2019 New Year's Resolutions

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I LOVE New Year's resolutions. I think it's because I'm a rather self-disciplined person, and a perfectionist, so I like testing myself to see if I can keep to all of my resolutions (yes, I always have several). There are some that I haven't kept up with (my obsession with my last food journal was not healthy), but I do a pretty good job sticking to them.

So here is my list for 2019:

1. Keep a different food journal. The last time I tried this, I was counting calories and measuring out my food; it just became too much. This time, my sister and I have set up an Excel spreadsheet that we'll fill out together. We're just listing the foods we eat, none of that other stuff, and we'll keep track of how much water we drink each day and what exercise we do (if any). We'll highlight anything "bad" (i.e. desserts, alcohol, empty carbs) in red. I think this will be good because we can encourage each other and hold each out accountable. AND I've set up a reward system for myself: for each week I go without any red blocks, I will treat myself to a solidcore workout class. I love those classes, but they are too expensive to go regularly. This way I'll still get to go every once in a while, and I know I won't eat perfectly, so it certainly won't be every week. It's good to have an incentive for this kind of thing!

2.  Host a girls' night once a month. Every time I meet up with a group of girlfriends, whether it's old colleagues or sorority sisters or a mix of friend groups, I always have such a good time. I am a huge proponent of women spending more time with women; now I actually need to do it! So once a month, I will host a get-together and invite lots of friends. I'll invite a bunch, knowing that only a handful will probably be able to make it. I might even include my annual consignment party (January) and my birthday party (April) in this list. So that means I have to plan ten more. They might include movie nights, going to a concert or ballet, hiking/kayaking...I'll figure that part our later. The main thing is making sure I see these ladies more regularly!

3. Read books I actually want to read. I feel like most of the books I read are ones that my aunt or mom give me. We don't have the same kind of taste in books generally, but they give them to me, so I read them anyway. This year, I want to read books that I either already own or are ones that I've been thinking about reading, but I just haven't gotten to them yet. I have several nature memoirs that I want to read, and there are many movies that I want to see, but I'd like to read the books first. I'm not sure how many books I'll actually get to; I feel like I never have much time to read. But when I do find a free moment, I should read something that I'm actually looking forward to.

4. Get a new job. Okay, this isn't really a resolution, just something that HAS to happen. I left my old job in late September because I was very unhappy, which was impacting my mental (and even physical) health. Since then, I have been working part-time for a similar organization, and it has been wonderful. I'm much happier, and it's been great to have these few months to regroup. BUT I can't work part-time forever (if only!). So I have been applying to jobs, going on interviews, etc. Now we just need something to turn into something. I have faith that it will all work out in the end; I know something will come along that is the right fit. I just hope it happens sooner rather than later!

5. Travel more. This one isn't necessarily a resolution, either, since I already hope these travel plans I'm dreaming of will indeed happen (I'm a planner at heart, so planning trips early is something I normally do.). But here's where I'm hoping/planning to go:

• January - New Hampshire. My dad and I head out for our annual snowboarding trip on the 5th!
• April/May - Birthday trip. Since I'm turning 30, everyone is telling me I need to go somewhere for my big day. I didn't feel this urge, but I figured it would be nice if it worked out. I had considered visited my parents' condo in Hilton Head, and my mom suggested a girls trip to Mexico or the Caribbean. But then I thought to myself, "I'm not dying to make this a big deal. Why don't I just visit my sister in California?" When I brought up the idea to her, she said she wanted to see the Backstreet Boys perform in Las Vegas, and I immediately texted back, "WOAH YESSSSS." So yesterday we booked our flights and bought the concert tickets. Now we just need to decide where we want to stay. With all those casinos, we have lots of choices!  
• Memorial Day to Labor Day - Summer vacations. This summer I would like to visit:
• New York City to see my grandmother
• Cape Cod to stay with a Theta sister who's up there (I try to see her every chance I get!)
• London, since a friend is moving there
• Colorado, because another Theta is moving there with her husband
• South Carolina or Wisconsin to see a longtime friend (she lives in SC but her family has a place in WI, so I'm happy seeing her in either locale)

6. Continuing past resolutions. This is kind of  cop-out, but these are resolutions I've had in the past that I think were good ideas, so I would like to bring them into 2019, too. This includes trying to stay in touch with friends around the country (or world, now that three of my friends are going international), complimenting strangers when I think of something nice ("What a beautiful coat!"), and staying off of online dating sites (with all the stress and wasted time, I'd honestly rather be alone). And I still want to make sure I dance and go to Shabbat on a regular basis.

