Oh Martha!

Everyday this weekend, I woke up around 4:10 AM. Just woke up, mind started racing, and I couldn't go back to sleep. Then today, it dawned on me, I was just excited. Excited that it was the weekend and that I had fun things planned for the day. And what a great MLK weekend it was! I slept in, ran on the river and in the park full of snow, had brunch with friends, had a taco night and played games, saw "The King's Speech, went to church, AND got to see the Martha Stuart Show tape this morning!

We waited outside "on line" (northeastern term) in the quite brisk morning air and were directed inside the studio by some very Martha-like interns, dressed in burberry scarves. When we had checked our coats and gotten settled, the audience director, Joey Cola, came out to pump us up! He is such a neat guy, I bet you have seen him if you watch the show at all. He explained the segments and then we taken into her show's studio! The place was filled with busy little producers, camera men, lint rollers, light checkers, sound checkers, and important looking people with headsets. It was all very impressive! Everyone was focused on making everything "just perfect."

As the time ticked down to start, I looked around at the audience. Everyone was dressed their best for Martha. The show had emailed out last week that we were going to be on the "HOT" show filled with hot food, guests, and crafts. (What is a hot craft?) So, we were to wear hot colors like red, orange, or pink. People followed directions very well. I felt a bit blinded as I am quite used to living in a sea of black now.

The show began, we clapped and cheered, and the segments began. There was a super hot, French chef making excellent looking shrimp and pasta, a designer named Zac Posen who showed off new pieces and dyed pillow cases with Martha, a gadget guy from the NY Times, and a hot pepper expert. We got to drink hot chocolate, clap, say yummmm, take home a chile pepper cookbook, and meet Martha's dogs after the show. Not Martha herself, but her dogs.

It was a great time! Thanks to my friend, Susan, for getting tickets. We finished off our Martha morning with a decadent brunch of buttermilk pancakes with caramelized bananas and cinnamon butter at Cookshop! We also saw Dean Sheremet aka LeAnne Rimes ex-husband at brunch. Susan has the best eye for the celebs. We did some research and oggled as he walked to the bathroom and back.

Great friends, fabulous weekend, best city! So blessed! Wonder if I'll wake up at 4 AM tomorrow? Doubtful!

friends all dressed up in HOT colors

the greenhouse set

Going Postal

Wow! Has it really been three weeks since Christmas? I can't believe how fast time has flown. I apologize for my absence to the blogging world. The last couple weeks have been dedicated to getting "back to reality." I had a great holiday in Texas, but it was hard to get back to city mode again. As happy as I was to be back, I forget about packed subways, the 5 floor walkup apartment I live in, COLD weather, and the hustle and bustle of it all. It's good to be back though and I have just passed my 6 month anniversary in NYC! I am already scheming a big one year anniversary party for August!
Today I wanted to share with you an amusing observation I have made over the last several months. We begin at the post office. I went to the pleasent post office in Amarillo to mail three giant boxes back to the city full of Christmas goodies and that's when it really hit me-NYC post offices are war zones. They are hostal I tell you. You walk in and feel the negative energy surround you. I go quite frequently to pick up packages, and usually wait for about 15 minutes each time. It's fine, I expect it now, but it's given me some serious observation time in that dungeon. One immediatly notices the mail workers are behind bullet-proof glass. I thought this was awfully strange the first time I saw it. Is it really neccessary? Six months in and I can tell you, yes siree Bob it is!

The usual suspect walks into the office and lets out a big sigh. I am especially fond of the ones that voice their frustration. "Oh, I picked a great time to come to the post office," and "unbelievable", "sh**, is this really the line," and "I don't have time for this." Then they get in line, shift back and forth, and invariably are the customer whose package has been lost, after they've waited in line for 20 minutes. (twenty minutes is essentially an hour to new yorkers)

Once, I even saw the mysterious post office manager come out because the lady in front of me was throwing a fit. She was like, "You are disrespecting me and I've got witnesses." I was the only one behind her, loved getting included in that drama.

It sounds as though I am being dramatic, but I am telling you these are not isolated instances. It's EVERY time I go there. Let it be known that I am prepared to one day see the bullet proof glass be tested.

realization of the long line

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Here are some highlights of my first five months in the city!

Making new friends.

Eating beet and goat cheese salads.

Reading The New Yorker.

Running on the Hudson River, in Central Park, and Riverside Park.

Yelling (cheering wildly) at the “Straight No Chaser” concert with Claire.

Cooking dinner for friends in my tiny kitchen.

Hearing my 1st graders speak French everyday.

Riding the subway everyday and experiencing the good & bad of that.

Introducing some of my favorite spots to visitors.

Sitting on Carly’s rooftop overlooking the Hudson drinking champagne.

Taking a trip outside the city to go apple picking.

Macy’s Day Parade on Thanksgiving.

Attending the Glamour Women’s Awards and seeing all those celebs.

Seeing fall and the Christmas season in New York.

I am a very lucky girl! Thank you for taking this journey with me. Looking forward to a quick winter and good days ahead. Merry Christmas sweet readers!

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies

Ever since I was negative three years old, my mom and her friend Kathy Vegh have frosted sugar cookies at Christmas. Add it up folks, that’s 28 years! Twenty-eight years of rolling out the dough, making frosting, shaking sprinkles, and adding red hot buttons.

