The Best Roast Chicken I Have Ever Made

I'm not much into New Year's resolutions. For instance, this year I'm pretending to learn how to play Careless Whisper on the saxophone (though if anyone feels like teaching me how to play we can make this really happen) and actually sort of trying to use Twitter more. However, my friend Pete is determined to learn how to cook for himself this year and he enlisted me to help him achieve this goal. It has been an interesting exercise for both of us because he gets to ask all sorts of questions while I'm making something and I have to actually figure out how to answer them. In doing so I've realized just how much of my cooking skills came from watching my relatives. I've also come to really appreciate the fact that I grew up in a family where cooking and, well, food in general was kind of a big deal. If you aren't exposed to that on a regular basis I can see how cooking can be a bit of a mystery. 

So far we've made lasagna, marinara sauce, and roast chicken. I'm going to talk about the roast chicken because oh my God, it was amazing. Now, you may be thinking "What? A roast chicken? I've made that before. It's no big deal." Which is my point. This chicken is a big deal. This chicken will change your life. Ok, maybe not. But, if for some reason your life revolves around not being able to make the best roast chicken of all time, then this actually will change your life.

I actually have been interested in perfecting my roast chicken technique ever since I saw those lovely golden birds while in Paris last year. I could always make a perfectly serviceable bird, but it was never quite right--the skin was too soggy or the breast meat was too dry. Well, I'm proud to say that this chicken had a wonderfully golden, crispy skin along with the moistest meat (worst word combo ever) I've tasted. So I'm just going to go ahead and belatedly declare this my New Year's Resolution. Status: Accomplished.

Recipe Notes

I combined two recipes from Thomas Keller and Ina Garten and the result was the most golden, moist, and flavorful chicken I've ever had. I like Keller's method but it lacked any seasoning besides salt and pepper. I've made Ina's famous engagement chicken before but I liked this simpler recipe for lemon chicken which still makes use of the lemons and onions which provide the base of the incredible sauce that is served with the engagement chicken. Instead, this recipe includes home made croutons as an accompaniment, which I made using some bread I had baked earlier in the day.

For this recipe I used a kosher chicken which comes basically brined (more on that here). If your chicken isn't kosher I would strongly recommend brining it yourself (good how-to here) in order to get the moistest bird possible. In any case, make sure you spring for the highest quality bird you can get, as it really does make a difference. I also used my trusty grapeseed oil instead of the butter in Ina's version and the nothing in Keller's. I think it gave the chicken a nice, even golden brown color. 

Ingredients

1 3 1/2-4 pound chicken unwashed, at room temperature, with giblets removed

1 medium yellow onion, thickly sliced

1-2 lemons, cut into quarters

Kosher salt

Pepper

Grapeseed oil

Butcher's twine

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

1. Dry chicken using paper towels both inside and out. Make sure to really dry the chicken as much as possible as any excess moisture will make your chicken skin soggy. 

2. Sprinkle inside and outside of chicken liberally with salt and pepper. 

3. Stuff cavity with lemons and onions

4. Brush chicken with grapeseed oil

5. Truss chicken with butcher's twine (great video here)

6. Place chicken breast side up on the roasting rack of a roasting pan and pour about a 1/3 a cup of water  or a couple of ice cubes into the pan. This will help keep your oven from getting too smokey during the cooking process. 450 degrees is super hot and my oven got pretty smokey from all that sizzling fat, but the water or ice cubes should help combat this a bit.

7. Cook chicken for 50-60 minutes, until the internal temp is 165. Try not to open the oven during the roasting process as that increases your cooking time and can dry the chicken out.

8. Remove twine and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

9. Carve that sucker up and enjoy the BEST ROAST CHICKEN EVER.

I have a terrible aversion to leftovers but even I thought this chicken was still great the next day. Of course, after that I cracked and set about turning the Best Roast Chicken Ever into the Best Chicken Soup Ever, but that recipe will have to wait for another time.

