Author Archives: kimberly ah

Aug 22 2012
4 Comments
summer manifesto, thoughts

i love a rainy night

It’s been a really dry summer. It’s been bad for farmers, bad for gardeners, bad for people who love green grass…and bad for people like me–people who love rainy nights. Last night we got the best steady, heavy rain, so I poured a glass of wine and sat out on the balcony for a bit. It was damp and chilly enough that I could curl up in a blanket. The cool air reminded me that fall is coming and these warm summer days are numbered yet again…time to check off the last few items of that summer manifesto!

Are you looking forward to fall, or are you still trying to soak up the last bits of summer?

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Aug 21 2012
2 Comments
what's for dinner

simple summer suppers | wine & cheese

Naoto had two nights off last week–unheard of around here… We decided to break open a bottle of wine and enjoy some cheese & salami for dinner…it was a well-balanced meal because of the whole-wheat crackers and the grapes. We usually get our cheese from Trader Joe’s–which is obviously very convenient–because one of us is there almost seven days a week–but Naoto splurged at got the cheese and the salami from the Marion Street Cheese Market, right by his L stop in Oak Park. The Manchego was so delicious that I think Naoto let me eat the whole block myself…to be fair, I let him eat most of the salami…

Last week was another crazy one with work and mail call deadlines and we had plans all weekend (which is unusual for us)…and this week brings something every day…I don’t mind, but I’m looking forward to working on a few things–not things for Honor Flight or for work–things for me…ideas that have been bouncing around and projects that have gotten dusty from neglect. Luckily, Naoto has a few nights off again this week, so he can help me with the heavy lifting and furniture moving*, too.

*Yes, we will be moving the desk in the background of this photo…after having it sit in the middle of the doorway for two weeks!

Aug 20 2012
3 Comments
crafty adventures, snail mail

more neon love

Last week, I mailed a thank you to a friend. She tweeted that she liked this, and so I ordered it (oh, and one for myself in grey), waited three weeks for it to arrive, and then finally wrapped it up in a kraft envelope with some twine, glitter and washi tape, packed it up with some Japanese treats (all of my favorites from the Japanese grocery store) and mailed it on its way.

I know summer is fading but my love for neon isn’t going anywhere… Neon isn’t really a “fall thing” so I’m going to soak up (and use up!) all of the neon while I can.

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Aug 16 2012
1 Comment
Elvis, thoughts Video

on elvis

I love Elvis…probably not to the same level as those people who make the pilgrimage each year to Graceland to honor his birth and his death, but I do love him.

My cat is named Presley, I have been to Graceland twice (purely coincidental–both times were with my old job when we were in Memphis on business), and I did dance with my dad to Love Me Tender at my wedding (sweetest song ever!)… And many years ago I did the Elvis is Alive 5K–a race that ends with an Elvis (impersonator) concert (I was a runner back then) and I have been to see another Elvis impersonator in Hawaii (Don’t judge–it was touristy fun!). Oh, and I did have an Elvis impersonator surprise me at my bachelorette party (thankfully he was not a stripper!) But, that’s it…(other than the giant Elvis mug in my cabinet and those Elvis Pez dispensers and……..)

To honor the 35th anniversary of Elvis’s death in our own low-key way, Presley & I danced around to Suspicious Minds (my favorite Elvis song) this morning, and listened to the rest of his music on repeat all day. I’m sure the neighbors loved it!

How about you? Do you love Elvis? What is your favorite Elvis song?

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Aug 13 2012
7 Comments
crafty adventures, thoughts

letterpress class with Rar Rar Press

I had an epic weekend: a sausage-centered party at Big Guys Sausages, a letter social with the Letter Writers Alliance & a letterpress class with Rar Rar Press. While the party at Big Guys was fun (I had the Italian Chicken Sausage and I am officially three-for-three with loving what I order there!) and the letter writing social was as lovely as always (I wrote 1.5 letters and one postcard!), the letterpress class was a huge highlight.

I’ve been wanting to take a letterpress class for a long time and Rebecca’s class came highly recommended. Unlike a lot of letterpress printers today who design on the computer and have a polymer plate made for printing, Rebecca still hand sets all of her type using old letters made of wood or metal. Some of her type is from the early 1900s! I kind of wanted to spend the whole four hour class just poking through it all and playing with fonts, but there were posters to print!