P.S. If you're interested, here are my resolutions from 2016, 2017, and 2018.

My Christmas Loot

For the past several years, my family has said that, since my sister and I are grown, we won't do as many presents for Christmas. But every year the area under the tree is completely covered by dozens of gifts. This year was no exception.

My gifts seemed to come in two main themes:

1. Athletic wear

I've been a gym rat since college, and this past year I joined a Bar Method studio on top of my Washington Sports Club membership, so I have been doing two-a-day workouts. I'm also heading out for my annual snowboarding trip in a few weeks. So my mom wants me to look good for all these activities! The sports bra is from Target, and the Reebok long-sleeved shirts came from Marshalls. Not sure where she found the Under Armour top. I'm excited to wear all of these!

2. Unicorns

I have loved unicorns ever since I was a little girl; I joke that I've never grown out of my pony phase. So I'm psyched that for the past several years, unicorns have been trending everywhere. I received several unicorn gifts last year, and this year did not disappoint, either.

My sister bought me Lisa Frank unicorn leggings, and a leopard crop top to match. Such nostalgia! And my mom got me unicorn flannels PJs and a black-and-silver unicorn hoodie. I received three unicorn ornaments, two unicorn mugs, some unicorn note cards (and I found unicorn Christmas cards both last year and this year)...even some of the packaging had unicorns on it!

Aside from those general groupings, I also was given tasty treats, generous checks (very much appreciated since I've been working part-time for the past three months), beauty supplies, and more. My family, friends, and Santa were all very good to me this year! I am so grateful and thankful for all the love this holiday season!

My Family Christmas Food

I usually spend Christmas with my parents on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, so I headed over that way last Friday for the holiday. My sister was visiting her boyfriend's family in Ohio, and my grandparents cancelled at the last minute, so we had a small gathering (not that we have a big family to begin with: my sister and I are the only grandchildren). My aunt and uncle visited from Virginia, so the five of us spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together.

Of course we ate TONS of food over the holiday. Here are some of our creations:

Christmas Tree Spinach Dip Bread Sticks

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Pecan Cranberry Goat Cheese Balls

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes (inspired by our favorite Cheesecake Factory dish!)

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Classic Butter Balls (we use pecans instead of walnuts)

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Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake (Ours did not rise for some reason, so it was probably a third in height compared to the recipe's picture!)

My mom and I made three other kinds of cookies, and she made turkey enchiladas for Christmas Eve dinner, along with bacon-wrapped scallops. We were eatin' good!

The Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker

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I have seen the ballet of The Nutcracker every year since 2011. This year Ballet West was returning to the Kennedy Center to perform the famous ballet. While I love their version (I saw it in 2014), I wanted to mix is up and see another company's performance of The Nutcracker. When I realized that the Moscow Ballet would be performing at the Strathmore, less than 20 minutes from where I live, I immediately bought tickets.


I think a big part of what the Moscow Ballet focuses on is youth engagement. I am under the impression that they include young dancers from the different cities where they perform, so there were TONS of children in this version. Snow sprites, mice, snowflakes...all little girls. Even the children as party guests were all girls, some were just dressed as boys. Teenage dancers were also included, particularly in the cultural variations; I actually think this detracted from those dances, personally. I understand the importance of including youth in supporting the arts, but if I wanted to see children dance, I wouldn't pay nearly $100 for it.

There were other bits about this particular version of which I was not a fan. First of all, Clara (whom they called "Masha" and Uncle Drosselmeyer were the wrong ages: she looks 16 instead of like a little girl, and he wasn't much older than her. So it was weird seeing her in a nightgown getting a present from a young man who could be her brother (instead of an old man with an eye-patch, which is the usual). There also wasn't a "family feel" at the party; the adults and children felt very separate (plus the women weren't wearing ballet shoes, which threw me off). The growing Christmas tree was also a letdown for me: it was made of fabric, and until it grew, the extra was just a puddle of cloth on stage. I thought it was pretty obvious, so the tree lost its illusion.