P.S. I have a piece up on The Toast that I'm really proud of. Give it a read!

Postcard From London: An Afternoon In Kensington

The way I decide what to do with my days is a combination of touristy stuff and life stuff, i.e. "I should go see ___ but I also need to buy milk." Today I decided to go to Kensington because they have a Whole Foods and I wanted some 'green' shampoo. I also thought I could walk around Kensington Palace and maybe see that exhibit about famous royal dresses. 

On a whim, or more truthfully because I got on the wrong train, I ended up in my old neighborhood and was shocked at how very little had changed: There was the KFC I never went to and the cafe where my mom insulted a waiter by asking if she was going to get mad cow disease from eating the ribeye. And, rather shockingly, there was the very same homeless man panhandling in the very same spot outside Barclay's. His hair was mostly grey now and his dog was different but hey, I had changed too. 

As I walked down the street, I realized that as much as I had always told myself (and other people) that I would return to London one day, there really had been no guarantee. Yet, here I was, seven years older and twenty pounds heavier, walking down the very same street in the very same neighborhood I had lived in. What a gift, I thought to myself. How lucky that I was able to do this. It very easily could never have happened. 

I didn't make it to the Fashion Rules exhibit because I wasn't about to shell out 15 pounds to the monarchy. Pssh. They should pay for their own exhibit about themselves, I reasoned. Then I paid the equivalent of $12 for a bottle of shampoo, but at least it will last a while and actually do something.

Anyways, I returned home later to yet another rejection email from a literary journal and despite where I was and what I had just experienced, I felt like a total failure. After wallowing for a few minutes and tweeting about my wallowing to my 37 followers, I realized that the way I was defining success was making me miserable. I could literally be walking around my favorite city on a beautiful summer day, having an actual life experience--but not getting a story published in a journal that probably very few people read, other than those who have been published in it themselves, could ruin everything. I could see myself willing to trade this whole day or even this whole trip for a published story. And for what? What, exactly, would it do for my life? Could it really make me any happier or more satisfied than I am right now? I'm not sure anymore. I do know that I need to change my way of thinking--easier said than done, of course, but necessary.  

Reliving London

July 2nd, 2006

"I already know I'm going to miss this city. I can feel it in my stomach..."

On Monday at approximately 9 am I will touch down in London seven years after leaving. Far too much time has passed, but life got in the way--as it always does. I've spent the better part of a year planning this trip, this escape, and yet I've been filled with anxiety about all the what ifs: What if my luggage gets lost? What if my credit cards don't work? What if someone steals my computer? What if I want to come home?

While looking for my combination lock this afternoon, I found the diary I kept while I was in London: 

 July 26th, 2006

"I believe one must always be curious, seeking out new experiences to live a full life. Never allow yourself to get bored or get stuck in a rut. There is too much out there to explore." 

In all honesty, I'm pretty sure the Emily of then would be disappointed with the Emily of today and how scared she is right now--to say nothing of the rut I've found myself in for the past couple of years.  Reading this reminded me of how happy I was, how fulfilled I felt while living in London. Of course, it's only natural to feel nervous before taking a big leap but I don't want it to color my time there. I want to be past all that. 

Perhaps all adventurers feel this way beforehand. Even the idea that this time next week I'll be writing from London seems unreal. Sometimes when we are separated from someone or something we care about it exists only in our memory for so long that it is no longer a part of reality. Instead, it becomes the fantastic,  the untouchable living only in our imagination.  To be able to go back to this place is a gift. 

July 2nd, 2006

"I want my life to always be like this, filled with music, culture, writing, excitement...leafy trees and wide sidewalks."

I want to be this person again. I've tried to be, but the day to day work of getting by can muddle things. Hopefully this time away will help me sort things out.

Why I Decided To Travel

                            Touring Cambridge University, 2006

As I mentioned earlier, I recently decided to take some time off to travel long term. I have been breaking the news to family and friends over the past few months, and even though the response has been overwhelmingly positive,  I figured I would take the time to explain why I am doing this and how I am able to make it happen.

