa.

The main course, Barefoot Contessa's oriental chicken salad- so, so, so good!

For dessert we had balsamic cream with fresh strawberries and orange wedges with vanilla ice cream.

I wish we had thought to get photos of the people, too, but we were just so excited about the food, I guess we forgot! In attendence were my parents; my aunt Diane and uncle John; my pal Amelia; and Juan and myself.

A Brief Respite

I am done for the semester!!! I have turned in all grades!!! We went camping last weekend, then came back for yesterday and today, and we'll be heading out tomorrow morning for a week-long trip up north, past Duluth, MN, on Lake Superior. Be prepared for some major camping pics when we get back. My home connection doesn't work at the moment, which is why I haven't been able to update more frequently. Now that the semester is over, I should be able to update more often, when I'm not in the middle of the wilderness, that is.

The Secret Pal 8 has begun, so I must leave my info for my secret pal. The rest of you can skip over it, or read it to learn more about me and my knitting habits :)

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I prefer natural fibers- wool, alpaca, cotton, linen, silk, etc.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have a little tin on my bookshelf that is just bursting with all my knitting paraphernalia.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting since the summer of 2004. I would say I'm intermediate-advanced since I like to try challenging patterns, but still have not tried colorwork beyond stripes nor can I seem to master the fine art of lace knitting.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Well, I have my wedding registries... (Crate and Barrel, Williams and Sonoma, Pottery Barn) Other than that, none.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) I cannot stand vanilla- it gives me a headache. Otherwise, all is good. I have a strong preference for green tea and "water" scents rather than flowers.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I love dark chocolate.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I sew occasionally and I like doing beaded jewelry.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I really like Tango and Fado music, and I love to find out about new types of music from other countries. I'm pretty open to most kinds of music. I can play MP3s on my computer and Ipod.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? In terms of yarn, I am a "winter," so I tend to go for blues, greens, eggplant purple, black, and grey.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I live with my fiance and our Boston Terrier, Mobi Ramekins.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I love scarves and wraps as well as hats that keep me warm in winter.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Sweaters

13. What are you knitting right now? I am knitting a cardigan for my mom.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Definitely

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer bamboo/wood circs

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? no

17. How did you learn to knit? My friend Lisa and I took Stitch n' Bitch on a road trip together and figured it out between each other and the book.

18. How old is your oldest UFO? One year. It's a crochet skirt- I've been trying to teach myself how to crochet but I think I have the wrong sized hook for the yarn.

19. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving because I get to see all my family and eat lots of good food.

20. Is there anything that you collect? I'm working on building my cookbook collection. I love the Barefoot Contessa and don't have any of her books. I also like to find old etiquette books in used book stores.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I subscribe to Rowan magazine and read knitty.com. I would love the Loop-de-loop book and any of the Rowan "Classic" books.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I would love to try fair-isle knitting and I've been trying my darndest to do lace, though I don't seem to have the concentration necessary.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am not a sock knitter, yet, though I keep thinking I should give it a try. I wear a freakishly small size 5 1/2 or 6.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 12/28

A finished Antoinette

I finally have a picture for you of my finished spring sweater. This is Antoinette, from Rowan #39 in Suss cotton yarn. It is definitely bordering on a shurg style, which is very trendy, but I've already worn it a ton. It will get much more wear than its former incarnation, which I think I put on once.


Close up of funky wooden button
Former incarnation as a ho-hum, pseudo-boatneck pullover.

This has been a party weekend. My friends in Winona had a bridal shower for me on Friday night, and my friend Nancy had a huge bash last night at a local bar- the Blackhorse, which has a distinctly Western feel to it.

Secret Pal 8

Yesterday I signed up to be a secret pal. This is a fun little on-line activity for knitters and crocheters. You are assigned a secret pal and over a three-and-a-half month period you send them packages, notes, e-cards, etc. It's a fun way to connect with other yarn gods and goddesses out there in bloglandia. You can still sign up until April 30th to get your very own secret pal. Secret Pal 8

And on a sort of random note- I am watching Behind the Bash on Food Network, with my favorite celebrity chef, Giada de Laurentiis. It's some sort of chocolate fashion event, and who was there but Austin Scarlett- from the first season of Project Runway. I loved Austin's creations- they were always gorgeous.