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The robotic dolls who dance at the party (performed by Kostyantin Vinovoy and Iryna Protsenko) were not fabulous, either. I have seen dancers who actually move just like machines, and these two were lacking in that department. I just wasn't buying it, and quite frankly, Vinovoy looks creepy AF.

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 And Moor dolls randomly showed up. They're the same dancers from the Arabian Coffee dance (more about that below), so it seemed weird that they were on stage for just a hot second in the first act. They couldn't wait?

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Also, at the end of Act I, we are usually transported to a beautiful snow forest, but here it snowed in the house, and Clara/Masha and her prince were dancing rather than a snow queen and HER prince. But Santa Claus and a snow maiden with little kids made an appearance. What?


I didn't care for the company's interpretation of the rats, either. I've seen performances where the rats are rolly-polly and funny, which I much more prefer. These looked like demon rats with skin that had been burnt in the fires of hell. Ew. (Of course I couldn't find a good photo for the blog. Probably because they realize how ugly the rats are, too.) The mice children weren't much better, and the kids they got for this performance were especially bad, coming onto the stage late and bumping into each other.

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The highlight for me was definitely the Arabian Coffee dance. This is always my favorite part, but of course different companies have their own versions. Some have only one dancer, some have several, some are a pas de deux, others are multiple women... But the Moscow Ballet's version is THE best, hands down. I had seen it years ago on YouTube, and I was just as in love with it in person! I got to see Sergey Chumakov and Elena Petrichenko perform it in the flesh! Even though they are some of the oldest dancers in the company (they joined in 1994), their physiques are astounding and they were by far the best dancers!

Just watch the acrobatic moves they perform. They are AMAZING!

The Moscow Ballet adds their own flair to The Nutcracker with their "dove of peace" segment, also performed by Chumakov and Petrichenko. The lifts might even be more impressive because he's doing them with just one free arm!

Clara/Masha played the role of the Sugarplum Fairy, which I thought was strange. And there was no Mother Ginger character (probably because the show already included so many children). They did add animal nesting dolls for several of the cultural dances, like a bull for the Spanish Chocolate dance and a bear for the Russian dance; they were funny, but mostly hung out on stage rather than actually dance.

So, not my favorite version. But I can watch that Arabian Coffee dance on repeat for eternity!

Play Review: Talley's Folly

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This past weekend I saw Theater J's production of Talley's Folly. I had no idea what the play was about, but I had the chance to see it for free, so why would I turn an opportunity like that down? Actually, a few weeks ago I had filled out a survey through the DCJCC for their version of Date Lab: I answered questions about my interests, what I'm looking for in a partner, and any deal breakers. If they found a match for me, they would set us up and send us to the theater with complimentary tickets. I figured, "If I don't like him, I still get to enjoy the show." No harm, no foul.

So I was actually set up! My expectations were low, seeing as I cared more about the play than the date. The man I met was punctual and polite, but there wasn't much more there. Conversation was stilted; as the extrovert of our pair, I felt like it was pulling teeth to keep a conversation going. Again, he was a nice man, but I was relieved when it was time to take our seats and we didn't have to continue talking.

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Now onto the show...First of all, the set was fantastic! You instantly felt like you were looking into a dilapidated boathouse, with floorboards missing, boxes and cans randomly piled up everywhere, two row boats laying around from lack of use, and English ivy climbing up the trellis of the gazebo design. Actually, in this case, this was the folly: Noun: Architecture. a whimsical or extravagant structure built to serve as a conversation piece, lend interest to a view, commemorate a person or event, etc.  

