Sometimes You Just Have to Be Spontaneous

How often do you find yourself actually getting out of bed to do something spontaneous just because you feel like it? I personally am very guilty of putting things off that I really want to do, coming up with excuses why I just can't do it today. But for whatever reason this morning when I woke up, I decided to act on it.

I have been craving a walk through a snow-covered forest for some time now (well, it's something I actually crave every winter), and I figured that today was as good as any day to just do it. I mean, I no longer have work, I'm pretty far along in my packing, and god knows I needed to get out of my apartment for longer than a quick trip to the grocery store. So I threw on some clothes, grabbed some snacks and water, put on my hiking boots, and jumped into the car. The first place that came to mind was, of course, Tahoe. I got a little taste of it a few weeks ago when I went with a couple friends to a cabin on the north side of the lake, but since then I had wanted so badly to see the southern side-- especially Emerald Bay, the most picturesque spot. So that is where I drove to first. It took me a little over 3 hours, but I found I was able to pass the time fairly pleasantly by singing along with my music (notably the Disney playlist) and then gazing at the scenery as I got closer. I was extremely excited at the first sighting of snow, and actually gasped aloud when I got my first view of the lake itself from over cliff. It stood there so majestic and huge, glittering between evergreen trees and mountains covered in fluffy white snow. It was at the moment that I knew my trip out there had not
been in vain.

Emerald Bay

Once I reached the vista point at Emerald Bay (on the west side of the lake), I parked off the road as several other people had done and joined them atop a fenced ledge overlooking the lake. I wanted to stand there all day just gazing at it, but I was in the way of other tourists taking photos and figured that probably wasn't the best place to do that. Plus I knew I had limited time if I want to start my return drive before dark.

So I took another drive around the eastern side of the lake, exploring a bit of South Lake Tahoe (the city) and seeing whether there were any designated trails I could try. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. So after turning off several roads and failing to find anything remotely like what I had imagined, I drove back toward Emerald Bay to try one of the pull-outs there that I had noticed earlier. This time, I was in luck. I pulled by an area that appeared to be a national forest information center during the summer months, but as of now is blanketed in snow and closed off to cars. I noticed some footprints leading into the trees, however, so I surmised that there was no rule against pedestrians. Plus, there was no one around to tell me off if I was doing anything wrong, so why not go for the adventure?

Open meadow!

My sad attempt at a snowman

I'm almost embarrassed to say that I got so excited about being in forest with newly fallen, untouched snow that I literally started running and dancing, and picking up snowballs that I threw at nothing in particular. It made me realize how long it has actually been since I really played in snow like a kid. I mean, why is it that when I go skiing, I forget to actually throw snowballs and build snowmen and roll around in it like a 5 year old? Well don't worry, I didn't roll around in it today, as my pants were too thin to withstand the moisture and cold. But I did build a small snowmen with my bare hands, which I would not recommend. They hurt like hell for several minutes after that while they attempted to warm up to their normal temperature. But otherwise, I have to say that those moments I spent in that forest alone were some of the happiest I have had in a very long time. I think I really needed it, especially the part where I was alone. Because sometimes you just can't share moments like that
with anyone, you know?

Ygritte Costume: The Process

 Although the Game of Thrones costume party that this outfit was really meant for is not for another couple months, I figured I might as well make it early for Halloween just to test it out. I ended up making much more of the costume than I had originally planned, but it turned out surprisingly well considering it was my first time sewing without a pattern (and my second time making a costume at all!). I'll give you a quick run-down of how I constructed each part:

 The Vest
This vest, which I believe we have only seen in promo photos for the next season of the show, turned out to be the most difficult part of the costume. I used a tan faux leather that I ordered online, and while it was surprisingly easy to work with, I soon realized that it was not very forgiving of mistakes. Once you punch a hole in this material, even with just a small pin, it stays there permanently staring you in the face. Luckily I had fur to attach to most of the raw ends, so these holes or rips could be easily hidden.


