1/25/12

Purging


One of the great things about moving is the opportunity it gives you to get rid of stuff. I did so when we moved in June, and I did it again when we moved to Denver. This time, I even got W to part with some of his things. It's funny, he's such a simple guy - wears the same 2 fleeces and jeans every day - but he doesn't like getting rid of stuff.

This year I'm trying to get into the practice of owning a few simple, quality items that I love and will get a lot of use:

Clothing: I've come to the realization that for me it's all about comfort. I'm trying to limit my closet to things I will wear regularly, and not buy the occasional use clothes.

Kitchen: I'm refraining from buying ingredients (oils, spices, sauces, canned goods, etc...) that I will not use regularly. If a recipe calls for something I don't have, I try to use a substitute. I want to cook simply but start with fresh ingredients. What we use regularly is: soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, mirin, salt, fresh ground pepper, olive oil and peanut oil. Right now our refrigerator is filled with mostly produce and I want to keep it that way.

Books: I haven't bought books for personal use in a few years. Most of the books on the shelf belong to W. I love borrowing books from the library, and recently began downloading them onto my phone for free from the library. I rarely read books twice so this works for me.

Above is a photo of one of my favorite kitchen items, a pour over ceramic coffee dripper - we use it almost every day. I love its simple design, and it makes the best coffee.

1/12/12

Hello Denver

We've moved to Denver! We arrived Sunday night, and have been settling in. I will update more later, but meanwhile, enjoy these pics from the last few days here.

Images from left to right: Afternoon stroll at Washington Park, view from our bedroom after the snow, view from our bedroom before the snow, view from our living room.

12/9/11

Dona Nobis Pacem by Yo-Yo Ma

12/8/11

By Sufjan Stevens

12/1/11

Soondubu


A lunch from last week. It was perfect for a gloomy day.

11/30/11

Thanksgiving 2011


This year we invited some good friends over for Thanksgiving, who also don't have family nearby. All of the food was delicious and we went around the table sharing what we were grateful for. Afterwards we played Settlers. Not pictured here are the stuffing and the pumpkin pie W made. A picture of the pie is here.

11/21/11

This year's menu

We put the finishing touches on our Thanksgiving menu tonight! This year we're having a few friends over for dinner. There is a nice combination of repeats from last year and new recipes we're trying:

Turkey (12 lb Bowman Landes turkey from Weilands)
Apple-pecan cornbread stuffing
Gravy
Roasted purple yams
Green bean salad with almonds
Pumpkin pie

Friends are bringing:

Mashed potatoes
Cranberry sauce
Wine

I'm excited! W is handling everything except the salad, which is my job for the night. ;)