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Then John Taylor Phillips, playing Matthew Friedman, took the stage, and addressed the audience, breaking the fourth wall. His thoughts were all over the place, with non-sequiturs every few moments. He was very funny, although a hint of a southern accent would come in and out: I wasn't sure if he was supposed to be from the country or not. Sally Talley, his counterpart (played by Erin Weaver), was certainly from Lebanon, Missouri, with a thick southern drawl. They worked very well together, but their whole romance was a little hard to believe. First of all, they only spent a week together the year before; two people have a hot-and-heavy affair for just seven days and suddenly fall madly in love? I don't think so. Over the rest of the year (i.e. between their affair and this meeting that we're watching), he sent letters and talked to her Aunt Charlotte, but Sally never responded; the relationship certainly seemed one-sided to me. Although there was talk that they couldn't be together because he was Jewish and she was Christian, the real reason she had been avoiding him was that she didn't want to admit that she couldn't have children (a point which took WAAAAY too long to make; I guessed it early on in their conversation and she just would not spit it out!). BUT as luck would have it, after having a shitty childhood in Europe, Matt doesn't even want kids, so then they realize they can be together. Yay, happy ending. But I also didn't buy their kiss at the end. Phillips could NOT fake it. 

I am glad I got to see this play because I enjoy live theater. But there really wasn't much of a story, and since it's just two people talking in a boathouse, there's not much action, either. I'm not sure I can really recommend the show, but I do stand behind supporting Theater J. And because the DCJCC is under construction, this show is housed at the GALA Hispanic Theatre, which was quite beautiful. I had never been before, so I was especially glad to go to a new venue. Maybe you will be, too!

Chris Young Concert

Last week I went to another country concert at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore. I always have a good time at those!

Morgan Evans was the first opener. He's Australian and married to Kelsea Ballerini. Who knew? We missed most of his set, but here are two songs he performed:

Kiss Somebody

Hooked (a song he wrote for Dylan Scott)

Dan + Shay were up next. I was so excited to see them because of their song "Tequila," but they have a lot of good hits!

Tequila

From the Ground Up

How Not To

Speechless

I Like the Sound of That (a song they wrote for Rascal Flatts)

And there were some I didn't recognize but I liked:

All to Myself

19 You + Me

Alone Together

Then it was time for the main act, Chris Young! He's been around for a while, but I never had the chance to see him perform live before. He wasn't great live, but I still love so many of his songs:

Lonely Eyes

Losing Sleep

Aw Naw

I'm Comin' Over

Tomorrow

Voices

The Man I Want to Be

Hangin' On

Sober Saturday Night

Gettin' You Home

You

Who I Am With You

I Can Take It From Here (He didn't perform this song, but it's a fun one!)

And while Cassadee Pope wasn't there to perform live, there was a video of her singing the "Think of You" duet:

And I had never heard this one before:

Save Water Drink Beer

So many good songs, such a fun time! I'm seeing two more country concerts in early 2019, so stay tuned for those blog posts!

Advice for the last guy I dated

So, I recently broke up with someone whom I had been seeing for a few months. Even though he's a 30 year-old man, I soon realized he was actually a man-child. Though I'm sure he'll never read this post, here are some tips that he (and many other men) could use:

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1. Red wine goes with beef. White wine goes with chicken and fish. No exceptions. Oh, and you should drink wine out of a wine glass, not a mason jar.

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2. The Lions and Cowboys play football on Thanksgiving every year. This has been the case for decades. So don't ask who's playing that day; you should already know half the answer already.

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3. Many of the most popular Christmas songs were written by Jews, including Winter Wonderland, It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and more. So if you're Jewish, don't claim you're a "good Jew" by hating on Christmas music.

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4. Don't tell me to send you a sexy selfie. If I want to send you a pic, I'll send you a pic. And don't do that creepy high school move where, when we're kissing, you try to push my hand into your crotch. If I want to touch your dick, I'll touch your dick! Oh, and no dry humping. Ever.

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5. Don't text your friends or read the news on your phone while you're on a date. That just shows that you'd rather be somewhere else with someone else rather than the girl you're with. And don't use your phone when you think she's not looking, like when she's talking to the waiter (Just because her main attention is on something else doesn't mean she doesn't notice.). Put your phone on silent and put it away. Better yet, leave it in the car or your bag for the entirety of the date.

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6. Foot the bill. I know I'm old-fashioned on this, but when you take a girl out to dinner, you should plan to pay for her meal. If she insists on going Dutch, that's one thing. But just like girls "make the reach" (even if they don't mean it), you should offer to pay, too.