I used a light blue tank-top as my example, as I like how loosely it fits me and the style is very similar to what I'm going for. I also looked at photos of costumes others have put together to see how exactly the pieces should fit.  After a lot of tracing, cutting, taping, looking back and forth from the photos to the paper, I managed to end up with three different shapes. One of these, the back, would be cut out twice, since both back pieces should be identical. Because Ygritte's actual outfit shows the front pieces as slightly different sizes, I had to cut out two different shapes rather than do the same thing I would be doing with the back. But who said this would be simple?




Starting with the neck lines, I then sewed all four pieces together and attached some faux fur. I ended up having to remove it from the bottom ends later when I cut the vest down smaller, and then reattach it. It wasn't exactly difficult, but definitely very time-consuming. Did I mention that I spent at least 3-4 hours every day for about 2 weeks on this entire costume?

Front

Back

The last thing, which turned out to be the most frustrating for me, was inserting the eyelets/grommets into the sides underneath the armholes. These would secure the punched holes through which a suede lace wove through to tie at the bottom. This was what kept the front and back sides of the vest attached, and I must admit, looked quite stylish.


The Pants


This was probably the simplest part of the costume, and the one that took me the least amount of time to complete. I used a pair of pajama pants (as they are loose and stretchy, which is the look I was going for) as a guide to create a pattern and cut out four pieces from a black faux leather. I quickly sewed them all together and then inserted some more of those cursed grommets into the top for more suede lacing. Unfortunately, after several attempts to tighten them, I still found the pants too loose when I wore them on Halloween and hope to alter that before I wear them again...it would not do to have my pants falling down at a New Years Eve ball, now would it?










The last thing I did-- sparked from the idea given to me by a coworker-- was smudge some white paint onto the outside of the pants to make them look covered in snow and more worn. I was nervous about how it would turn out, hoping I would not have to start all over, but to my amazement it looked even better than I had expected.











The Coat
Now I'll have to admit that the coat actually came about at the last minute. The weekend before Halloween, I found myself nearly finished with the other parts of my costume (including the bow and arrow set, which I'll explain in a minute) and then had the sudden thought-- What will I wear over my costume in the morning? I knew it would be cold and that I would have to wear something over my sleeveless vest, so would it not make the most sense to wear the actual coat Ygritte is seen in every shot wearing? Of course, mine would be made with cheaper fabric so that it would not look very authentic, but at least it would be something. I also had a ton of faux fur leftover, so I figured I might as well use it.





So 3 days before Halloween, I took the cheap grey suede I had bought the day before along with some dark brown cotton lining, and cut out my pieces using a large black coat as my guide. I didn't even bother to cut out pattern pieces this time, as I knew I would be covering most of it with fur anyway. In one night I had put together most of the pieces (front, back, sleeves) without any trouble at all. It seemed I was finally getting the hang of this sewing without directions thing!





I then proceeded to attach the faux fur, which was a tedious process of mostly hand-sewing, but it definitely made all the difference. Oh, and don't let me forget the hood-- that also turned out to be much easier than I had anticipated! Although I would have liked it to be a bit larger, it did cover my head quite well while wearing the wig so I couldn't complain.

Half finished coat with wig and props

The Wig
Now this I had not planned to do anything with other than take it out of the box and place it on my head, but I found it much to curly and frizzy for my liking and decided that something must be done. So I researched ways to straighten out a synthetic wig and discovered that it was as easy as dousing it with boiling water. I then pinned it to a large piece of Styrofoam I had lying around and set it up in my bathtub before pouring the hot water over it. And it worked! The hair was immediately pulled down straight by the weight of the water and dried that way. I had to do the process a couple more times before it was the consistency I wanted, but it ended up working quite well, I think.

Before straightening

After straightening

* P.S. You will also notice in the after straightening photo above (to the right) that my vest is shorter and a bit tighter. 

The Bow and Arrows and Quiver
 Last but not least, my props. I have been long fascinated with archery, and am pretty sure I want to try it out for real after all this is over. I was very tempted to actually shoot my bow and arrow in my apartment just for fun, but decided it probably was not the best idea.

I bought a cheap bow and arrow set at Big 5 with the resolution to alter them in any way I could to make them look like something Ygritte would use. Using photos of her bow and arrows as a guide, I then wrapped some black fabric around the bow and laced some black suede down it in a cross-hatch pattern that I noticed in the photos. I then painted the arrow fletchings white and stuck some feathers over them that I had bought at Michaels. A bit small, but they didn't look too bad.