And a BIG shout out to my favorite future doctor, Lisa. She saved our stomachs tonight. I was craving a certain spicy peanut sauce pasta with veggies that we often make for dinner when hanging out together. And she came through with the recipe, since I couldn't find mine. THANKS LIS!

Speaking of cooking and Food Network- don't forget to vote for the next food network star (if you've been following the show, obviously). I'm not telling who I'm voting for. Vote

I leave you with a photo of me and my fav Mainiacs at my bridal shower last month-just don't ask me what my hair is doing here.

Confessions of a gym slacker

Just between you and me, my prime motivation for going to the Y on non-yoga days is the hot tub and saunas. I really, really dislike cardio on machines because I find it soooo boring and unlike weight training or yoga, I just don't see results when I do it regularly. With yoga, I can see myself getting stronger, more toned, and flexible. Using the elliptical- well, I just "glow" a little. I absolutely cannot bear more than half an hour on the thing, and that requires heavy doses of entertainment in the meantime.

The past few weeks, I've had meetings or other appointments during my yoga classes, so I've gotten to the Y once a week- that's it. Now, I did hike 5-6 miles on Friday and took Mobi for an hour walk yesterday, but I've still been missing my yoga. So, I decided that I just had to go to the Y today and do something. Anything. Including the elliptical. So, I did, gosh darn it. And I rewarded myself with 10 minutes in the hot tub afterwards. So there.

These past few weeks have been CRAZY. The end of the semester is always full of meetings, receptions, tons of grading…ugh! Two more weeks and it’s over until September, though I’ll have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime.

BIG NEWS: I passed all my written qualifying exams! Now I have to write a 40-page paper, then I’ll have an oral exam about that. This will probably be during the fall semester.

Easter weekend we got far away from Winona and phones and computers and went camping. It was a gorgeous weekend, and since it was early in the season and a holiday weekend, we had the trails all to ourselves. The pop-up belonged to my parents- they generously gave it to us when we were in Maine over spring break. (Thanks again, guys!)

Spring is here!

Now that it's April, the buds have appeared on the trees, the birds are singing every morning, the morning maybe cloudy and then the afternoon is full of sun...yup- Spring is here! These tulips were a gift from our dinner guests the other night. We had a wonderful Italian-inspired dinner, with lots of Giada's recipes, like her cheesy rosemary breadsticks, marinated olives, spinach and pine nut pesto, and delicious almond cake for dessert. I also made some roasted cashews based on those served at Union Cafe in New York, which I found in a couple of books, so I figured I had to try them- they were tossed with melted butter, rosemary, sugar, and red papper flakes, and were hard for all of us to resist.
Speaking of cooking... give a warm welcome to our latest addition to the house: my new Kitchen Aid Artisan mixer!! I've been begging Juan for one since I moved to Winona last year, promising better-quality cookies and baked goods. And last weekend, we bought one in honor of my hard work on the qualifying exams. So far, we've used it to make molasses cookies, rolls, brioche loaves, and the almond cake from the other night. I love how you can use it to make dough, and with attachments, ice cream, pasta, juice... all without having more machines in the kitchen.
I am thisclose to finishing my Antoinette sweater. I am actually hoping to have it done by tonight. I have two rows left on the collar, then I have to sew in the sleeves and loose ends, put the button on, and voila!


At first, I had some issues with picking up stiches for the collar, but during our Knit Wits (read: knitting group) meeting the other night, I got some help and am now a pick-up expert. (Well, with knitting anyway ;) So, in honor of my new-found knowledge, here's an up-close shot of the collar attached to the neck opening.

In the coming days, stay tuned for photos from a fabulous family dinner we had over spring break in Maine, a finished Antoinette sweater, and cookbook reviews.

Pelicula of the Week

If I haven't been keeping you abreast of the movies we've been watching in the Spanish and Latin American Film Series, it is because they haven't been worthy of recommendation. But tonight we're going to show Hable con ella (Talk to Her), which won an Oscar for Best original screenplay. This was a big deal for Spanish cinema, since foreign movies often only get recognition in the Foreign Film category. The director, Pedro Almodovar, is one of the best there is- anywhere. This movie is a beautiful study on communication and lack thereof, and the fine line between the passions of madness and love. Check out the film's official site if you're interested in more.

