12.31.09
Posted in hobbies, knitting and crocheting at 4:29 pm by Administrator
Well, this is it! Last day of the year. Once again, we’re cooking and heading over to my parents’ house to usher in the new year with them. Cookies and pies are out of the oven. Muffins are in. Stew is cooked, chickens are steeping, veggies have been cut and washed, shrimp and salmon are waiting in the wings until later, so I have a few moments to add one final post for 2009. Nothing heavy to post about, just a couple things to share that I learned this year that I’ve had on my list of things to learn. One is a knitted tam or beret. As usual, I like to try them out in baby size first. So, I made one for Banini. Here he is with Brian at my parents’ house after Christmas. Be warned that Banini is very particular who holds him. Only a select few are allowed, and if this picture is any indication, Brian is not one of the select, heheh. Neither am I for that matter, wah. I so much wanted to hold him, too. . .
This is Banini modeling the beret I knit for him when he’s a little happier.
And here is his backside, which also shows another angle of the beret. Hee! He’s so cute. . .
The other thing I learned how to make just before the year ended is mini needle punch. I have wanted to try this for literally years now. I have even bought a little kit to get my feet wet. I think I purchased this kit about a year ago. . .
This is my first time trying an iron-on design. It’s super easy, and now I want to try to make my own design. I’m also wondering if I can reuse the iron-on transfer and change the color scheme to make a set of these.
Here it is in progress after I finally got the hang of it. It’s a very simple process, but it took a little practice once I figured out which was the appropriate size needle, how to thread it, and then which direction the needle worked. It’s worked from the back, and the actual design comes out on the other side like latch hook rugs.
It works up pretty fast, and here is it completed.
Now I’ve got to figure out how I want to display this thing. Make it into a small pillow, or frame it or what? I also found some other old cross stitch things I made years ago, which I should assemble as well.
And that about wraps up the last minute things I learned to make in 2009. Shortly I know I’ll be going over what I want to learn in 2010. I’m currently reading Eating Animals, by Foer and just as I suspected, I’m learning something more that I had not realized. It’s likely gonna influence my 2010 new years’ resolution.
Okay, bye 2009! Welcome 2010! HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
Marlakins
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12.27.09
Posted in cooking, food and restaurants at 12:59 pm by Administrator
Just waiting for Brian to finish up with his breakfast before heading out. In the meantime I thought I’d update with a belated Merry Christmas wish to all! Hope it was great. We had a nice simple one, and as usual, I loved it. As I’ve mentioned before, our family starts to celebrate each Christmas with a Christmas dinner at my parents’ house. But first we start cooking at home. This year I got a nice group of helpers and couldn’t resist taking this picture of them.
Aaron was helping to form the pie crusts, Andrew was mixing the cookie dough, and Brian must have been washing something.
Here’s a pic of my sisters and me after we stuffed ourselves.
Then we all hang about with each other until midnight when we open all our Christmas gifts. Until then we occupy our time eating and yakking and whatever we drum up for entertainment. This year the boys gave us a little performance. We took their keyboard and Chinese zither to my parents’ house this Christmas eve. Here’s Matty playing for us.
Then it was Aaron’s turn.
Aaron also played the keyboard for us. Since he has progressed so nicely, we got him a new upgraded keyboard for Christmas.
A few Christmases ago Matty and Aaron were working on making puppets for a play for us. The year before the boys made a play with hand puppets and we all had a blast with it. So this time they worked so hard on it for most of that summer, then Matty hurt his ankle badly and never finished all his puppets. The partially finished puppets sat in the closet for a couple years, and this year he remembered them and brought one of his puppets to share with the clan. It’s supposed to be a dragon, but it’s a bit skinny, ha! And my dad said that the poor thing looks “scary,” and should be for Halloween instead of Christmas, ha! But they had fun playing with it, anyway.
Here’s a closer shot of this monster creature. Well, it’s not supposed to be a monster. Matty was into dragons at the time, and that’s what it was supposed to be.
Matty said that he was anxious for Christmas because there were “presents that needed opening.” Ha ha! As every Christmas eve, it zoomed by, and in no time it was time to open the presents. Then after all that hard work. . . heheheh, it was time to eat some more. Desserts are always good at this time.
Afterward we watched a rental until past 2AM, and then called it a night. So another Christmas gone by. . .
Here’s a pic of my family that night. We generally take the Christmas family pic at my parents’ house because we don’t usually put up a tree at our house. This year the little stuffed tree I have was given to me by one of my knit group pals.