I am a big fan of the idea that we have the ability to make things happen for ourselves, within reason. I never wanted to be President or a rock star or a Kardashian, but I always knew that I wanted to live in London. After  lot of planning and research I was able to make that happen, at least for a summer. Think back to every major decision you have made since you became an adult.What would you change and why? When I think back to the decisions I made starting around age 22, many were in pursuit of this goal: being able to travel long term for a spell. But what made me decide that now is the time?  I could give you a list of reasons, but the most compelling ended up being the simplest...
  

                                        San Francisco, 2007

I may never be able to do this again

I know a lot of people who say that they will travel when they're older and retired, which is fine. But I don't want to wait--partly because I'm impatient and partly because I don't know what the future holds. I agree that traveling in my sunset years sounds great, but I could also be dead or sick or bogged down by responsibilities that I currently don't have. I don't mean that in a pessimistic way, it's just reality. Right now I'm lucky enough to have my health and a moderate amount of financial and personal freedom, which hasn't been the case over the past few years. I have no children and no significant debts. In the future I expect that to change. I want a house, I want a more settled life, but it can wait a year or two. So...

         Bryce Canyon, 2011. One of the only shots of us together. Oops!

I made travel a priority  

For you, it might be something else. Maybe you want to own a house by age 30, start a family, have a big wedding, or drive a luxury car.  At some point we all choose our choices and those choices reflect what we value. I chose travel because I think it makes me a better person, a more confident person, a more understanding person and it inspires me in ways nothing else does. Am I giving up other things in the process? Definitely. Is it a fair trade off? To me, it is. But besides that...

                                          Grand Canyon, 2011

         

I am lucky

But, I mean, if you are reading this then so are you. We're all lucky to some degree, comparatively speaking. I may be lucky, or rather privileged enough to be able to do this for a number of circumstantial reasons. However, I am not lucky enough to be a trust fund kid nor have I had any financial windfalls that are paying for this trip. Furthermore, my career doesn't pay especially well, but again, that was a choice I made. But by simply attributing this to me being 'lucky' you are taking power away from yourself to make your own dreams happen. The opportunity to take this trip hasn't just fallen into my lap. It is happening because of long term planning and because...

                                     Hemingway House, 2012

I am frugal

This is probably the single biggest reason for why I am able to do this. I drive a 1995 Jetta that I bought seven years ago. I have never had a smart phone (though that will change thanks to T-Mobile's new business model). I rarely buy anything that isn't on sale and ever since I moved back to Connecticut a couple of years ago I have made a concerted effort to cut down on the amount of 'stuff' I own. Obviously, living in Connecticut is cheaper than living in a city like New York or Boston or L.A. But even when I lived in Boston, the most I ever paid for rent was $575, which also included utilities. Ok, so maybe one of my walls may have actually been a closet door, but hey. It was cheap and safe and on the T. But that's not to say that all of these decisions have been easy or ones I've been particularly happy about. I gave up a certain kind of lifestyle when I left Boston and I miss it everyday. But sometimes you meet a guy, fall in love, and end up living 15 minutes from the place where you grew up. It felt a lot like this:  

But on the plus side...

My financial house is in order
As I mentioned earlier, I have no significant debt. If this wasn't the case, I highly doubt I would be doing this trip. I realize this is not true for many Americans for a variety of reasons, some avoidable, some not. I have some student loans, mostly from grad school, but it is a very manageable amount. This is huge, especially if you've attended college at any point over the last ten years. But again, this was mainly due to making some difficult decisions that, at the time, I was hardly excited about. I lived at home for two years during undergrad, so I did not have the typical "college experience" and at 17 I definitely felt like I was missing out on something important. I had always expected to go away to college but when the time came I couldn't make it happen. Of course, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I don't envy anyone who has had to navigate paying for college over the past decade, but an unpopular choice like going to a community college for a couple of years or living off campus can really make a difference in your post-college life. Besides my lack of debt, I also took an active role in my financial future once I started making my own money by doing a few simple things: I opened a Roth IRA when I was 22, I always contribute the max amount to my work's retirement plan, I never spend more than I earn,  and I have no credit card debt. My excellent credit has also allowed me to engage in travel hacking, which has cut down on some of the larger costs associated with travel, like plane tickets. I'll get into the nitty gritty of that more in the future...