For the quiver, I bought a PVC pipe and end piece at Home Depot and wrapped it in a loosely sewn black faux leather casing, which I also laced with the suede rope. It may not look quite like hers in the show, but it still seemed to match my costume pretty well. I attached some fur at the top and tied on a strap, adjusting it several times so that I could throw it over my shoulder and still reach the arrows with my shooting hand.





I was actually wearing some new laced boots I bought for my upcoming Dickens Fair costume, which I loosely covered in more black faux leather and wrapped with some dark brown fabric like hers appears to be in some of the photos. I'll have to better adjust that part later so that it doesn't come off while I'm walking, but it worked well enough for a photo at the office, anyway!

You know nothin', Jon Snow.

Happy Halloween!

Okay, so I might be a little obsessed with pumpkin...

As I mentioned in my last post, fall flavors are something I look forward to every year. And I have to admit, I might be a bit of a fanatic. Once I buy a can of pumpkin, I have to use every bit of it. And somehow this last week I managed to make three different recipes using just the one can. Last Sunday, I made my family's favorite pumpkin gingerbread recipe (which I am happy to share with anyone interested-- just be warned, it is so addicting that you might eat almost half of it without realizing until it's too late), and then on Thursday I made some quick pumpkin snickerdoodles as a treat for my brothers who I had convinced to come out to see a movie with me. And then this weekend, I had the sudden urge for pumpkin pancakes. If you love pancakes and pumpkin, putting them together like this is pretty much like heaven. Especially when you drizzle maple syrup on top. And maybe add a dollop of butter or cream (since it's already so unhealthy that adding a bit more fat isn't really going to make a difference, right?).  You can even add some toasted pecans if you feel so inclined. Sometimes you just have to embrace the calories, you know?

 

 

Some of my coworkers are convinced I'm intentionally trying to fatten them up this year. I wish I could say I had a better excuse for baking so much than for my own guilty pleasure, but that would just be lying to everyone as well as myself.

So if you need some inspiration for what to make on lazy weekend mornings that will satisfy your fall flavor craving and keep you full the rest of the day, I can safely say that any of these recipes will work. I also have plenty more where these came from.

Fall Flavors are my Favorite

It has been two weeks since I returned from my glorious trip to Africa, and while I still don't feel fully acclimated to being back in real life, I am so excited that Autumn has begun. It has always been my favorite season- especially when I lived in New York and could feel it in the briskness of the air while walking down the street, watching people clutch their steaming hot mochas and pumpkin spice lattes as they lingered in coffee shops or on the street corners. Even hearing Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett playing in the stores while I shopped or grabbed some food brought a smile to my face, and it is still something that, when I happen to experience it here on the west coast, always reminds me of Fall in NY.


But I have to admit that while I love to see the leaves change colors and feel the weather decline toward winter so I can don my big coat and fashionable scarves, my favorite part of Autumn is the flavors. Any excuse to cook or bake with pumpkin, butternut squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves--among many other things-- is something that I look forward to all year. So in honor of the first day of Autumn last weekend, I decided to give in to temptation and buy some canned pumpkin. Normally I would go through the effort to make my own pumpkin puree by baking a sugar pumpkin and scooping out the gooey interior (as well as roasting the seeds with cinnamon sugar!) since that tends to be more rewarding in the end. But I figured I would wait until closer to Thanksgiving to do that, when the presentation of dishes requires much more intricate preparation. At least, for my family it does.

Plus I decided that since this first recipe was more of an experiment, I didn't want to put in too much effort in case it completely fell apart. This was my first time attempting a roll, or log, and is something that I had actually been wanting to try for a long time now. So once again my coworkers acted as my guinea pigs to test if I had succeeded in pulling it off. Although I was not too thrilled about the presentation of it, the fact that it was nearly gone by lunch told me that I had at least gotten the taste part down. The decorative sugar pumpkins on top were gifted to me by a coworker last week, which is actually what prompted me to start this baking extravaganza in the first place. I'm not sure whether to thank her or curse her.