I finished a couple of projects last night. First, I finally finished Proust's Swann's Way. In the 460-something pages of the book this is what happens: He recalls his childhood and Swann's visits to his parents; Swann falls in love with Odette; the narrator fall in love with their daughter. That's it. That's the whole book. The language is gorgeous, though I wish I could read it in French- the original. I will probably start volume 2: Within a Budding Grove tonight.

I also finally finished the sleeves of Antoinette and sewed her side seams. Last night while watching an old Almodovar movie (Carne tremula) I finished unraveling the old sweater for the yarn and could get those seemingly-endless sleeves done. Now I have to work on the collar, which looks like it will be a task in itself.

Some other great movies we've watched lately: Broken Flowers with Bill Murry; Woody Allen's classic, Manhattan; and the original Parent Trap, whcih is one of my favorite childhood movies.

Morning walk with Mobi Ramekins

Good morning! Mobi and I just got back from a walk. We usually take about an hour and walk down to the lakes- there are bike/jogging paths around them, and one of the two allows dogs. When it's early enough, or the weather isn't that great, we can usually let her off the leash for a little while, which releases quite a bit of energy quickly. Today she's wearing her coat because it's still a bit chilly out. The sky was overcast and threatening the "s" word (I refuse to say it anymore this year), but there were still a few folks out jogging or walking, even at 7:30 a.m.


Yesterday Juan whipped up a gorgeous brunch for us, using leftovers from the fridge, such as eggs, scallions, spinach, grated radishes, cheese, and his all-time favorite ingredient: shrimp. He christened it "tarta a la gamba" or, shrimp pie, and served it with "salsa rosa"- pink sauce (don't they just sound better in Spanish?) in shot glasses with anchors on them- very nautical. We ate it on the porch, with our new Provence tablecloth reminding us of warm (or better yet, hot) Mediterranean days to come. (Don't mind the stack of book on THIS table, too, they're everywhere around the house these days)

Here is Antoinette (from Rowan #39) in progress. I'm anxious to get her done and to have the sort of weather in which I can wear her. I see her with white pants eventually, though that will have to wait until June (My own personal fashion rule: nothing pure white below the waist except June-August). It's amazing how quickly something like this knits up, compared to that massive amount of Aran sweater I was working on for Juan. I'm trying a new technique- knit both sleeves at the same time. I really like this idea because sleeves always seem to take forever anyway, and when you finish one, you still have another to go. Psychologically, I think this is a good technique for me. The color is more like the left-hand pic- the sun in the window washed out my sleeves.

In a little while, I'll head over to the Y for a new class: "Piyo"- a combination of pilates (yuck) and yoga (yum). My yoga teacher promised this would be more yoga then pilates... We'll see.

If it's spring, why is it snowing?

Oh yeah, cause I live in Minnesota! These past couple of days I could really feel spring in the air. The sky has been blue, you can hear birds chirping in the morning,(we even had a couple visit our screened-in porch the other day), the students have brought out their flip flops (no wait, they wear those in the dead of winter, too, with a foot of snow on the ground). Anyway, yesterday I walked to school savoring the warm sun and crisp air, and this morning I look out my window and see what? SNOW and it has not stopped in the hour since I first saw it. Although there are no signs of it staying, it's more the psychological effect it has on my spirits rather than the actual fact that it is snowing. I know, I know, coming from Maine and having lived in Michigan and Massachusetts I realize that there's always that last snowfall in April, when you finally thought you could put winter behind you for a few months and dedicate yourself to long walks after dinner, golf in the evenings, hikes on the weekends... In short- enjoy nature instead of shunning it within the comfort of your warm house. Even as I write, the snow appears to be letting up. But I think today I'll put on my warm cords and a hand-knit sweater, maybe even bring a scarf... just in case.

Vacation's over and First Day of Spring

Allow me to sum up my spring break: 4 days in the car; one bridal shower; many appointments with wedding people; one four and a half hour exam; some time with family and friends. I hope to be getting pics in from various sources from some of the events over the next few days (hint, hint guys-get those pics to me!).

I kept my promise to Juan and finished his sweater by the end of vacation- last night at 10:15 p.m. Viola! Here is my first (and last in a long time) aran sweater: Joseph from Rowan's A Yorkshire Fable knit in men's size small with size 11 needles and 100% alpaca wool yarn, which means a very, very soft and heavy sweater.
Nice sweater, but where's Juan?
Here he is! (The pattern looks crooked here, but it's just the way he put it on quickly so I could finally take a darn picture)
Back view- this one's for my mom's friend at work.