I guess at some point over the past year I decided to stop waiting for things to happen that are out of my control. This is my way of taking back my own life and making it what I want, fate or destiny be damned.

An Announcement

I've been wanting to share this news for months, but needed to wait until some of the details were figured out. So, here it goes: I will be taking the fall semester off to do some longterm traveling in Europe! I'm planning on leaving towards the end of July and am expecting to be gone until the holidays. Obviously I'll be sharing my travels here along with all the preparations. As of right now the plan is to fly to London and travel around the UK and Ireland by myself for a couple of months. Then James will join me in September where we'll hang out in London and Paris before making our way to Munich for Oktoberfest with my cousins and some friends. After that my cousins and I will be journeying to Istanbul via train. That's as far as I've gotten.

This is something that I've wanted for a very long time and I am absolutely thrilled that I can finally make it happen. My jobs are sad to see me go, but the door is open when I return. In the meantime, I plan on getting back into freelancing and will be working to make this blog more "professional". I've already made a Facebook page, which I'd love to have you join, and down the road I plan on having even more of a social media presence. Stay tuned!

Springtime Rambling in The Farmington Valley and Beyond

Lately I've taken to going on hikes near my home as a way to escape from end of the semester stress. It's easy to forget how calming simply being in nature can be. I'm also lucky enough to live near a number of great hikes and now that the weather is better I plan on taking full advantage of my surroundings. Yesterday James and I checked out the trails that surround the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT.

It was  the perfect end to the weekend. I only wish I could get out more during the week. Soon.

I'm planning my summer travels and this has really inspired me to look into walking tours in the UK. I literally just want to wander around the countryside for a few weeks and recharge. 

I'm thinking of hitting up the Peak District to recreate Lizzy Bennet's journey to Pemberly and then checking out the Yorkshire Dales and recreating Heathcliff's crazed ramblings searching for Catherine's ghost.

Boston, I Love You

At first, I had no desire to write about the Boston bombing here. I felt like there wasn't anything I could say that other people haven't already said, and far better at that.  But then I realized that Boston was the star of this blog for a long time and at the very least, I should honor that.

When I started this blog in 2010 I was living in the South End, more specifically, I was crashing on my cousin's couch. After two intense years I had earned my Master's but had no clue about what to do next. So I wrote about my life with Boston as my inspiration. The blog itself forced me to go out and explore, even if I was tired or cranky or alone.

When I first came to Boston I lived in Dorchester, then Cambridge, the South End, and finally Brookline. I left two years ago but Boston will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the city where I was truly on my own for the first time.  It's the city where I became an "adult." And, given the thousands of college students that spend their formative years there, I'm sure I'm not alone. Because of this and so many other reasons, it's a very loved city, yet it can still feel like a town. Big enough to never run out of things to do, but small enough to never feel lost. It was common to bump into people you knew just walking down the street. It has a charm all its own and a fierce pride, which some may call obnoxious, but is it really so bad to love where you're from? The fact that the Red Sox still had the most loyal fans in sports after an 86 year losing streak tells me all I need to know about this town.

Apparently, the older of the two suspects wrote that he didn't understand Americans. He couldn't have been more right. He understood nothing and that was his downfall. But I understand. I understand that this city will get through this because people care about their city and each other. I'll be the first to admit that historically, I haven't been the most "patriotic" person, at least in the sense of having a blind belief that everything the U.S. does is right. I question things, just as we all should. But I certainly believe in the value of a democratic community made up of people from all walks of life. Is it always perfect? No. Do we argue? Of course. And we should. But there is nothing that words can't settle. Violence is the language of cowards.