And then since I had half a can of pumpkin left, I decided on a whim last night to throw together some pumpkin chocolate bars-- much like brownies but with pumpkin instead of chocolate. Smelling the aroma of pumpkin and spices drift through my apartment again was enough to tell me I had made the right decision. I only hope my coworkers won't chide me for throwing tons of buttery baked goods at them so early in the season.

Africa Trip Highlights

Because the entirety of my trip was so incredible, I am afraid that writing about every detail in my blog would be nearly impossible. So instead I have opted to give you a few highlights that will probably always be some of the more memorable parts of my short stay in southern Africa:



1. First night cooking dinner with Daniella in Maun
I'm sure those of you who have known Daniella and me for awhile will understand how important cooking is to our relationship. I mean, we used to get together weekly at her apartment (or sometimes mine) to whip up something tasty.  So after 1 1/2 years of being deprived of each other's company, it was such a relief to be in the kitchen together once again. It felt so natural; like I had already been to her apartment several times before instead of having just arrived. Although we chose something fairly easy- her homemade tortillas with a butternut squash and onion filling and guacamole- it made me so happy to have that experience of cooking with her again that it made no difference what our product was. But of course it turned out delicious. ;)






2. Hitching a ride from Maun to Pandamatenga
It would be easier to tell the story of how Daniella and I almost failed to leave Maun together, as it was such a long and frustrating journey. I will just say that after nearly giving up hope of making it to Pandamatenga that night, we miraculously secured a ride with someone who agreed to take us as far as Nata (a sort of halfway point between Maun and Pandamatenga) where we would meet with our host to take us the rest of the way. I was of course skeptical when Daniella first mentioned the idea of hitch-hiking as I am fully aware that it is illegal and frowned upon in the U.S. But she assured me that it is actually a preferred way to travel for many people in Botswana who cannot afford their own vehicles, and even for those who have vehicles but need help with gas. So it is actually a welcome addition to pick up one or two people who are willing to share in the expense. This was definitely a new experience for me, and, I have to say, quite an exciting one.


3. Waking up to see zebra at the safari lodge
I was thrilled to go out searching for wildlife as soon as we reached Pandamatenga (near Chobe National Park), but never did I imagine it would be as easy as walking out the door of our room at the safari lodge. Our host, Justin, came to me our first morning there and asked if I had seen the zebras yet. I looked at him blankly, wondering if he was joking, before he pointed out the striped herd that had just assembled at the waterhole behind our cabin. I was so shocked to see them- my first African wildlife spotting- that I failed to take a decent photo. So I apologize for that. But how many times do you get to say you woke up, walked outside, and saw a bunch of zebra gathered within 100 feet of you?


4. Sunset safari cruise on the Chobe River

While some parts of this cruise were a bit too touristy for me to want to do again, I have to include this excursion in my highlights just because it was my first time seeing African wildlife up close.  We saw several species of birds, baboons, several species of antelope, buffalo, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, and water monitor lizards. Plus I just really enjoy smooth boat rides, even if it is a bit nerve-wracking knowing that underneath us dwelled hippos and crocodiles.







5. Fancy dinner at Camp Kuzuma while watching elephants battle at a waterhole
Okay, maybe "battle" isn't the right word- but we did witness one elephant snap off part of the tusk of another one! It was loud and sounded really painful, and we saw the tusk go flying. We didn't retrieve it, though, don't worry. But what was most special about that night was sharing a private elegant meal with Daniella (who appreciates good food just as much as I do) on a terrace while watching elephants bathe and/or drink from the nearby waterhole. It was quite a magical moment, I have to say, and one that must be experienced to be appreciated.

6. Rosh Hashanah dinner with my relatives in Johannesburg
This was another one of those surreal experiences. Not only did I get to meet these long lost relatives I had heard vaguely about several years prior, but I got to spend a major Jewish holiday with them. They actually expressed how fortunate my timing was since I was able to meet nearly the entire family and normally it is impossible to gather them all together for one occasion. I learned so much about my family's history, which is something I had always been interested in discovering since I was young. And I got to experience Jewish life in South Africa, which is something I never would have imagined doing even months before this trip. Oh, and did I mention the mountains of delicious food that we had to choose from?