As usual, our family Christmas is casual. Years ago we used to get more dressed up, but as time has gone on, we’ve decided it’s much more comfortable to wait until midnight in casual wear.
Oh, and one final picture I wanted to share is of a couple items my Isle of Man friends sent to me. It’s a cute little Santa that I set on my mantle at home as well as a little Merry Christmas pillow.
So now the calm before the next storm–New Year eve! In case I don’t get a chance to update before the new year. . . HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Marlakins
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12.21.09
Posted in food and restaurants at 9:00 pm by Administrator
My dad treated us all out last night at La Petit Greek on Larchmont. In the spirit of playing the tourist, food critic, and just plain reciprocating restaurant reviews for those out there who enjoy reviewing food as much as I do, I thought I’d put in a plug for La Petit Greek. The food was very good. . . This time I was a little better at remembering to take pictures before digging in, although I did miss a few things. With that said, we started off with a few appetizers served with pita bread. This was their hummus.
I was too slow taking a picture of the baba ghanoush (eggplant dish), so there’s only half a dish here. Just goes to show that the gang couldn’t wait to dig in. The dish in the background was too far gone to bother taking a picture. It was tarama (whipped caviar dip).
Here’s their village salad, which is basically Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, purple onions, feta cheese, and olives.
Here’s their kalamari (grilled octopus).
For the main courses, my dad and my boys had the lamb shank.
My sister had the lamb chops. Looks like she already started in on it before I snapped the shot. . .
Her hubby had the Delphi pasta.
Mom had the seafood kabob.
Brian and my other sister split the lamb back because this dish was especially prepared for two. Talk about a lot of meat! Wow. After the stuffed themselves Aaron and Andrew ate some, too. Then I turned it over to discover there was “more” meat underneath. So we took it home and I polished it off today for both breakfast and lunch. Oh and how yum it was, too, even when cold! This dish also came with a side of sauteed veggies–lemon potatoes, carrots, and Brussel sprouts, IIRC.
I had the sauteed sea bass in lemon dill sauce. I know it’s hard to see at first glance, but there is a nice piece of sea bass underneath that smathering of veggies. The sea bass was cooked just right. It was very tender and almost melted in my mouth. The asparagus were lightly cooked and nice and crisp. Definitely well-prepared.
There was a complimentary communal dessert afterward, but I refrained from partaking. And since I’m just about out of room for pics on this one post I’ll skip the dessert pics and I’ll just add one more of Brian and me at la Petit Greek.
Now I’ve read some reviews for this restaurant wherein claims were made that the food was great, but the service snooty. We did not experience that. Last night I found the food to be very good and the service to be just as good. On the Marlakin’s rating scale, I give La Petit Greek two thumbs up.
Three more days to Christmas!
Marlakins
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12.20.09
Posted in hobbies, knitting and crocheting at 4:05 pm by Administrator
About four more days until Christmas. . . Are you ready? I’m coming along okay now. For a while things got pretty hectic, but I think it looks like things are now starting to fall into place (therefore the moment to blog, heheheh). Most of my cards are out, just a couple little items more to purchase, the few decorations I’ve put out for the house are out, and then the grub for the Christmas Eve dinner will top off the list of things that need to get done. But I’ll start picking up those things on Wednesday.
Yesterday our knit group had our Christmas luncheon, and boy was that yummy! I really enjoyed it, and to top it off, our host made all of us these cute little stuffed Christmas trees. I’ve place it right on my living room table.
Here’s a close up of it.
This year we’ve only lightly decorated. I have a big ribbon on the front door with several poinsettia plants along the porch. The only Christmas lights are just framing the doorway. Although it’s just a little, I think it gives just enough flare for some holiday cheer.
Speaking of making things, this year I made some Christmas cards. I had a pattern for about thirty little miniature cross stitch stockings. Here’s what some of them looked like in progress.
Here’s how some of them came out on the cards.
I couldn’t fit them all on one picture, so here are a few more.
I started to address them as I made them, then realized that I forgot to take pictures of all the completed ones. Oh well. Here’s a close up of one of them.
I also managed to finish a pair of socks for Aaron. He made me laugh when he gasped in shock seeing his “hairy” legs on the picture, hehehe.
Here’s a baby vest in the works that my mom asked me to make for her neighbor.
And here’s the vest completed along with a little baby beret.
Okay, that’s about it for now. My dad has invited us all out for dinner tonight at La Petit Greek, so I better make sure my crew are all clean and have clean cloths for tonight. Gee, I guess I’d better find something to wear, too! Toodles!
Marlakins
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