The tradition goes like this: Kathy comes over around four and we mix the frosting, eat snacks, and drink margaritas. I am known as the super froster, speedy but not very attentive to detail. Kathy’s cookies are perfect, always cute and sprinkled to a T. My mom’s are in the middle but she is also the shuttler. She takes the frosted cookies to the trays to dry. Then around 7, Kathy’s husband, Attila, comes over for lasagna dinner. We eat, catch up, and then drink tea and have more cookies. By the time it’s over, you are sugared up for life.

The cookies are made with sour cream which makes them fluffy and gives them a bit of an edge. The frosting is butter, milk, and powdered sugar. My mom has this theory, that as time goes on, the butter in the frosting soaks down into the cookie making them all the more delicious.

As she took a bite Sunday night, she said, “We wouldn’t appreciate these if we had them everyday, right?” I am not sure about that, but I am always glad to see them sitting on a dainty plate during the holiday season. They are so accessible that way. :)

It wouldn't feel like Christmas without this beloved tradition. I hope you’re enjoying your own family’s traditions this holiday season!

The Twins Take Manhattan!

My Mom and Aunt Lisa arrived last weekend for a fun filled adventure in NYC. We had the itinerary down to the second and those gals came rested and raring to go. As I headed off to school on Friday, the girls dragged themselves out of bed after a 1:30 am arrival and headed to the Today Show! (the Afflerbach women's fav morning show) They took a bus tour and came up to my school to meet the French munchkies. From there we headed to Grand Central, Bryant Park, and the Top of the Rock. It was snowing little flakes that night, perfect!
We started with a pot of tea on Saturday at Alice's Tea Cup and then hopped down to Chelsea Market and Soho for shopping. "Promises, Promises" entertained us that evening with Sean Hays and Kristen Chenoweth. Sean stole the show, and if you were a "Will & Grace" fan, it was classic.
We awoke Sunday to rain and Absolute Bagels. Then we went down to Radio City Music Hall to see those famous Rockettes. They were incredible, and we had some excellent commentary from the 3 year olds behind us. Pretty much got Santa's location play by play from those kiddos. The afternoon was spent in Times Square and more shopping in Union Square, and we ate at Prime House for dinner. We dined on luscious steaks, crispy beer battered onion rings, brussel sprouts with apples and bacon, chocolate souffle and banana fosters and then waddled home.
A few family favorite memories were my Aunt Lisa getting slammed by a blind man's cane (he was moving very fast), me having a small meltdown in the masses @ 34th street, and my mom carrying her 53 lb pound bag up the 5 flights of stairs to my apt. Lots of laughter and a great weekend! I am so blessed by these two crazy sisters!

Food Celeb!

I met a food legend this week. You all know and love her, or you should at least. She lives in the Hamptons, uses only the best vanilla, and makes some of the best apple pie in the world. Yes, its Ina Garten or the "Barefoot Contessa."

I have loved Ina since I was 16. I bought her first book my junior year of high school and spent a summer cooking lots of her dishes. I have had lots of favs but the apple pie sticks with me. It's a double crusted, apple filled, hints of orange and lemon, sweet but tart, impressive pie. I made it on several 4th of July holidays.

So, my friend Nick, text me last week and told me she was signing her new book @ Crate and Barrel on Monday. I had to go-life goal! We went in, purchased our books, and waited with baited breath. As the line snaked through the massive Madison Avenue store, Nick and I became more and more nervous. You have to understand that Ina has had big influences in my life. I have her to thank for my love of All Clad, Madagascar vanilla, my periwinkle blue Kitchenaid mixer, and Rugela cookies @ Christmas. I have spent hours gazing at her beautiful cookbooks filled with glossy pictures.

As I stepped up to the table, my heart was pounding. She reached for my book, and here is what came out of my always calm under pressure mouth, "I have loved you for 10 years and you are my most favorite!" Yep. Way to keep your cool Katie. She smiled and half laughed, and although I was a bit embarrassed, I wad glad I told her that!

Great experience, awesome friend to experience it with, and favorite food celebrity met and appreciated. Just another bonus of living in this marvelous city!

getting my book signed!

Nick getting Ina face time. Love her!!

Straight No Chaser

Christmas is starting to heat up in the city. The tree is lit, lights are up, menoras are lit as of yesterday, and the Rockette's are doing the kick line. I am very excited to experience all of these things in the coming few days. I have 15 days left in the city and only 2 nights free from Christmas cheer. My friends from Texas are coming this weekend, then my mom and her twin are hitting the town next weekend, and then its home to the Lone Star State for me.

I had a great kickoff to the holidays this week at The Beacon Theatre seeing "Straight No Chaser" with my friend Claire. They are an acapella group of 10 guys from Indiana University. Their sound is so incredible! I think anytime you can imitate instruments with voices, it is just shocking. Plus, they were just funny guys. They were silly, had great "dance moves," and sang some awesome mash ups. I haven't screamed at a concert like that in a long while! It was a great time and a beautiful venue.

I hope you'll get to experience them both someday!

Here is their website. http://www.sncmusic.com/ Check out some Christmas tunes. I really like the Grinch song and their "12 Days of Christmas."

Hope the month of December is going well for all of you. Remember to take time to stop and enjoy it, get enough rest, and don't forget to hydrate. :)

Joeyeux Noel!!

the ceiling @ the Beacon