7. Making Christmas cookies with Daniella
As silly as this may sound to most people, Daniella and I felt that we couldn't leave each other without celebrating our favorite holiday together (even if it is a bit early). So we resolved to bake some sugar cookies together, which we then either rolled in cinnamon sugar or cut into Christmas-themed shapes with sprinkles. It made me so happy to sing Christmas carols with her while laughing at our horribly deformed cookies, even if it meant coming to the realization that the actual holiday was not for months.


8. Driving out to the Cradle of Humankind with Daniella
As an archaeologist, I knew I couldn't leave South Africa without seeing where some of the first human species have been discovered. So Daniella and I, without any other mode of transportation, opted to rent a vehicle and drive ourselves out to the Cradle of Humankind about an hour outside of Johannesburg. Well, it took us longer than that to find it of course, and we arrived too late to actually visit the Sterkfontein caves. Fortunately we were still able to explore the Maropeng museum, which ended up being pretty entertaining in itself. I'll just say there was a dodo bird replica spinning in a case in the center of one of the rooms and an indoor raft ride. But the most memorable part of that excursion was probably the drive back to Johannesburg. My phone, which we were using to guide us, died when we got about halfway back. But instead of freaking out (like I was as the driver with no sense of direction), Daniella miraculously was able to guide us back on pure intuition. We were shocked to make it back to the car rental place without any sort of outside help, and just in time to drop of the car before the workers left! We decided to celebrate by going to a Portuguese restaurant in the nearby upscale shopping area for some good food and wine.


9. Walking atop Table Mountain in Cape Town
This had to be the best way to spend my last day in South Africa-- atop one of the most beautiful places in the world. Well, it was recently rated as 1 of 7 of the world's wonders of nature. I had no idea how spectacular it would be until I had gotten off the cable car and walked toward the railing where there was a view down toward Cape Town and the ocean beyond. There were several trails running around the mountain so I walked along one of them for a couple hours, basking in the beauty surrounding me. I can't even explain how elated I felt up there, alone with nature. I knew it was where I was meant to be at that time; such a perfect place to reflect on the last week and remind myself how incredibly lucky I was to be alive and loved.

10. Watching the U.S. Open with my relatives in Cape Town
While tennis is not an enormous part of my life, it is something that connects me with the rest of my family. It is the only sport all 5 of us (my parents, two brothers, and I) will all watch together, and will actually play together. So to sit down with these distant relatives in South Africa, who remind me quite a bit of my family in many ways already, and watch that sport of all sports, made me feel so at home. Like I was back home with my own parents and brothers.

Maun- First Impressions

So I have been in Maun, Botswana for almost
three days now and have to admit that I am surprised by how different it is than I expected. When I walked out of the small Maun airport with Daniella (who I was extremely happy to see), I found myself looking at a small paved intersection lined with cafes and shops. There were no people walking around with baskets atop their heads or taxi drivers rushing up to us insisting on driving us somewhere, like in Accra in Ghana. In fact, Daniella actually had to bargain with a taxi driver (ironically after explaining that bargaining wasn't necessary here) to take us to her flat, which was only about a 5 minute drive away. The only reason we didn't walk was because I had luggage to drag around, and the sides of the paved streets are lined with sand rather than concrete. Daniella had to remind me that we were in part of the Kalahari Desert, which explained the dry heat rather than humidity I was accustomed to in Ghana. This was a whole part of Africa I had never experienced, and I cannot wait to see what else is in store for me.


I don't want to bore you with the details of how I got here, as the 20 hours of flying was spent either trying to sleep or distract myself with inflight movies or books I brought with me. I flew from San Francisco to Atlanta (4 1/2 hours), then from Atlanta to Johannesburg (15 hours) and spent the night in a somewhat cheap hotel nearby that provided a free shuttle service. I then woke up the next morning and returned to the airport for another short flight to Maun. Although I didn't really get to see much of South Africa yet, it was fun listening to people talk as they all seemed to have slightly varying accents.