Stay safe, Boston. We're all rooting for you. 

My Personal Best of 2012

Best Place I Went: Key West

Best Thing I Made: Beouf Bourguignon

Best Photo I Took:

Other Best Photo I Took:

Why yes, that is a head shot of Patrick Duffy binder clipped to a cut out of Justin Bieber.

Best Album I Bought: Babel by Mumford and Sons

Best Funny Book I Read: How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran

Best Free Book For Kindle I Read: Anna Karenina by LEO TOLSTOY

Best British TV Series I Watched On Netflix: Shameless/Peep Show/ That Mitchell and Webb Look/ Green Wing (four way tie)

Best Masterpiece Mystery Programme I Became Obsessed With: Sherlock

Best British Actor I Became Obsessed With As A Result: Benedict Cumberbatch

Best Lincoln Movie I Saw: Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (haha kidding!)

Best Brunch I Ate: Firebox

Best Concert I Went To: Peter Gabriel (no contest)

Best Thing I Wrote (In My Opinion): Anne, The Overlooked Bronte Sister

Leftovers, Fall Cold Edition

~I've been suffering from a super draining fall cold for the past week, which has contributed to my lack of posting. Right before I got sick I went up to the Cape for a night and took this picture:

Now I stare at it and try to remember the good times, before the sickness.

~Also contributing to my lack of posting? This: 

 ~I did manage to make it to the Big E though, where I ate everything and saw super cute animals like this little lambykins:

~On the food front, James' father gave me some homegrown quinces last week that I'm hoping to put to good use once I'm feeling better. 

~On the life front, my birthday is on Thursday but I've already received the BEST PRESENT EVER from my aunt: 

 ~On the work front, it's been a week of near misses. I found out that a screenplay I wrote was chosen as an 'Official Finalist' for the New York Screenplay Contest. They're mailing me a certificate. I also got a very sweet and encouraging email from a literary agent about my book proposal. Sadly, she is leaving the profession at the end of the month. Don't worry though. When I inevitably become a Big Deal, I won't forget about you, the little people.

Daytrippin' in Litchfield County

As my mother says, "Litchfield County is a lovely part of the world" and, even though it's only half an hour away from my home, it feels like another country. Sometimes I get so caught up in planning far away trips that I forget how restorative it can be to simply get away, even within state lines. So, after a busy week where we barely saw each other (thank you, new school year) James and I decided to take a long lesiurely drive down to New Milford, CT to visit our friend's farm.

Sullivan Farms (sadly, no relation) sits on 100 acres of beautiful Connecticut farmland and managed by our friend Joey, pictured here eating an apple.

All kinds of seasonal produce can be found at their farmstand, as well as other local products like honey, soaps, and maple syrup.

But we enjoyed simply wandering around the farm and taking in the scenery.

A girl could get used to this.

Postcard From Mid-Cape

Last weekend James and I made the trip up to the Cape to pay Grandpa Sullivan a long overdue visit. He moved to Centerville about six years ago after marrying his lovely wife Fran and it's been nice getting to know the area. 

One of my favorite places is right down the road from their house, Four Seas Ice Cream. In addition to the standard offerings, they offer a bunch of unusual flavors. The last couple times I've wanted to try something called lemon crisp, but it's always sold out. Last time I ended up with frozen pudding (yum!) and this time it was fresh peach which was, of course, delicious.

My grandpa is kind of a big deal within the world of American political memorabilia and he gave us a little peak at some of his most prized possessions.

Grandpa's American commie buttons!

Since I grew up on PBS dramas, the Gorey house is one of my favorite tourist spots on the Cape, but sadly it was closed. It's just as well since their gift shop would have put a major dent in my wallet. 

A trip to the Cape wouldn't be complete without a plate of seafood from Osterville Fish Too. They had oysters on special that night!

All in all, it was a great mini vacation and I told my grandpa I was really glad he never retired to Florida.

Now it's time for a real vacation up North. Back in a few weeks!