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7. On that note, learn how to balance your check book (or at the very least monitor your account online regularly). You should never have a zero dollar balance or even come close to it! And you should sign up for a credit card; you should have done so the moment you got a real, full-time, adult job. How are you ever going to buy a car or house, or get a loan, if you haven't built up any credit?

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8. Be respectful to strangers who are nice to you. It's one thing to be an asshole to a jerk (although that's still unattractive). It's another to be rude to someone who has never done you wrong. You never know if you'll cross paths again, or if they know someone you know... Nothing good comes out of you acting like a self-centered prick.

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9. Attempt (succeed, actually) in sweeping a woman off her feet emotionally and intellectually before trying to do so physically. If there's no established connection between you two outside of the bedroom, there certainly isn't going to be one in the bedroom. Telling someone you want to "fuck" her and asking if she's on birth control before you've even discussed where you both were in the relationship and how you were feeling is just insensitive (and disgusting, quite frankly). Otherwise, it's clear that sex for you isn't an intimate connection with someone; it's just a biological response to being with a female human. There is nothing sexy about you thinking with your primitive brain. Evolve, man.

*Apologies for all the animal humping videos. But that kinda sums it up...

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

After losing my friend Hendo earlier this week, I began to think even more about all of the people and other blessings in my life. While this list is certainly not complete, here are the things I am most thankful for:













1. My friends and family. They are such an incredible support system and bring so much joy to my life. I would not be the person I am today or have the life I have without them. If I want to get together with friends, I practically have my own listserv of 50+ names. I'm never alone, and as an extrovert, I am very thankful for that!

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2. My education and my work. Not a day goes by that I don't think about going to Dartmouth and what an amazing opportunity going to that school was (or the very fact that I grew up in a country where women can go to school in the first place). That degree has opened so many doors for me, and I have been able to build a career in a field I love because of that critical stepping stone. The work I have done for environmental non-profits has been very rewarding, and I hope I can continue to organize events for a number of worthy causes far into the future.

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3. Food, running water, a roof over my head. I think many of us take these necessities for granted, but they must be on this list for obvious reasons.

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4. My health. I am a very active person, and I love that I am able to participate in some of my favorite hobbies: hiking, kayaking, dancing, yoga, all of my gym classes, tennis... My joints might be a little achy sometimes, and I haven't been able to run since 2012, but I am still grateful for all of the physical things I can do. Being with my grandmother this week has also shown me how important my health is. I want to be as active as I can now before I'm too old to enjoy it!

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5. Living in an urban area with lots to do. I like keeping busy, and DC makes that easy to do. I'm forever seeing and doing fun things, from supporting the arts to visiting nearby parks to shopping at neighborhood markets. My worst nightmare is sitting home alone watching TV, and being in DC makes it so I'm never bored! And I am thankful that I have the discretionary income to take advantage of all of it!

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6. The local Jewish community. I didn't grow up Jewish (other than celebrating Passover and Hanukkah), and even in college I wasn't very involved in Hillel. But once I moved to the DC area nearly seven years ago, I have had the chance to be very involved. I worked at a synagogue, I go to Shabbat once a month, and I participate in Moishe House events regularly. I have met so many fun people while at the same time becoming closer to my faith. My belief in God is stronger than ever and is forever growing.

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7. My confidence and self-respect. Far too many women hate themselves or don't believe in themselves, and perhaps never will. I am so thankful that my parents raised me in a way that built up my self-esteem; they always told me I was smart and beautiful, and it's like a mantra I tell myself every day. I truly love who I am, and if someone doesn't like me, that's on them. Too many women care too much about what other people think of them. Take it from me: you will be much happier if you give fewer f**ks. Nothing is sadder than seeing people trying to impress others to make themselves feel better. You shouldn't have to prove anything to anyone, ever.

This list could go on and on, but seven seems like a lucky number, so I'll stop there. What are you most thankful for this holiday?

In honor of Hendo

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The other day I learned that a friend of mine from Capital Blues, Jonathan "Hendo" Henderson, unexpectedly passed away. I was stunned, shocked. I had just danced with him the week before (and nearly every week this entire year). How could he be gone?