After Daniella picked me up and took me back to her place to drop off my stuff, we walked to one of her favorite restaurants in town (a small cafe with vegetarian options set under a canopy in a small garden) and enjoyed each others company as well as some nice light food. We then headed to this American-style cafe (where I am currently sitting) to utilize the free wi-fi service for answering emails and so on. After that we stopped at the grocery store and headed back to her place to cook dinner. It was amazing how easily we fell back into our rhythm; like it had only been a week since our last cooking extravaganza rather than 2 1/2 years. It didn't even matter that we were in a completely different atmosphere. That was also when I got to meet Daniella's temporary roommate Amza, who is a youth that she has worked with extensively and to whom she has very generously offered her home. As is tradition here in Botswana, she assigned me the Setswana name Lorato, which means "love."

Yesterday and today Daniella has had to work, so I have spent the time catching up on reading, writing, and exploring. I walked along the Thamalakane River near her flat, which is flocked with grazing cattle and birds, and then into town today for some food and internet. The streets are so quiet and peaceful, and I find that I feel much safer walking around this town than I did in Accra where I was constantly being harassed by someone either wanting to sell me something or drive me somewhere. I can see why Daniella loves it.







Tomorrow is Daniella's last day of work (which she has promised to cut short so we can make afternoon tea and scones, hehe) before we head out on Friday for our first big adventure. A friend of hers has generously offered to host us at a safari lodge (for free!) in Chobe National Park and then take us the next morning on a safari drive followed by a sunset cruise on the Chobe River. I can't even express how excited I am for this. :D :D :D

Africa Itinerary!

Less than two days until I leave for Africa and I can hardly sit still. In fact, this entire week I have been restless and have had trouble focusing on anything other than my trip. I have probably annoyed the hell out of Daniella by constantly asking her last minute questions and my dad who has helped me get in contact with the relatives I will be visiting...but I just can't help it. I'm excited.

Although nothing is set in stone yet, here is the most current itinerary I have planned (subject to change). I'm sure you'll notice that there aren't many details yet, which will have to come after the trip is over, I'm afraid:

Saturday, August 24th
-Depart SFO
-Layover in Atlanta
-Depart Atlanta for Johannesburg

Sunday, August 25th
-Arrive in Johannesburg and spend night in hotel

Monday, August 26th
-Depart Johannesburg for Maun
-Arrive in Maun and see Daniella!

Tuesday, August 27th-Friday, August 30th
-Hang out/explore Maun with Daniella

Friday, August 30th
-Take bus to Chobe National Park
-Stay at a super nice safari lodge that will be available to us free of charge

Saturday, August 31st
-Go on a safari and a sunset river cruise on the Chobe River
-Return to Maun

Sunday, September 1st
-Take long bus ride to Johannesburg

Monday, September 2nd-Wednesday, September 4th
-Visit my relatives in Johannesburg
-Visit Apartheid museum in Johannesburg
-Visit Cradle of Humankind outside the city

Thursday, September 5th-Friday, September 6th
-Hike in the Drakensburg Escarpment

Saturday, September 7th
-Say farewell to Daniella and depart Johannesburg for Cape Town
-Arrive in Cape Town

Saturday, September 7th-Monday, September 9th
-Explore Cape Town and visit relatives

Tuesday, September 10th
-Depart Cape Town for Johannesburg, then depart Johannesburg for Atlanta

Wednesday, September 11th
-Layover in Atlanta
-Depart Atlanta for SFO
-Arrive home

One week until Africa!

So I'm leaving for Africa in a week and almost all I can think about is how excited I am to catch up with my friend Daniella. Of course, I cannot wait to finally step foot in one of the countries I have dreamed about since I was a child with all its exotic scenery, wildlife, and cultural history. The idea of going on a safari and seeing elephants and giraffes and zebras in wild just makes me want to squeal like a 5-year old who just found out he gets to go to Disney World for his birthday (Granted, I would probably still do that now if I was offered a free trip to Disney World). And after studying archaeology for about 3 years, I would never forgive myself for leaving South Africa without visiting the Sterkfontein caves where some of the oldest members of our species have been discovered.

I also should mention that I have distant relatives from my father's side of the family (the original Fittinghoffs--yes, with the "h") living in different parts of South Africa. My dad was actually able to get in contact with one of them who said that his family may be able to show me around. I cannot put into words how amazing it would be to even meet these people I've wondered about most of my life, so I am crossing my fingers that it works out!