Surviving The Semester

I've spent the last two weeks wrapping up the semester, which has involved a lot of reading, commenting, re-reading, and grading. Also drinking from this mug. (Just tea, I swear!) But now it is finally oooover! Consequently, I haven't been up to much lately outside of work. I need to rest my brain for now with bad tv and celebrity gossip, but I'll be back with some fun things soon. Promise!

Things I Have Seen On Pinterest Recently

                                                                                     Source: onlyforgirls.net via Liane on Pinterest

Candles in Mason Jars

Flowers in Mason Jars

Candles in Mason jars hanging from trees

Tiny kittens

Even tinier dogs

"How to tie a side braid"

"How to make a side ponytail"

"How to braid your side ponytail"

Twee engagement photos set in a renovated bowling alley featuring people in their mid to late thirties posted by single people in their late teens/early 20s

DIY wedding table centerpieces involving Mason jars

DIY kitchen cabinets made from pieces of driftwood

A quote by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich misattributed to Marilyn Monroe  screen printed onto a tote bag

$800 high heels labeled "Work shooz!!!"

Some water channel in Venice that everyone wants to visit, but is actually just a smelly alley with good afternoon lighting

Gluten-free raspberry lime cupcakes

Gluten-free raspberry lime cupcakes in Mason jars

EVERYTHING IN MASON JARS


*None of these apply to my Pinterest boards because they are awesome.

So You Want To Chop Off Your Hair: Invaluable Insights From A Short-Haired Woman

At some point in their lives, most women have toyed with the idea of cutting off their hair. Sometimes this happens after a life-changing event like a break up or having a baby. Other people get inspired after watching a lot of early 50s movies starring the ever-so-gamine Audrey Hepburn, or fashion spreads featuring the elfin Michelle Williams, or that blog about women that look like Justin Bieber. Whatever the reason, you are now seriously contemplating cutting off your hair. And no, not some half-assed bob. We're talking the full monty here, or pixie. You want it gone. And, you probably have some questions. That's where I come in. After years of going back and forth between flippy shortish haircuts and long Farrah Fawcett waves I finally took off my skirt, grew some balls, and let a gay man give me a pixie cut. I learned much from this experience. And I want to share this hard earned knowledge with you, dear readers.

Some basics to consider before making the cut:

Face shape:

This is important because you want your hair to balance out your face, if that makes sense. If you have a round face, pixie cuts probably aren't a good choice. Oval or heart shaped faces benefit most from this cut. Square faces only exist in women's magazines. I mean, really.

Hair texture:

It seems like people with fine hair texture have an easier time with this look. My hair is pretty thick, so once I get out of pixie-length territory things get awkward for a few months. Also, if you have super curly hair and don't want to look like second season Felicity, step away from the scissors.

Other features:

When your hair is really short, it makes people pay more attention to the rest of your face. There is no place to hide with a pixie. If you're someone who enjoys playing up your eyes then congratulations! A pixie will help. If you are someone who considers your long, shiny mane your best feature then I'm sorry, no pixie for you.

Now, if you’re still interested, here are some other things to keep in mind…

                                                                                 

This hair cut will define you in ways you aren't prepared for:

So, right now maybe people think of you as 'the funny girl' or 'the girl who wears dresses a lot' or 'the girl that keeps drunk-texting me on Wednesdays'. Well, forget all that. You will now be known exclusively as 'the short haired girl'. Even though it seems like 'everyone' Hollywood is getting pixie cuts, in reality it's just Emma Watson, Carey Mulligan, and Michelle Williams. The rest are still sticking with long hair. This is applicable to the real world as well. If you make the cut, be prepared to stand out because of it. One time I was at a party and there was another girl with short hair. We looked nothing alike and were wearing completely different outfits, but people kept confusing us simply because we both had short hair. But, being 'the short haired girl’ can be nice, like when random people compliment my hair in bars. However, sometimes it's annoying, like when random people mistaken me for a dude if they see me from behind. Which brings me to...

