2012 Election Night Coverage is ON

Loyal and early readers may remember that Election night 2008 I spent it making tasty food, drinking a lot of wine, and drunk dialing Tim, Michnya, and Michelle.

This year election night cover is ON.  Don't think that me being four years older and wiser and me settling down with a fiance and cat is going to make me not spend the whole night recapping the night with electoral vote counts and photos of what was going on.  We're not sure if we'll be watching it at home or watching at Erin's house with Buffalo dip.  I think for Ricky's sake, it'll depend on how well Obama is doing so he's not too bummed at a friend's house.  Either way, I think I'll be making mitten cookies and a board.  The low rent version of this...

If we watch it at Matt's house, maybe I'll send him out on the street to do off site coverage. 

I also downloaded Blogger for my phone so I can blog the night away straight from my fancy phone no matter where I am.  Technology at work four years later!  Progress!

I also took some time to reread my 2008 series and it's amazing how different things are since 2008.  Most of my friends have since gotten married and even had children.  I work at a dream job in Boston.  And I met the love of my life and we've adopted a cat that we love (perhaps too much) and are making a great life together.  So yes, Mitt Romney, when you ask if your life is better than it was four years ago... I'd say yes.

Pouring out some blackberry jam

Got Biscuits?


I saw on my friend Michelle's wall some sad news coming out of Nashville. It seems The Biscuit Lady Carol Fay Ellison has passed away after 3 1/2 weeks in the hospital at the age of 48. Man! She seemed like such a lovely lady and a riot.

She also made the best biscuits I've ever had in my life. Readers may remember my failed biscuit attempt a few months back. She truly had a biscuit gift, so much so that she went up against Bobby Flay in a throwdown. She lost (which I still think is BS) but still kept her title as The Loveless Cafe's Biscuit Lady.

So thanks so much, Carol Fay, for one of the best meals in my life. When I return to Nashville, I will eat at your restaurant and think fondly of your culinary gifts.

Biscuit FAIL

This morning, I decided to be a nice girlfriend and make Ricky fresh biscuits. I have some biscuit mix and jams, and I've been storing them so they keep. We had a really busy weekend, so why not relax with biscuits?

The biscuits I'm talking about are the biscuits from the Loveless Cafe. I went there last winter to visit Michnya and Michelle, loved it, and then for Christmas they sent me this kit. I gave the biscuit kit to other people -- my mom loved it, and I don't think Erin ever even used the mix -- so I know it's pretty easy to whip up a batch.

Maybe I was smoking crack when I thought this, because dear Lord... it was a nightmare.

They recommended you put it out on flour, then put more flour the top, then flour your rolling pin. Afterwards, you cut them into 2-inch circles and bake them. Brush melted butter on top, add jam, and you have yourself a meal.

This is what it's supposed to look like:


This what I produced:


Yep, not quite smooth, golden, or circular. The dough was quite gooey. I put it out on a pile of flour, and it managed to find the small crevices of non-flour on my table and stick to it. I poured more flour on top of the mass and then lots on my rolling pin, and when I rolled it out, the gooey insides peaked out and stuck to the rolling pin. I poured more flour on top.

When I managed to have it be a flattened length, I cut it into 2-inch circles. Then I couldn't get them off the table. I tried a spatula. Nothing. So instead, I kind of took each circle and balled them up. Which made my fingers a gooey mess. Ricky offered to help, but I was so fed up I banished him from the kitchen.

They were still tasty, but not quite as aesthetically pleasing as I had hoped. Next time, I'm sticking to my homemade oatmeal.

I can't stress this enough... THERE IS A SONIC COMING TO MASSACHUSETTS

Yes, can I get everything pictured to go, along with a malt shake? K thanks bye.


This may surprise some readers, since I tend to promote healthy eating and exploring the unique restaurants in your community, but this makes me excited. I think because it's so foreign to my area, and yet so tasty and almost a guilty pleasure. Some fellow bloggers have also seen this news story and have blogged about it, and I'm finally getting around to it.

There is a Sonic coming to Massachusetts.

I was out with some friends Thursday night, and my friend Annette told me in passing that Sonic was coming to Peabody. I kind of flipped out, then texted Erin immediately. She responded "c'est une miracle!" and managed to spread the word via gchat, facebook, and now the blog.

I've been curious about Sonic for years, since TBS has been playing ads for this fast food chain on their station. This makes sense, since TBS is based out of Atlanta, but doesn't help me out, since I don't live in the South. As great as that Sweetheart Sundae looks... I can't run out to my car and get there.

Last year when visiting Michelle and Michnya in Nashville, we passed one and I begged her to take me to one, so I could say I've experienced it. It was pretty awesome. Sooo delicious. I think I just had a shake and fries, but it was enough.

I like how all-encompassing it is, and that it's a taste of something different. The idea of having to go to Rt. 1 for this is a bitch (North Shore people will understand where I'm coming from on this one) but will be worth it. I'm also sure that it will be packed for awhile, since there are plenty of people like me who have been waiting for this day since high school, but when I do get there, it'll be worth it.

All I need now is a White Castle, an In-and-Out Burger, and (most of all) a Tim Horton's in the area, and my guilty pleasure fast food life will be complete.

Here's a map I found online of the core markets and developing markets of Sonic. Add lil ol' Mass to the map and color it blue!

Craaaaaziness

So Dustin let me run in the middle of the day to the Northshore Mall to try and get a gift card. Sadly, that resulted in an epic fail, since everyone else had a similar idea and so the traffic was horrific. I did get a lot of shopping done at Newbury Comics, though. I was able to knock off the rest of Erin, the twins, and The Miches. Part of me was telling myself "just make them things and save money" but then I realized that the time for that was months ago. I think next year will be more of a homemade Christmas.

All of this does not result in the craziness. No, that involves a random run-in I had with a high school classmate. I was wandering around trying to think what to get Danielle when I looked up and there was a girl I went to high school with and her baby. It was bizarre. She looked, first off, FANTASTIC for having a 4-month-old baby. I was a little jealous, as I've seen the women in my family, and it will not be pretty if I ever get to that point.

We then did the "what are you up to?" and "who do you still talk to?" stuff. And the whole time I'm thinking this:

Wow! WOW! I went to high school with this girl, and at the time we had a ton in common... but now, almost 7 years later, our lives have diverged greatly. She has been married for 5 years, has a baby, and a house, and all that. I can't keep a boyfriend for more than 3 months, but have a good job, a Bachelor's Degree from a very good college, an active social life, and live in a city on my own (relatively speaking). Neither one is right or wrong, but just so different.

It's also odd to think that we're that old that all these things make sense for both of us. Just crazy.

But yes. Great to see her, but also left me thinking "how is it that my high school classmates are married with kids?! Wasn't I in high school like five minutes ago??"


I will say, I kind of can't wait for Christmas to be over, since all this purchasing and gearing up always stresses me out. It's one of my least favorite holidays, since it's so based on commercialism and stuff. I wish there was less focus on that, and more on family and what this day means. Alas... I'm sounding a little bit like Linus right now.

9:12: Obama 175, McCain 64

This is a milk glass, that was filled, and it's almost done. I'm also chatting with Michnya and Michelle. 2012, we need to have our own political commentary. It'll beat the pants off of NBC.

It's a white wine, if you can't tell. And some npr.org and AIM action.

Man, I wish TN wasn't so far away!!

8:51: Obama 103, McCain 34

Chatting with Michnya online. I think if I was drinking, watching it with the Miches, and commenting with them, this would be a wonderful night.

Glass 1 of wine is over. Lush status, here we come!

Also, Michelle is drinking boxed wine. Lushes in MA and TN!