On Arthur's Crag in Edinburgh

But let me get back to the real reason I'm even going on this trip-- to see Daniella. Ever since we became friends my freshman year in Florence, she has been one of the most important people in my life. No matter where either of us is in the world, I find myself  wanting so badly to ask her advice when I need to make an important decision. She knows and understand me in a way that no one else does, and appreciates so many of the little things that I do (books, food, traveling, etc.). Plus she has been by my side for many of the crucial changes I've gone through. How could I then pass up the chance to fly off to southern Africa to visit her? She will give me the local perspective that almost every traveler desires, and I will get to catch up on quality time with her that I've been lacking for the past year and a half. It almost seems to perfect to be true.


Every day I get closer to my departure date, the more sure I am about this decision. Of course there are still things that make me anxious-- the thought of sitting on a plane for 15 hours (not including the connecting flights), the thought of getting sick from the food like I did in Ghana, the thought of getting lost in a strange city once I am traveling alone, the thought of not having enough time to do everything I want to do-- but I am finding that for now the excitement for everything else outweighs those thoughts. Although this trip is not as planned out as I would normally like, I am looking forward to the surprises that are in store for me. I know that Daniella will be an amazing host and tour guide while I am with her, and I trust my own ability to find my way once I am alone. After all, I used to take mini trips throughout Italy by myself after only being away from home for a couple months.

There's nothing quite like a homemade scone

As promised, I am finally going to share a recipe with you.  Last night I decided it was time to use up some ingredients- more because it was bothering me to see them every time I opened the fridge rather than because they were going bad.  I had some heavy cream leftover from last weekend and of course the first thing I thought of to make with it was my go-to breakfast item- Scones.  I have probably made scones more than any other pastry, since I just love the contrast of the almost sour soft bread-like interior with the lightly crisp golden brown edges.  Not to mention the variety of possible additions depending on my mood, from fresh raspberries to dried cranberries to pumpkin to chocolate chips.  Scones are such a versatile food, and can be just as delicious no matter what you put in them.  So what's not to like?

Here is the recipe I came up with (after glancing at a couple others I found online for tips) for BLUEBERRY LEMON SCONES:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt (I used sea salt for added kick)
Zest from one lemon
1 cup blueberries
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. melted butter
Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2.  Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl.   Gently add blueberries until thoroughly mixed. 
3.  Make a well in the center and add the heavy cream and lemon juice, stirring slowly to combine.  (You may have to add more heavy cream if it is not sticky enough).  You will have a large ball of dough.
4.  Split the dough into three equal balls and flatten the tops slightly.  Cut each into quarters so that you have 12 scones.  Line them on the baking sheet, spacing at least 2 in. apart.  Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
5.  Bake scones for 15-20 min. until golden brown.  Let cool on baking sheet for 5-10 min. 
*Although I got too impatient and didn't do this, I would recommend letting them cool (without covering) until room temperature so that the exterior is allowed to harden and not get soggy. 

Enjoy!

And the sewing continues

So the last time - and first time, actually - that I sewed something for myself was the costume I wore last year for the Dickens Fair, which you can see in my previous post about learning to sew.  Since then, I have not really had an occasion to make a costume or piece of clothing I would actually use.  I finally decided a couple weeks ago that it was time I used my machine again, since I don't want my purchase of it to have been a waste.  Plus I think it a good idea to practice every once in awhile so I don't lose the techniques I spent so much time learning.





 I hope to eventually get accustomed to cutting and measuring fabric using my own judgment, but for now I will continue to learn by use of patterns.  This one I grabbed at Joann was for a simple summer dress with elastic.  I figured this was a good next step since I have not used elastic before and would also have the freedom to choose almost any type of fabric I wanted.  Although I somewhat regret my decision now, as I find it a bit too stiff and shiny, I ended up with a flowery fabric that at first glance I found to be quite pretty. 





























Of course there are small details that I would go back and fix if I were to make this again, but for my first project in over 6 months, I don't think it turned out too shabby.  And that's all I have to say about that.  Time to clean up all the thread and bits of fabric strewn all over my living room...