The bridal shower was lovely- my friend Amy hosted it for me, and I think it's safe to say that everyone there had a fabulous time. The food, the decorations, the drinks- she even got gifts for everyone there! I am so grateful that she spent all that time and energy for little ole me! Thanks, Aim! And thank you to everyone who attended- it was so nice to see everyone, especially in a girls-only setting!

Back a couple of days and already I've whipped up some yummy things from my favorite chefs, Giada and Rachel. Sunday after yoga, I just happened to turn on the Food Network and what was on? A chefography of Giada- whose recipe I was using for dinner! (Tortelloni in broth- simple but delish).

This year, Juan and I decided that instead of Valentine's Day, we're going to celebrate the first day of spring. So, today I made a "spring" dish from my new Rachel Ray 365 cookbook: shrimp and crab fritters and an Asian salad. Our beverage of choice was sake- a gift from Makiko- a family friend who is from Japan. She also gave us a beautiful green sake set, which you can see on the table along with some other great shower gifts as well as some general table junk.

A close-up on the salad- isn't it the "springiest" thing you've seen in a while?


I will talk more about last week as the pictures come rolling in. I've got to post updates to my Antoinette sweater, too. Now that it is the first day of spring, I've got to get back on the exercise track. I was doing well, but then vacation hit and there was no time to do much then. Yoga class was rough on Sunday- I started out very grumpy and annoyed at everything the teacher told us to do, because my body just didn't want to go there. It's amazing how quickly everything tightens up with a stressful exam and four days in the car. But I did get up this morning before 7 and did a forty-minute routine- and tomorrow I'll have an hour class in the afternoon after I teach. Baby steps, baby steps.

You haven't heard from me in a while because I have been studying like mad for my (hopefully) last big written exam that I have to take in Boston on Monday. This one is on the short story of Buenos Aires. I am really enjoying the subject, and I think my dissertation will somehow be related to this. But first, I want to just get through these written qualifying exams. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I have had some time to knit, however, since I can't read all day and all night. I finished Juan's front- notice how there are now decreases for the sleeves and for the neck? Now, I can't finish the last sleeve because I didn't buy enough yarn. I took a gamble on the necessary yardage, and it fell short. Mind you, I am using 100% alpaca, which is not cheap, so I didn't want to buy too much if I didn't have to. So, at some point during my vacation in Maine, we'll have to get to the store where I bought the yarn over Christmas break. (And maybe get me some new stuff, too!)

The other night while watching the Oscars, I really, really wanted to be knitting something. So, I went on a hunch- I have a lovely blue cotton sweater that I made last year, but didn't really like how it turned out- the fit was off. I wanted to see if I could get the same gauge with that yarn for one of the sweaters in the new Rowan magazine. And guess what.... it worked! So, wanna guess what this is going to make?

While you're thinking about that, I'll mention some yummy dinners we've had around here thanks to some of my fav chefs. I tried two more recipes from EI: polenta and chicken piccata. I served the polenta with a meat tomato sauce Juan had made the day before. It was our first venture with polenta- basically just cornmeal, butter, and salt. It was good, but it would have been too plain without the tomato sauce. The chicken piccata was chicken cutlets with a caper and lemon sauce. The best part about the meal was how quick it was to prepare. We've also had a couple of treats from the Barefoot Contessa- a lentil soup with turkey sausage and for a fun potluck with some university folk on Friday I brought her Chinese chicken salad, which is so amazing and should not be called chicken salad because it is so much better than the mayo concoction that usually carries that name. You absolutely have to try this- it's in her "Parties" cookbook. I usually half the recipe, but for this event I made the full 12 servings. And I'm proud to say, there was not a speck left at the end of the night. For the Oscars we had take-out, in. I made one of my favorite soups- portabella tortelloni with a curry cream broth and I threw together some chicken fried rice to use up some leftover ingredients I had bought for the Chinese chicken salad. Yum, yum, yum- I could talk about food all night. However, I will do you a favor and just leave you here with the "mystery" pattern I'm working on at the moment: Antoinette from Rowan Magazine 39

And now, if you will excuse me, I'll head back to my studies.

My dog thinks she's a cat