Waldorf before Bass

In the last episode of Gossip Girl,  Blair tells Chuck that although she loves him (and he loves her), she has to be Blair Waldorf before she can be Chuck Bass’ girlfriend.  While I believe that was a rather admirable thing to say, I also don’t believe that the love of your life will always be around waiting for you.  Whether or not, this entire “if it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be” thing is true, I think that at one point or another you’ll have to pick between your ambitions and your relationship.  And I think that that will be the deciding moment.  If you feel like you’re willing to give up certain things in order to be with someone you love, then that’s legit.  If you feel the need to put your ambition/hobbies/whatever else (unless it’s family or friend obligations) first, then it probably means that you’re not ready to take that relationship to the next level.  The totally-committed, together-forever level.  So, it all works out.  And most importantly, if you’re ready for that commitment but the other person isn’t, it’s a sure-fire sign to get out of there.

Relationships take work.  That’s what I always tell my friend/co-worker Chris.  Yes, you need to love the other person and care about the other person.  And physical attraction is actually more important than you think it may be.  But most of all, even if you had all of those things, plus common interests, and maybe the best sex of your life, it’ll never work out if even one of the two people cannot put enough effort into it.  Sometimes, it’s because it’s just not the right time in that person’s life, they may not be ready for a committed relationship.  Or maybe they’re emotionally unavailable.  Whatever.  As the committed one, you gotta realize that it’s time to chunk deuce (as in peace out – it’s a Houston term).

And speaking of time, it’s about time for the weather to get back to normal.  People, it’s NOVEMBER and 60 degrees in NYC?  Um, can you say global warming?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the warm weather, I hate the cold.  But there’s something unsettling about the weather these days.  It’s unpredictable and most of all, I have no idea when to make the trip to the burbs and get my pea coat from my parents’ house.  And while I may be indecisive, I am not fickle.  When I make a decision, even if I may regret it, I will always stick by it.  I don’t like fickle people (cough cough, Ex-Boyfriend).  But when it comes down to it, I guess you gotta live in the moment.  Enjoy the fact that it’s warm and you can wear a skirt to work WITHOUT PANTYHOSE! (WOO!).

Chunking deuce,

Mag

Carrot Cake

Thursday is my brother’s birthday – he’s turning 9!  I am at a loss as to what to get him.  I mean, when I was 9, I wanted a barbie.  What do kids want these days anyway?

October to December is always a super busy time for me as far as birthdays go.  It also means that I end up making a lot of carrot cake. It’s my dad’s favorite cake, my mom’s favorite cake…

The last time I made carrot cake before my dad’s birthday, which was 2 weeks ago, was for Ex-Boyfriend’s birthday in July.

I ended up grating my finger.  But honestly, I loved him so much, I didn’t care, as             long as I could make a beautiful cake for him!  Blood, tears, sweat… man I sacrificed way too much for that relationship…

Smittenkitchen is pretty much my go to as far as food blogs go.  This recipe is made for carrot cake cupcakes and a maple cream cheese frosting but can be adapted for a two layer cake (which is almost always what I make).

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (I always put in extra – no such thing as too much cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 cups grated peeled carrots
1 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (optional, but I suggest it because it adds great texture and contrast)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grate grate grate that carrot so you get a nice pile like this:

Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans.  Whisk the oil and sugar until well blended.  Whisk the rest of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add one egg at a time to the oil and sugar mixture, and continue whisking.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well blended.  Finally, fold in the carrots and walnuts.

Pour the batter into your buttered and floured cake pans… 

And bake for around 40 minutes.  My oven tends to run cold so I usually leave it in for an extra 3-4 minutes.  But make sure it doesn’t dry out!  Because carrot cakes are supposed to be moist.  After 40 minutes take them out and let them cool COMPLETELY (I made the mistake once of not letting them cool all the way because I was in a rush and the cake just fell apart… it was not pretty.  Kind of like me these days (oh post break-up angst)).

I like to use a simple cream cheese frosting and I do mean, it’s very simple.  I got it from my friend Lauren (who is just the most darling, driven and intelligent girl – also getting married in August!).  My brother likes to call it “Lauren’s special recipe”.

Lauren’s Special Frosting

2 sticks of butter

1 lb of cream cheese (softened)

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups confectioner’s sugar

Cream butter and then add cream cheese.  Cream the two together until well blended.  Add vanilla.  Slowly, add one cup of confectioner’s sugar at a time, making sure that it’s well mixed in before adding the next cup.  Mix until light and fluffy.

Finally, I like to decorate with some chopped walnuts and coconut flakes.  And voila!  Best carrot cake in the world.

Sabrina

In addition to working a full time job at a law firm, I have recently started interning at a lovely cupcake, wine and beer bar.  And after a 6 1/2 hour shift today, instead of going to yoga or the gym, I decided to watch a movie and spend quality time with Holly.  Of course, we opted for an Audrey Hepburn movie.  It really is the best cure for the mean reds (of which I had a terrible case because I took the ultimate step and asked for some of my belongings back from Ex-Boyfriend – due to arrive tomorrow).

This was our meal:

A large glass of Chardonnay, Brie (from Murray’s), apples, crackers… and pickles?

In one sitting, we finished an entire jar of pickles. and the cheese. and the apple. Oh and we topped it off with two very delicious, very decadent, Fleur de Sel cupcakes.  It may have been a strange dinner (as all post-break up dinners are) but still delicious.

There is one quote from the movie that is stuck in my mind.  Sabrina (played by Audrey Hepburn), is at cooking school in France and when the chef is inspecting the students’ souffles, he points out that Sabrina’s was way too flat.  She doesn’t seem to be able to figure out why it was so flat until the gentleman next to her mentions that she forgot to turn on the oven.  He says, ““A woman happily in love, she burns the soufflé. A woman unhappily in love, she forgets to turn on the oven.”
And it’s true.  In both instances, the woman’s mind is preoccupied with something else but when a woman is unhappily in love, her absent-mindedness is completely different, it’s the sad kind characterized by apathy and a general I-don’t-care-about-anything attitude.  And it’s rather strange that someone can be “unhappily in love” because shouldn’t love be happy?  No one should ever be unhappily in love, it just doesn’t make sense and it’s also not fair.  Why would you be unhappy when you could be the happiest person in the world?

 

The guy I dated before Ex-Boyfriend was amazing.  We dated for almost three years, truly my college sweet heart, but things fell apart post-graduation and I fell out of love.  It took him a long time to get over it but he finally met someone with whom he feels a real connection.  And that, my friend, just proves that you should never settle (but do be realistic) and that you shouldn’t give up on love (but know when to quit!).  Keep an open mind and you’ll never know what you might find.  You can start by taking a walk outside and taking in the crisp, fall air.  Smells like change.

Stay classy like…

 

 

 

– Mag

(With a little help from Holly)