We learned a little bit of terminology (oh, there is so much terminology…and measuring & math!) and about setting our type and we learned about her two presses before we got started. It took me a long time to choose my type styles and Rebecca assisted a lot when it came to setting my chase (the frame that holds all of the letters together). It is like playing Tetris trying to fill in each and every inch of the chase so the letters are securely set and ready for print. (Rebecca joked that she can pack a car like no one else!)

Rebecca printed the rainbow background first, then we printed the text on top. Every print is a little bit different, some have darker blue-green rainbows, some are lighter …I love that about them. Naoto said I should sign each one (since they are a limited edition of 25) and I think I will. Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas!

The biggest challenge for me before the class was choosing what I wanted to print. I have a long list of quotes that I love (most of them are pinned here on Pinterest), but in the end, I decided “Comparison is the thief of joy” (Theodore Roosevelt) is a perfect life lesson to have on my wall. It’s a good reminder, don’t you think?

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Aug 10 2012
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adventures

Hey Big Guy!

Hot dog stands are a dime a dozen in Chicagoland. Almost every street has one or two, and they all offer pretty much the same thing: Chicago-style hot dog (also known as a Red Hot, an all-beef frank topped with mustard, onion, tomato slices, neon green sweet relish, sport peppers, a pickle spear and celery salt served on a poppy seed bun–absolutely no ketchup allowed) , fries, and sometimes tamales, subs and other sausages. So when Naoto told me about a new “hot dog stand” in neighboring Berwyn–Big Guys Sausage Stand, I was happy to try it out, but I wasn’t flipping my lid over it…I mean, how different could it be than all the others?

Apparently, very different.

As you can tell from the menu, they have every kind of tubed meat available…and sausages aren’t topped with the usual mustard and onions. Big Guys’ toppings are homemade and very inventive. On my first visit I had the Cheddar Braut which comes topped with homemade cheddar sauce, chimmichurri and pickled red onions. What could normally be a very heavy sandwich was actually well-balanced because of the freshness of the chimmichurri and the onions. On my second visit (a few days later) I had the Buffalo Chicken Sausage (pictured on top). This sausage is their own recipe and it is pretty spicy, but it’s nicely cooled down by the bleu cheese and the veggies. I cannot wait to try the Italian Chicken Sausage (also Big Guys’ own recipe) and the Bacon Beer Cheese Soup (maybe when the weather cools off) and quite possibly a tamale…

As with most hot dog stands, there is a counter inside for stand-up eating and picnic tables in the back for a summer sit-down.

Needless to say, I think we’re going to be regulars here.

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Aug 08 2012
4 Comments
thoughts

under the weather

I made it through the winter of 2011-2012 without getting sick. It was kind of a miracle, since I work in retail, but also not really surprising because I normally get eight hours of sleep and have a pretty good immune system (built up from ten years of working with children!) Last week, Naoto went to Connecticut on business and came home sick (from the germ-filled airplane, of course). I tried so hard to keep myself safe from the germs–washing my hands frequently, sleeping with my face far, far away from his germ-y snoring, not allowing him in the kitchen… But then, on Sunday night, there was a slip–I accidentally drank out of his glass. I knew.

On Monday afternoon, my throat felt scratchy and by Monday night I was feeling miserable. Most of Tuesday was spent in bed, trying to sleep it off.

Naoto is feeling terrible about bringing the germs home…not that he could help it, really. When we flew home from Japan last winter, he got mega-sick in spite of wearing a “hygiene” mask. (I didn’t wear one, and I was fine.) I have told him that the next time he flies, he shall be quarantined for at least three days to ensure the health and well-being of the rest of the family (me). I think it’s only fair…

In the meantime, I will pampering my nose with lotion tissues, taking Advil Cold & Sinus (like it’s candy!) and enjoying Elvis mugs of Japanese tea.