Daydreaming about Africa...

So as I mentioned in my second blog post, I am flying off to southern Africa at the end of next month to visit a close friend.  This will actually be my second time on that continent, as I studied abroad (with this same friend, I might add) in the fall of my junior year at NYU in Ghana (2009).  If you'd like more details about that experience, I actually have an old blog that I kept while I was there: http://katianajones.blogspot.com/
I have to apologize in advance for my writing in that one, as I was usually in a hurry (we had very limited internet) and most of it came out in stream-of-consciousness. 

What's funny is that before going to Ghana, I had this idea in my head of what most of Africa was like.  I pictured going on a safari, visiting ancient archaeological sites, and living out in a hut in the wilderness.  But of course what I experienced was completely different, and something I still have a hard time explaining.  I am aware of what most people imagine when I do describe particular places or events, since- and I know I'm using a cliche here- you really have to have been there to know what it was like.  Let me just share with you some highlights:

  

Canopy walk in Kakum National Park

Seeing people carry things like this every time I walked down the street, like it was no big deal.

   

Seeing these awesome lizards running around!

Swimming under a 70 meter high
waterfall (the tallest in West Africa)

Learning an ancient warrior dance

Getting bit by a monkey at a zoo

View on the beach at sunset

And now that I'm going to Botswana and South Africa, I will finally get to do what I had dreamed about my entire life.  I will get to see some of the wildlife that is unique to the African continent.  That's not all, of course; I plan to visit some archaeologically significant sites, museums, and whatever else my friend Daniella has in store for us.  Although we have not settled on a schedule yet, I have a basic idea of what I hope to do:

1. Spend time in Maun, the capital city of Botswana, where Daniella currently lives
2.  Take a canoe trip along the Okavango Delta 
3. Visit Chobe National Park, home of hundreds of elephants as well as other wildlife
3.  Travel to Johannesburg and stay with another of our friends from the NYU Ghana program who happens to live there
4. Visit Nelson Mandela's house, the Apartheid museum, and whatever else is recommended in that city
5. Take a day trip to the Cradle of Humankind, home of some of the oldest hominin fossils ever found
6.  Possibly travel down to Lesotho, the Switzerland of Africa, to go hiking
7. Visit Cape Town (where dwell the only penguins on the African continent!)

I leave San Francisco on Saturday August 24th, arriving in Johannesburg on Sunday evening.  I then leave Johannesburg on Tuesday, September 10, arriving back in San Francisco on Wednesday morning.  :)

Baking as an Art

Croissants

For those who know me, you already understand how important baking is in my life.  No matter where I am- an apartment in NYC, a small dorm with gas ovens in Ghana, out in the woods of the Yukon, or at home with my parents- I will find a way to do it.  Baking is not only a means of getting through the day (although some days it is the only thing), but to me it has always been the means of bringing people together.  Many recipes I go back to time and again are ones that I associate with particular people or events, and the biggest motivation to actually cook or bake is to see the reactions of others as they enjoy the results.  Of course much of what I choose to make is for selfish purposes- I tend to bake whatever I am in the mood for on a particular day or whatever new challenge I want to conquer.

Vanilla macarons

Nutella crepes

But I have to say I am most proud of the creations that are produced solely for a particular person or event, because those are the ones that allow me to be the most creative.

 From left to right: Bailey's Chocolate chip cheesecake for St. Paddy's day, Vanilla web cake with candied ginger spider, Chocolate peanut butter cake with Hunger Games fondant decorations for a friend's birthday.

In the future I will share the recipes along with my creations for those who want to tackle them or who are just interested in the process I go through.  I have a tendency to use whatever ingredients and materials I have on hand, so be warned that I have no professional experience and merely do all of this just for my own amusement.  To me, baking is definitely an art- The mixing of simple ingredients in the correct amounts in order to create something so beautiful and delicious.  And if one decides to add more decoration, it becomes even more appetizing to the eyes and taste buds.  I can't say it's not work, but I absolutely love the entire process.   Especially since the reward- eating and sharing the finished product- is so worth it.

 

 

Secret Pie Party in the back of the "pedo-van" in the Yukon