An Education

I must be about a year late on this bandwagon but I finally got around to watching An Education this weekend.

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and would definitely suggest it. Carey Mulligan is adorable and I can't wait to see her in more things. I want a cute British accent just like hers.

The styling was incredible. I loved all the clothes, sets, and scenery. It might have stirred up some dormant love for London and Paris too. I can't wait to go back! 

Be Gone, Closet Doors

Work on the room has been slow these days. Kurt is currently on a week long ski trip in Wyoming, so I have had plenty of time to focus on my own space (maybe too much time). I have been meaning to tackle my closet doors ever since Kurt and his boss suggested removing them.

Before (right after moving in...ahh, so little clutter)

One night after dinner (and a couple beers), Kurt and I got ambitious and took the doors down. Luckily (or surprisingly), they were only held up with a few screws which made removing them quick.  

I fell in love with these curtains from World Market. I adore the pattern! Unfortunately they are a little pricey (ugh! and now on sale!), so I only let myself buy one panel to cover two closets. I planned to cut them in half and add some extra fabric in a complementary color to fill the door opening. 

Oh, and I don't sew, so this was all accomplished with hem tape and my poor little iron. (I don't exactly lose sleep over wrinkles so this was the most strenuous day of work my iron has ever seen!) Pardon the clutter...other craft projects in progress :)

The green fabric is a twin flat sheet from Ikea. $4.50! What a steal! Unfortunately the hem tape didn't bond well to the sheets, so they may require some actual sewing to take them beyond the half-ass state they are currently in. The pictures are kind of convincing though, right?! I'm happy with the look, but now my only dilemma is where to store the doors that are no longer on the wall. There is no where in the entire apartment they can be concealed. Currently they are stashed behind my bed but may make a move to the building hallway soon. Ahh...the joys of NYC living :)

dinner + movie marathon

Kurt and I spent 3 days centered around food and movies. It's something I could really get used to.

Saturday: (heavenly) Shrimp and Grits, Apple Berry Cobbler, and quirky Woody Allen at Kurt's apartment.

Shrimp and grits recipe here. I could eat my body weight of this stuff. Definitely not healthy but oh so delicious! Kurt did most of the cooking and I threw together dessert. The apple cobbler is a bastardized version of this Barefoot Contessa recipe found via my friend Laura's blog. I added berries to the apple mixture and upped the proportion of crumb topping (really, I just got tired of chopping apples (which I also left the skins on)). Despite my laziness, it still turned out great.

The feast was paired with this movie:

Whatever Works

It was pretty funny and in a roundabout way fit into our (inadvertent) Southern food theme. 

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Sunday: Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli, Gorgonzola Potatoes, and Salad followed by a rugged Western at BAM

Kurt is always cooking for me. He loves it (I hope) and is just so good at it, so I have absolutely no issue playing sous chef. However, Sunday I decided to take on the task of dinner with absolutely no meddling help from Kurt. I made crab cakes, potatoes, and a salad with a lemon-y dressing. 

I have this recipe for Gorgonzola potatoes from my mother but cut the corners on it too much this time. I remember it being much better when she made it. I'm on a mission to perfect it before I post the recipe.

I've been grossed out by bottled salad dressings lately, so I've been working on making my own. I love the combination of olive oil, lemon, and a little bit of minced garlic. I'm also a big fan of feta, if you can't tell :)

After dinner, we took in a late show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music a couple blocks from my apartment. They always have amazing performances practically at my doorstep, but I rarely get around to going. In the two years I've been in the neighborhood, I've literally only been to two movies at the cinema and this was Kurt's first experience. I'm vowing to incorporate more cultural activities into my routine. 

True Grit

The Coen Brothers were skating on thin ice with me after Fargo, but I was pleasantly surprised with True Grit. There were a few cringe-worthy moments when I had to turn away and I might have shed a tear or two for a horse at the end (Mom, you can't watch!) but I really enjoyed the story. The little girl (played by Hailee Steinfeld) was fantastic. I feel like she stole the show. You should definitely see it.

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Monday: Happy Valentine's Day! Budget dinner and an anti-romantic comedy in Cobble Hill.

Kurt and I have offices very close to each other near Union Square. We have a few places we frequent for lunch or after work drinks. One of our favorites is Piola. They have really good, thin Italian style pizza with tons of interesting topping combinations. Plus, they have good weeknight deals (free wine on Ladies' Night?! hello?!) including free snacks during happy hour (apertivo) Monday through Friday. All you do is order a drink and they bring around a bunch of different small plates. You won't be stuffed but it's definitely our little secret to a light and inexpensive dinner.

