Spring! Flowers!

I'm going to start buying fresh cut flowers more often.

Snow Ice

Last night Dave and I went on a date to commemorate our first date three years ago (see the post below). We went to this small Italian restaurant (since we went to an Italian restaurant on the first date) and it was tasty -- and kind of odd because we were the ONLY ones in there. It was Wednesday evening, so I guess that's not a very busy night...

For dessert we ventured to Cloud 9 in Lakeview. They specialize in Taiwanese "snow ice" which is the closest thing in Chicago to shave ice. It's fluffier than Hawaiian stuff and made with real pureed fruit rather than syrup. Imagine eating frozen cotton candy and you're probably getting the right picture. It was definitely no Island Snow, but I'll take what I can get here! I got the mango and Dave got green tea. We both got sweeetened condensed milk drizzled on top. In Hawaii we call that a snowcap. And it's delicious no matter where you are.

Snow ice. It's going to be the big summer thing.

3 years ago...

On April 4, 2008 Dave and I went on our first date. Dinner at an Italian restaurant in one of my favorite places in the world and then a movie at a little theater near Wheaton. It's been a good three years.

A good Saturday

Yesterday was a good day. I drove out to Wheaton to visit this kid.


My one request was that we eat at Chick-fil-A. We accomplished this first. It was very important.


We also walked around campus and as a good alumnus, I got REALLY excited about it and I made sure we took pictures in front of the Kingdom sign. Also as good alumni, we reminisced on some of our favorite memories. Like freshman tea parties. And how the boys were ALWAYS late to them so we started telling them they started half an hour earlier than we wanted them to come. And how that worked 90% of the time.

It was a gorgeous spring day. The sky was crisp and blue. I got nostalgic. I wore my teal pants.

Then I drove back to the city and watched 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' with Dave. It was very good and I'm still trying to decide whether I think it was real or not. Go watch it, then we can discuss.

A great Saturday, no?

P.S. I made a new banner and switched up the look of the blog a little bit. Pop over from Google Reader and check it out. :)

Kristy Yamaguchi! And good views from a safe distance

Kristy Yamaguchi of Olympic fame is currently on a book tour for her new children's book "Dream Big, Little Pig" (cute, right?) and she came by Dave's work for a book-signing! Naturally I went and had my picture taken with her (promising that someday when I had a child, I'd buy her book, haha). She was really nice... and she fell when she was getting off the ice rink. It was hilarious, and she was laughing the hardest of anyone!

 While I was up there (have I mentioned I'm super afraid of heights?) I hung out at the cafe watching Dave and his coworkers do their thing. I also tried to enjoy the view... when possible. You'll notice that all of my pictures of the city and the sunset are from a safe distance. I just couldn't get myself to go close to the edge! (Or closER to the edge; there was honestly a lot of yardage between me and it.) Hey, we're all just proud of me because I rode up the elevator by myself. (Okay, maybe I'm just proud of me. Maybe everyone else expects that of an almost 24 year old.)

Dave made me a mocha. I'm really impressed by his increasing latte art skills. He's a great barista!

And the sun is setting. Crazy how those main streets just light up and go west, west, west.

I took a few creeper pictures, but I promise I was really, really subtle.

And night falls on Chicago. Not a bad view from your workplace, huh?

Ashley cooks

I have been cooking and experimenting in the kitchen a fair bit recently. Last weekend there were the salted caramel brownies, which were delicious. I overcooked them and the caramel got a little over-caramelized... if you know what I mean! But still, they were delicious. [recipe here]


Last night we made sweet potato fries. Delicious. Super simple and really tasty. I modified Paula Deen's recipe slightly and it was a group effort to prepare and eat them! [recipe here] (photos from Paige-a-rage)


And my crowning culinary achievement? I have perfected the pancake. I don't mean to brag, but these guys are delicious and roommate approved. You definitely want me waking up at your house on Saturday morning! :) I've been making and modifying them for a few weeks and this is, so far, the best they've been. I'll share my recipe simply because 1) they are delicious, and 2) I've never been able to share my own recipe before!



The Best Saturday Morning Pancakes
(original recipe from here, copied with my modifications below)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 large spoonful sour cream
• peanut butter m&ms!

Mix all the dry and wet ingredients separately (save for the m&ms), then both parts together. Cook 'em up pancake style, adding the m&ms when you pour the batter into the griddle. (the peanut butter m&ms just make it so delicious!)

[I've also heard recently that Mars chocolate is grown using slave labor in Africa, so we should probably search for a better alternative to m&ms.]

So there you have it. Happy Saturday morning!

April!

My first thought when I woke up this morning was, "It's Friday!!" My second thought was, "IT'S BIRTHDAY MONTH!!"

I get really excited about my birthday. So much so that at the beginning of March I was excited because March is the month before my birthday month.

And what showed up in my inbox this morning on Friday, the first day of April?? A happy birthday email from DSW. They certainly know how to celebrate birthday month!