Birthday Presents!

So I had a most excellent birthday last week, and I must admit that it was a rather practical birthday in terms of gifts... to my delight! Now I know I'm getting old. Some of these gifts I received outright, some I purchased with giftcards, but all are things I love!

Paula Deen Recipe Journal - DW and SW got me this, autographed by Paula at The Lady & Sons in Savannah! Can't wait to fill it with my recipes and notes.

Aurora Desktop Shredder - I had a pile of paperwork to shred, and no shredder. Perfect, and practical! Has a cute spot in my office.

Rowenta Stainless Steel Iron - I do a lot of ironing now that I have sewing for a hobby! Mom said to get a Rowenta, so when they sent me a giftcard, it's the first thing I picked out! I also got a new ironing board from Walmart.

Krups Spice Grinder - Okay, so it's a coffee grinder. But I got some awesome whole garam masala from Spices Etc., which needs to be roasted then grinded before use. This will come in handy for my whole spices! I don't drink coffee, so no risk of any morning surprises. :)

Fiskars Rotary Cutter/Mat - JH told me I needed this for cutting sewing patterns. Should save me a LOT of time!

Paula Deen 17-Piece Cutlery Block Set - This set is actually sold out most places now, but it is amazing and includes a Santoku knife. LOVE how sharp these are, and the chef's knife is my new best friend! I needed to replace my old set, and this was perfect.

Williams-Sonoma Antibacterical Cutting Board - My old plastic boards are cut up, meaning they could be harboring bacteria! I thought about a wood butcher-block style board, but the reviews showed that there tends to be warp, they need mineral oil care-taking, and aren't dishwasher-safe. This one was different, so I figured it's worth a try!

Garlic Press-Slicer - How do I not own a garlic press already?! I am a garlic fanatic, so this was a no-brainer. I chose this one because it has both a press and slicer. Perfect!

Chef'n Citrus Juicer - Normally, I just halve citrus and squeeze by hand, like Giada does on TV. But I don't feel like I'm getting all the juices that way!

Goldtouch Cooling Rack - I don't have a cooling rack, and I need one. I am constantly baking, and this would help a lot! I feel like I sometimes burn the bottoms of cookies by leaving them on the hot pan to cool. This will also rock over a cookie sheet for GLAZING!

I think anyone would agree that I was a VERY spoiled girl this year!!! My friends and family were way too generous, and I love everything I got. I know they are practical gifts, but they are exactly what I wanted.

I'm already getting ideas for Christmas... Sur La Table is my new favorite website to drool over! Doughnut pan? Cake stands? Metal measuring cups and spoons? Or an awesome waffle iron? :-) Too bad birthdays only come once a year!!!

[Later... I am placing bets I don't make it until JULY without those things finding their way into my house, let alone Christmas!]

What about Glee?

"Aubrey, what happened to your weekly posts about everything GLEE???"

Honestly, while I enjoy watching the show every week, I've been so busy that I haven't really thought to update my thoughts on the show. I rarely get to watch it when it airs, so I feel like updating late just kind of misses the point. The show isn't coming back on until April 19th, so we have a while before another new episode... maybe I'll get back into it.

What have I liked lately? Gwyneth Paltrow's return, as well as Rachel stepping up her game! I've really enjoyed a lot of the songs, even though I think the original songs were just 'okay'. I loved the drinking party episode, and Rachel was awesome in it. AWESOME. Sue Sylvester is awesome as usual, but she could step up her game a bit and be more evil. Cameos: Gwyneth, John Stamos, Kathy Griffin... LOVE.

What have I disliked? I'm sick of the Warblers. Blaine was cute and all initially, but let's just drop him already and get Kurt back to McKinley High. Also, what's up with Emma? The Will/Emma storyline is a lot like the Luke/Lorelei storyline from Gilmore Girls, it's going to be played out over and over until we scream "ENOUGH ALREADY!" (Note: I was a HUGE GG fan and even got to visit the set before it was cancelled, though the Stars Hollow outdoor set was closed for filming that day. Still crushed I missed out on seeing it.) I'm a big fan of John Stamos on the show, and I don't see how Emma could choose Will over him. I'm also a fan of a Holly/Will romance, so let's do it already! Also, what about Santana losing her mojo? I'm fine with her loving Brittany, but she needs to continue to be the conniving, evil biotch I've grown to love.

Basically, I want everyone to stay in character, sing songs that aren't over-produced, and continue to have awesome cameos by famous people I like. Can you hear me, Fox?

Cherry Blossoms & Cupcakes

I had an amazing weekend celebrating both my birthday and my friend JP's wedding in Washington, D.C. The best part of the entire trip is that our group of five from college (me, JP, AE, MC, and KT) were finally reunited for the first time since 2007! I literally cried when MC and AE picked me up at the airport, Georgetown Cupcakes and birthday card in hand. MH, another teammate from college, was there too, and a group of us crashed at MC's place in Bethesda for the weekend. (She is a brilliant girl finishing up med school this year before pursuing a career as a SURGEON, and a great friend! I always brag about her.)

That night, we all got together for Indian food at Tandoori Nights, one last evening at the bars with a single JP, and headed home for some rest. The day of the wedding, we had a morning jog, breakfast at home, then headed to Fort Myer for the wedding.

The wedding was beautiful!!! I loved it, and it was perfect for JP and her hubby. Their reception, however, was even MORE stunning. Held at Top of the Town, we had an amazing view of D.C., and we had a ball dancing the night away.

The weekend, alas, was too short. After brunch in Bethesda, we parted ways. AE accompanied me on the Metro to the airport, with a pitstop at the National Mall to check out some of the famous cherry blossoms in bloom! It was the perfect ending to a sweet weekend, one where I was constantly happy and pinching myself that I have such great friends. XOXOXO to my girls!!!