We had plans to see an 8:30 movie in Brooklyn at the Cobble Hill Theater, which happens to be across the street from Sweet Melissa's. We got a couple cookies as movie snacks but devoured them before the previews started.

It might not have been the most lovey dovey romantic thing we could have seen on Valentine's Day but Kurt and I saw Blue Valentine. Wow. It's excellent but painfully honest. There's no glamour or idealism. It's just raw and heartbreaking. Of course, I've loved Ryan Gosling ever since the Notebook and will admit that I saw Michelle Williams in her early days on Dawson's Creek, but they were great together. It will hurt, but you should see this movie. Bring the tissues and reserve yourself a block of time afterwards to contemplate what just happened.

(Oh, and all the music is by Grizzly Bear which is really amazing. My favorite in the movie is "Foreground". I must have listened to it five times once I got home.)

Love at First Sight

{dress}

I've never met a wild and crazy tribal print I didn't like. This one and I are sharing a little love today.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wanderlust

Since New York City has been less than pleasant lately, I can't help but dream of being somewhere else. Anywhere else. While at Madiba recently, I dreamed that it would be nice to visit South Africa one day. It's not exactly in the cards this year, but it got me thinking about places I want to travel soon-ish...like within the realm of 2011. I may have gone a bit overboard :)

{Charleston via}

Some spots like Austin and Charleston are just because destinations. Even though I have never visited either city, they are both on my "Places I Could Possibly See Myself Living Once I Grow Wary of NYC" List (nice title, right?). I've heard such good things about both places but figure I should check them out before I pack my bags. Note their Southern location (i.e. warmer climate).

{DC via}

I haven't been to Washington DC since I was a senior in high school. Before that, I don't think I had been since my family lived in Virginia when I was younger. It would be great to go back and experience it as an adult. Plus, it is a pretty easy train or bus ride from NYC. I would love to go for the Cherry Blossom Festival (March 26-April 10) but anytime in the Spring would be fun.

{Montreal via}

Kurt has been dying to visit Montreal ever since I have known him. The train ride there should be breathtaking and I hear the city is very European. Love. We actually had the chance to go back in January and Kurt worked out this very detailed travel itinerary as one of my Christmas presents. I was really excited about it at first but then freaked out and decided I would die from hypothermia if we went. I'm a big wimp. What can I say? We've vowed to go when the temperatures climb out of the single digits. Plus, Amtrak has a great deal on train tickets to Montreal if you travel before April 25th. I better start brushing up on my French now!

I'm headed back down to Alabama in April for a lovely wedding! I could not be more excited for the happy couple and am really looking forward to showing Kurt the Rural Studio. 

{Chicago via}

Kurt has close friends who live in Chicago and often invite him to visit. I've never been and Kurt loves it there. When job searching after college, he would have rather gone there instead of NYC. I would love to take in a baseball game, visit this "beach" Kurt keeps promising me is there, and hope for an Obama sighting.

{via}

I've never been to California. It's probably a good thing. I fear that once I go I will fall in love with the constantly pleasant temperature, beaches, and sunshine. I wouldn't be surprised if I give up on the East Coast completely. Well, Kurt's good friends from Slovenia, Katja and Ales, are getting married in April and are honeymooning in Los Angeles. It would be great to see them again and reminisce about our time in Ljubljana last summer (see here and here). Then a certain friend is spending some time in Santa Cruz from March to October. Not sure if both (or either) trips can happen but it would be great to explore a new frontier!

Speaking of new frontiers, Kurt and I have been talking about doing a joint trip to Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. Being a West Coast virgin, I've never been to either. Kurt loves Portland (it's on his post-NYC list) but has yet to explore Seattle. Since they are so close, we thought they could be combined into a longer summer trip. Kurt's aunt and uncle live in Oregon, so we also might be able to score free transportation and lodging. It will be great to catch up with a few Auburn friends living out there and see a new, hippie-ish city. I hear Portland and Brooklyn are very similar. However, I hope those Ducks (yes, Kurt, I know the University of Oregon is in Eugene and not Portland) are over this little incident by July or so.

See that tiny little scarlet and grey star down in Florida? Well, Ohio State plays at Miami this year (counterpart to the game we saw in Columbus last year). Kurt loves football. I love the beach. Perfection! I've got my fingers crossed for this one.

Anyone want to sponsor (or join in on!) my excessive travels throughout the year? It's practically educational. I'm studying new cultures, meeting new people, and trying new things. Totally worth it :)