Save the Greens!… Wilted lettuce can be saved, thanks to this helpful tip from Noshing Confessions.

Are Cupcakes the Perfect Food?… While you ponder, peruse this crazy cupcakes from mental_floss. I’ll take one of each, please.

Slow Down… Videos of sneezes, golf bolls, lightning, and more — all in slow motion. These clips are CRAZY.

To Get Ready for Swimsuit Season… don’t make this Oreo pretzel fudge.

My Boyfriend Has This Tattoo…. Not really, but… soon, I’m sure. Also, can we talk about how this website is called Bacon Today? The content is strictly business with headlines like “People In Canada choose bacon over sex” and “Bacon Marriage Proposal.” You’re welcome.

Boxes filled with movies and books, my beloved treasures. (Although I’d also treasure a bottle of that Chardonnay right about now.)

I ran out of boxes, leaving with me with a nagging feeling of unproductivity and a messy house.

Le sigh. Now I’m just complaining to no one in particular.

On the plus side I sent out a bunch of Mother’s Day cards today. I have a godmother and a quasi-mother-in-law who deserve some recognition, after all. My own lucky mother gets two cards. She’s had to put up with me the longest.

-Dinner at Jack’s Oyster House with my mother

-Hiking at Thatcher Park

-Cutting The Boyfriend’s hair. For the first time. (And, honestly, it looks great!)

The warm weather has been beautiful and I feel like spending my free time outside while the high temperatures last. But fear not, I am taking three days off from work to catch up on blogging.

All lies. I AM taking three days off, but it will be to spend them with The Boyfriend here:

Can you guess where? Details soon!

Thursday

My roommates and I went to a debate between Karl Rove and Howard Dean. I’ll save my political opinion for my soap box, but the “r” in “Rove” is for ridiculous. Oops — have I said too much? My liberal leanings aside, the debate felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. How often do you get The audience on both sides of the political fence was fair and interested (with the exception of one obnoxious Rove naysayer who didn’t make it five minutes into the debate before being escorted out by the police). The debate was part of the University at Albany’s World Within Reach Speaker Series.

It’s an admirable series and I sincerely hope we see more debates in its future

Friday

I woke Friday morning with the intent to do errands and instead found my little car had a flat tire — its third of the year, mind you. I got frustrated and bailed on the situation in favor of Target therapy with The Roommate. I bought myself a consolatory Bolthouse Farms beverage to sample.

Green. Satisfying. And the fact that I was drinking broccoli and spinach made me forget my flat tire. The Boyfriend won Boyfriend of the Year for surprising me by changing it and was rewarded with a box of Wild Berry Poptarts. Obviously.

Saturday and Sunday

Many phone calls about a new apartments. Many people telling me sternly that they do NOT take dogs. Many hugs for Jack, since he is the best puppy ever and any landlord who wouldn’t want him to live in their apartment is undeserving of his doggy love.

Monday

A handful of unsuccessful apartment viewings that led me to feel like Goldilocks (“This one’s too small! Too expensive! Too smelly!”). Subsequent consolatory egg sandwich on cute new plates from Mom.

Tuesday

Homemade strawberry rhubarb pie from The Roommate. Oh, my.

Wednesday

Third Eye Blind came to town! And we took some lame pictures.

Thursday

I read blogs and ate ham and pea risotto. And that was the most exciting thing I did that day. For real.

Friday

Twas my last day at my part-time jobs. I said goodbye to being a part-time secretary and goodbye to the kids at the after-school program where I worked for the past few years. They threw me a little pizza and cupcake party and we had movie day. So fun! I got so many homemade cards and letters from the kids and the counselors chipped in for a lovely card and going away present. I’ll be back for a visit!

My going away party was followed up by girls’ night with some loverly ladies:

Former college roommates, we are now all grown-up. Between the four of us we have a Masters student, a journalist, and two hard-working ladies in the non-profit sector.

Saturday

The Boyfriend and I signed the lease on a new, grown-up apartment and pondered the fact that our new landlord may be a little nutzo. But she owns a pretty place and loves Jack, so I’ll take the crazy.

Sunday

Since our new apartment has a washer and dryer, The Boyfriend and I made what will hopefully be one of our last trips to the laundromat. Admittedly I will miss the days when I have the hour-long wait for the dryer as an excuse to go across the street and get a sandwich from Scratch.

Ooh, mama!

Sandwiches make smiles.

You’ve been around for this week, which has mainly involved me being really excited about my work at the new job and then going to bed at an outrageously early hour. This is the place for me, I’ve decided. Yes, the people are friendly and dedicated; yes, the agency has an awesome mission and extensive programming; yes, I will learn so much here and can turn this into a career that I love. But most importantly, today I discovered that each employee’s birthday is celebrated with a custom homemade cake. Today’s was a lemon chiffon cake with lemon curd and marscapone whipped cream frosting. And when I discovered that my birthday is the day before the woman’s in HR, everyone declared we should celebrate them on different weeks, since “you can’t combine birthdays and cakes.” I agree completely. Let’s all be best friends immediately.