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Aug 06 2012
5 Comments
home is a 1970s apartment, summer manifesto

the tiny tv

We are in the market for a new TV. Right now, we watch the tiny 13-inch television I got for a Christmas gift sometime in the mid-nineties. It was my college TV. And, it is not Hi-Def or flat screen (in case you couldn’t tell), it’s a tube TV…so basically, an antique. Also, to see the TV from the kitchen, I sometimes use binoculars…especially if I need to check the score of a game or something. When it comes time to get rid of it, I’m not even sure Goodwill will take it. (I placed a stapler next to the TV below for scale.)

Why have we lived so long with such a tiny TV? This one fits perfectly in the cabinet (which is really a wine/liquor cabinet from Ikea). It’s so convenient. (I mean, who doesn’t want to mix a cocktail and watch Law & Order?) And, I’ve been really picky about what I want to set the TV on (since nothing larger than a 13-inch will fit in our current cabinet!) I didn’t want to buy something from Ikea; I wanted something with a little more character. I originally had been searching for a decently priced Mid-Century Modern credenza, but that has proved impossible since Mid-Century is so “in” right now. Then, last month we were at Yearbook, a little designer antique store here in Forest Park, and I fell in love with a beat up old hardware store (?) cabinet with lots of little labeled drawers. Naoto noticed my expression, went right up to the counter and bought it for me! I didn’t even protest…it was too sweet! (My husband sure knows the way to my heart–vintage furniture!)

So, we didn’t have a plan for the hardware store fixture (Does anybody else out there buy furniture without a plan?) , but it is the right height for a TV and it has the uniqueness I was looking for. I hate shopping for electronics–it’s such an investment & I know nothing about these newfangled new televisions, but the search begins this weekend. It’s time to take the plunge into the 21st century!

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Aug 03 2012
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adventures

soaking up summer

When our neighbor friends, Brett & Stacy, asked me to go to the game with them on Wednesday, I hesitated. I had Honor Flight that day, and usually value my sleep between the 3-8am and the 7-11pm shifts. But, I decided that I haven’t been living enough lately, so I made the choice to skip sleep and go do something fun. I am so glad I did.

It was a perfect day at the ballpark…sunny and clear, but not too hot because our seats were in the shade! And we were right behind home plate and high enough to see everything and enjoy a breeze! We couldn’t have asked for anything more–except maybe a win for the home team!

For those of you unfamiliar with Wrigley Field, the scoreboard is the famed part of the ballpark. The board is still updated manually by actual humans who move giant number placards in place for each run. Don’t you think that would be such a fun job?

Speaking of fun jobs, I’ve always thought it would be an honor to be a part of the grounds crew at Wrigley. Yes, in reality it would be a hot job, and quite stressful having to meticulously maintain the beautiful grass and ivy…but how amazing would it be to roll out the giant tarp for a rain delay! (I also realize that the dead viola and fruitless tomato plant on my balcony makes my gardening resume less than ideal for a career in maintaining a well-known field.)

The Cubs usually have a famous person sing the 7th inning stretch. This time, it was former pitcher Steve Trout. See how close we were to the press box?

See how clear and blue the sky was? I’m so glad I chose to see it instead of sleeping the day away! When my head hit the pillow Wednesday night (or really, Thursday morning) I felt like I had soaked up every moment.

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Jul 30 2012
4 Comments
celebrations, crafty adventures, Olympics, what's for dinner

an olympic birthday

Our friend Santron turned 30 on Friday, so we threw him a little party on Sunday night–Olympics-style. Santron loves London, so it was kind of perfect.

After making a paper chain out of Olympic flag colors, I crafted up a gold medal out of cardstock, double stick tape, glitter, number stickers and some patriotic ribbon. It was the first time I used my Martha Stewart circle cutter (even thought it’s been sitting in my craft closet for months…) and I found it challenging to use. My circles were not perfect and the end never matched up with the beginning… Is there some sort of trick to it?

Chef Hasegawa made Shepherd’s Pie and it was delicious! To make this heavy dish a little bit lighter, we used ground turkey instead of ground beef and added in extra peas and carrots. So simple & so good!

We also enjoyed gin drinks (London Dry Gin!) and giant cupcakes (not homemade) and then watched swimming and gymnastics together on the tiny TV. A relaxed celebration–the best kind.

 

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