Be prepared for people to think you're a dude:

I'm not saying it's definitely going to happen. I just want you to be prepared in case it does. Don't take it personally! People are just dumb. They see short hair and they automatically think: MAN.

Yes, it is easier than long hair but...

The most common question I get from people (ok, women) is "How easy is your hair??" This is more of a statement than an actual question but yes, short hair is much easier to deal with than long hair. For instance, I have been using the same normal-sized bottle of shampoo since February. I also spend way less time styling my hair than I did when it was long. However, you are pretty much limited to just one style. Yeah, you can throw a headband on or add some cute bobby pins but really, it's the same thing. I used to be able to do all kinds of different hairstyles: Up, down, half-up, half-down. Curly, straight, curly and straight. You get the idea. Sure, it took 2 hours sometimes, but it was worth it. Now I just look the same, every day.

You will look ridiculous every morning:

When you have long hair you can do things like roll out of bed and go outside to buy milk or have some sexy morning sex, because you have sexy, sexy bed head and everyone loves long-haired girl bed head. You know what isn't sexy? Short-haired girl bed head. It's like sticking your head in a whirlpool and then drying it in a wind tunnel.  When you have short hair you should really consider doing something to it before anyone sees you. My boyfriend actually still laughs at me every morning and I’ve had this haircut for 8 months. Invest in a spray bottle and some hats. And maybe don't have sleepovers with your significant other unless you’re past the ‘I’m actually trying’ phase, like me.

When (or if ) you decide to grow your hair out, it will be painful:

Not in the physical sense, more in the ‘oh God I am verging on a Carol Brady shag’ painful. It’s ok, you can get past this. Trim it if you absolutely must, but if you’re really serious about growing out a pixie cut you have to brace yourself for moments (well, weeks) like this. Actually, for me the biggest thing that held me back from getting a pixie was knowing how long it would take for my hair to grow out again (a year) and how awkward it would look in the beginning (so awkward).

  It's kind of a good look.

But sometimes, you just have to go for it, even if you aren’t 100% sure:

Before I cut my hair I spent a lot of time trying to imagine what it would be like to have short hair, but I only really knew until I actually did it. If you've been going back and forth for a while, like over a year, then just do it. Worst-case scenerio: You absolutely hate it. Well, at least you won’t be wondering anymore. And guess what? Hair grows back. 

Weekend To-Do List

Source: dailypics.co.cc via jenny on Pinterest

Happy Friday!

Happy League Of Women Voters Day!

TGIF

Source: stumbleupon.com via Jami Lyn on Pinterest

Postcard From Key West Part 1: Rain Delay

An afternoon thunderstorm has forced us inside for now making this the perfect time for a blog post! Yesterday we went down to Fort Zachary Taylor, a Civil War-era Fort, and site of supposedly the most beautiful beach in Key West. See for yourself:

Question: Does it get any better than this?

Answer: Of course not.

I tried to get rid of some of the pale but only managed to give myself an oddly shaped sunburn. Serves me right. After bemoaning the fact that I didn't bring my suit and making James promise we would return for a swim later in the week, we grabbed some lunch from Garbo's Grill, a little food truck serving uber-fresh local fare like gulf shrimp mahi mahi along with the classic hotdogs and burgers. 

I went for the fish tacos, while James tried the fish burrito. They were as good to eat as they are to look at.

Roosters and chickens are all over the island--in the street, in your backyard, outside your window (ahem)--and Garbo's was no exception. We saw this guy who must have lost his comb in a cock fight.

Welp, it looks like the storm is passing and just in time for happy hour! More later!

Two Tickets To Paradise

Oh hi! I'm on vacay right now in a lovely little place called Key West. Yeah, it's super nice. I'm eating a lot of key lime pie and spending the majority of my time at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. KIDDING. Actually, I just walked by it and it was totally empty. Like it should be. Anyways, I'll be back next week with full report. For now, enjoy the view that I get to wake up to every morning.