I’m currently listening to Madonna — you are, too, if you watched Glee last night. I’m also tuned in to Food, Inc. on PBS but it is bummin’ me out a little, so I think I’ll opt for doing some work-related paperwork in bed instead.

In short, can I get a WOOHOO for this Page Girl?! This is basically my dream starter job and I am so excited to learn and contribute and network and grow.

I jumped in head first this morning and found myself in the midst of construction as new offices are being built (one of which will be mine!) and the finishing touches are being put on a major fundraising gala taking place this Friday (bring on the fancy dresses and schmoozing!).

Things are taking a turn for the better in Notes On A Page Land. I’ve got my new job and The Boyfriend and I are shortly moving into a new apartment free of roof leaks. I’m hoping that once my office becomes inhabitable and I get used to having health insurance again, I can get into a comfortable routine that includes more of the following: cooking, blogging, reading, yoga, and running. (Yes, I want to take on more in the midst of a new job and moving. I think backwards, but it works for me.)

While I was caught in the terrible throes of the job search, my wise friend kept telling me not to center my identity on a career. In retrospect she was absolutely right; in reality I gave up a lot of hobbies I loved out of depression and frustration. In this 23rd year of my life I am looking to shift my focus and attitude. I’m hoping to be happier, healthier, and whole — inside and out.

Life was getting me a little down, but that didn’t stop me from eating some tasty dishes:

Salmon thanks to our resident fish-fryer, The Boyfriend:

Spaghetti and turkey meatball masterpiece:

Heard of oats in a jar?

What about sundae in a jar?

An entire plate of chocolate chip pancakes The Roommate made (nah, I shared):

And finally, plenty o’ green monsters:

I was drinking green monsters, but I was a blue, miserable monster.

But then the clouds parted and something wonderful happened.

I won’t share too much just yet because it seems to good to be true, but things are turning around for this Page girl!

The weather is acting accordingly. Thanks, Albany.

My boys and I spent a warm Easter Monday at the park. Normally we go to the dog park by our house, but Washington Park was buzzing with people and puppies!

Jack is normally a total princess about the water (bathtubs and cups included), but today he spotted some ducks and bolted in!

Attaaaaack!

Retreeeeat!

Someone needs to work on his swimming skills. Perhaps we could enroll him at the Y?

It was so beautiful out, despite a quiet threat of rain. The weatherman is predicting 84 degrees for Wednesday! Woohoo!

Dinner tonight was simple with cheddar and broccoli pierogies with steamed veggies and pesto.   

I’m off to bed soon because Granny has work, a meeting, and three apartment showings (!!) tomorrow. But I’m baaaaack to blogging and it feels good!

With the Boyfriend, of course.

Here is my advice for men who are looking to plan a great date and score some major bonus points with the little lady: plan a date around her interests. It’s incredibly flattering to know that you’re paying attention and it guarantees she will have a good time. And unless you’re dating, I don’t know, Lady Gaga or some other wackadoo, chances are she likes some pretty cool stuff and you’ll both end up enjoying yourselves.

Personally, my interests include wine and old movies. The Boyfriend planned accordingly.

We started the evening at the Palace theater in Albany to see a screening of To Kill A Mockingbird. I love watching old movies at the Palace. It’s this grand old theater and I imagine this is what it was like to go to the movie theater when the movies first started. It’s just such a fun, classy atmosphere. I also have to give major props to the ticket people. Upon arriving we discovered the “cash only” rule and could only scrounge eight bucks between the two of us, which left us each a dollar short for a ticket. The ticket people took pity on us and charged us the senior ticket price of four dollars each, thus scoring some major karma for themselves.

I read the book in high school but never got around to seeing the movie. However, I loved the story, wanted to be Scout, and I have a secret crush on Gregory Peck, so the film was on my must-see list. The movie was incredible. The Boyfriend seemed to enjoy it, too, and I always give props to people who are open to watching old black and white movies. I was raised on Bringing Up Baby and Notorious, but I realize this is unusual. There was no Quentin Tarrantino or Michael Bay in the 40s or 50s.

When we were in college a friend of mine had the idea to re-read all the books they forced him to read in high school. While you’ll never get me near Lord of the Flies again and though I’ll be good without re-reading Ellen Foster, generally this turned out to be a good idea. To Kill A Mockingbird was one of the books he read for a second time and he quite enjoyed it. In truth high schoolers are way too busy freaking out about EVERYTHING to bother with understanding books anyway. Not that I blame them; I was the same way. But nowadays, rather than bemoaning the fact that I’m a nerd, I accept it. Nerds read books. Point me to the nearest copy of Harper Lee’s classic.

As we were walking out of the theater, The Boyfriend turned to me and said, “I imagine you exactly like Scout when you were little.” Scrappy and opinionated? I’d say he might be onto something…

The second half of the date centered around another interest of mine: booze. We went to the Wine Bar and Bistro on Lark, which I have been dying to get to. Without knowing it, we picked the perfect date spot! The Wine Bar is located in a warm and romantic brick-covered basement, accented with fireplaces, candles, and local artwork.