Hendo was an incredible force in the local blues dancing community. He was an amazing dancer with his own unique style; I learned all of my solo blues moves from him, and he was forever encouraging me to try new moves. He helped organize the weekly dances for us at Glen Echo Park, as well as the big dance weekends in the D.C. area. He was a familiar face at each dance; it was nearly a guarantee that he would be there. Now he will not.

He was one of the warmest souls. He always had a smile for you. Even when he was serious or in a mood, he was sweet and kind. And he gave great hugs.

At every Thursday dance he would make announcements, and always ended with the rules of the dance: "Use your words, respect each other's boundaries, and don't be a jerk." These are words we should all carry with us, not only on the dance floor but throughout our daily lives. We will never forget you, Hendo.

Recipe: Monkey Nut Cookies

These are probably the nicest looking cookies I've ever baked. And I actually made the full 48 cookies!

As one of my snow day traditions, I like to bake when I'm cooped up at home during a storm. I had a very ripe banana (I wasn't even sure it would last another day), so I looked online for recipes that only called for one banana (most banana breads call for two or three, etc.). So when I came across this recipe by Joseph Feiertag on Snapguide, I thought it was perfect.

The way this recipe is presented is very annoying: nowhere are the directions in one place. They are all spread out, step-by-step, with pictures to match (with his own commentary sprinkled in). So you have to keep scrolling between the long pages of steps just to get to the bottom to see the list of ingredients; I like to double-check my measurements before I put any ingredients into the batter, and it's more helpful to have the ingredients and instructions all on one page. I guess this is just how Snapguide does things.

So to make it easy for YOU, I have written them all in one place here (along with my own commentary):

Ingredients

1	Cup Butter
¾	Cups Brown sugar
¾	Cups Granulated sugar
2	Eggs
1	Tablespoon Pure Vanilla extract
1	Small, ripe banana
2½	Cups all-purpose flour
3	Tablespoons Cornstarch
1	Teaspoon Coarse salt
1	Teaspoon Baking soda
1	Cup White chocolate chips
1	Cup Milk chocolate chips
1	Cup Walnuts or any other kind you prefer

Directions

1. Gather ingredients (My commentary: Brilliant, genius.)
2. In the mixing bowl: butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla.
3. Cream together. (Does this need to be a separate step? Shouldn't it be with #2?)
4. Add eggs one at a time and mix until we'll [sic] blended (Nice apostrophe, dude.)
5. Add the other egg and blend (Again, this is a bit redundant from #4.)
6. Slice the bananas.
7. Add bananas and blend until somewhat smooth ("Somewhat" is clearly a technical term.)
8. Add the dry ingredients; flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda.
9. Mix just until the flour is almost in blended in. (In, in,inininin....)
10. Add the white chocolate, milk chocolate chips and the walnuts.
11. Scoop cookies onto parchment or onto non-stick cookie sheets. (Well, we're actually scooping cookie dough, since they aren't quite cookies yet...)
12. Bake at 350f for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Perhaps this was his first time actually writing a recipe down, but he made a few mistakes:

1. He never says to preheat the oven. You don't even know what temperature to heat the oven until you reach the end of the recipe. Rookie move!

2. He says to "slice the bananas," as in plural. But the recipe only calls for one banana. Would it be that difficult to proofread and remove the s? And he uses semicolons instead of colons. It's confusing.

3. When he says to add the dry ingredients, he left out the step to actually mix those together in a separate bowl beforehand. As an experienced baker, I know to do this, but what if I were a beginner?

4. He never explains how to cool the cookies. Do you immediately remove them from the cookie sheet? Do you let them rest a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack? Do you even use a cooling rack?

Here are some things I did differently:

- I didn't use walnuts. A lot of people don't like nuts in desserts, so I didn't bother. I also used a little more than a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and just under a cup of white chocolate chips. (That's what I had in the house!)

- I keep my butter in the freezer, which can make it really hard to mix into a batter. So I melted it first. Most recipes don't call for you to do that, but it makes the mixing a lot easier (but does make the batter wetter). 

- I DID preheat the oven, and as for cooling, I left the cookies on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

These cookies are VERY yummy, and while they are golden on the outside, they're soft on the inside. I think these might be a new favorite!