They also have a little something called Wine After Work (yes, please).

“You Know You Need It!!”

Since we went on a Monday night, we enjoyed $5 glasses of wine. I tried a Vouvray which is now a new favorite of mine.

A little sweet, but quite crisp and incredibly fresh. The Boyfriend ordered a glass of Chardonnay, but we both agreed that my wine choice was the winner of the evening. We weren’t planning on eating, but before I knew it I found myself ordering butternut squash ravioli with pancetta. I mean, come on.

The Boyfriend got a stew with chicken confit, bacon, sausage, and white beans, all with a side of garlic crostini. This was absolutely incredible.

As soon as the server set down the bowl he said, “Baby, you better take a picture FAST because this isn’t gonna last long!”

They also brought us a carafe of water right away, which is awesome since I drink water like a beast when I go out to eat. I definitely judge a restaurant by how much water they give you.

My blurry Valentine

With its intimate layout, the Wine Bar is decidedly ideal for couples, but I foresee a girls night out with my lady friends there soon. You can’t beat the $20 bottle Wine After Work deal, and the food is good, too. The glasses of wine are plentiful and the hassle of the workweek seem far away.

It was heavenly to slurp soup, sip wine, and chat with my love. I spied a little on the only other couple in the dining room who were clearly on a second date. They knew each other, but they were asking basic questions: Where are you from, What’s your family like, What do you do for a living? I was suddenly very thankful to be sitting across from someone who has known me for years, someone who has seen me cry and makes me laugh, someone who cheered me on at my college graduation and knows my friends. Someone my mother likes. Someone with whom I have a song and a dog and a common obsession with Criminal Minds.

First dates are nice. Anniversaries are pleasant. But a random Monday night out with your sweetheart is something to cherish.

Within 15 minutes I, first-time Muddy Cup goer, arrived at the coffee shop to find this sign: “Sorry, Cash Only.” Well, sorry, no customer. I have limited financial resources to begin with, and what funds I do have I keep trapped inside a debit card. So what turned into a stroll to the coffee shop for a smoothie ended up being a circular 30 minute walk. No problem, though. I was happy walking about the neighborhood. I love where I live. It’s the edge of urban, a place where shops and bars and movie theaters are within walking distance, but also a place where you know your neighbors and smile at strangers walking by. Well, you smile at them between the months of March and September. If you are unfortunate enough to be forced outside during the winter months, the only glances you are exchanging with passerby are those of empathy and bitterness.

Today was the Smile! type of day. I passed a man out for a run, kids coming back from after-school care, a mother out for a walk with her daughter by her side and her son on a small bike with training wheels. The son zigzagged slightly down the road with his family behind him. When he came near me he stopped suddenly and honked the bike horn three times at me. I grinned. Kids crack me up.   

Once I got to my building I decided I didn’t want to go inside.  I needed someplace other than my animal-filled living room to write. As much as I love Jack and Sid, they are needy monsters and in order to type, I actually need to STOP petting them. This is not a concept they understand and I can’t take those shelter eyes and frantic paws coming at me. At Panera — a humans-only establishment — I was able to do some writing AND get my smoothie fix. Score.

Now that the sun is down and the chill is setting in, I’m back to hibernation mode. Lethargy is setting in and the sinus pressure headache that’s been lurking around all day is now here so I think it’s home to my couch, my animals, and a hot cuppa tea. Pleasant evening, Blogland!

Instead of eating old Larabars for lunch everyday this week (as appealing as THAT sounds), I forced myself to get a little creative and scrounged around for the makings of a pasta salad. I ended up with half a box of orzo, a can of tuna, and clementines. I was trying to recreate this salad my aunt makes that has orzo, chicken, mandarin oranges, celery, and a dressing with mayo, dry mustard, and white pepper. Unfortunately, I did not have chicken, celery, oranges, or mayo. So… pretty much the only thing that links these two dishes is orzo. Think of this Easy Orzo and Tuna Salad as an homage.

I started by cooking the orzo and tossing in the tuna and clementine. Tasty, but it lacked a little crunch, so these guys got chopped and added:

I also added a sad half of an avocado that was losing life in the fridge. It added some creaminess that replaced the missing mayo.

For the vinaigrette, I just winged it since I was missing the key ingredients. Check out the recipe!

I ate a nice bowl for lunch this afternoon:

I wanted to put it over some spring mix, but to my dismay the remains of the bag was past its prime. (We are FAIL on the vegetable front over here.) I still think this is a good way to get a little more filling fiber into this lunch.

The salad is very light. At first I feared it was too light, but I think I am still caught in the doldrums of heavy winter stews and sauces. Each bite is quite refreshing and keeps you guessing: you’ve got a little heft from the tuna, a nice citrus spritz from the clementines, carrot-y crunch, and creamy avocado. The recipe makes a nice batch to last you through the week.

Penguin Tupperware: for use all year round! Let’s hope this sunny weather keeps away any real penguins, though!