annzeepark914
-
Posts
7.2k -
Joined
Content Type
Blogs
Gallery
Downloads
Discussion
Posts posted by annzeepark914
-
-
I just discovered this show a week ago so I've only seen these last two episodes at the Tudor house (which I love...it's the windows...they're gorgeous!). Since I was alarmed to see them working on the upper floors seemingly after they finished the main floor, I decided to learn a bit more about RA by reading older posts. I see that you're saying the shows are edited...that they probably worked on the roof and upper floors first, right? At least I sure hope so. I was horrified when I saw rain water dripping through holes in the roof onto hardwood (or pine?) floors in the attic. Also...when she removed the radiator from underneath the stair landing window seat, I wondered if she'd installed a new heating/central AC system to this big house. Didn't hear any mention of that during the two shows I watched but that sure would've cost her plenty. Did not care for the "island" in the kitchen; not a fan of subway tile anywhere. I just hope this is in a safe neighborhood so that it'll sell and be taken care of by the next homeowners.
-
1
-
-
I just wish MSNBC would move a bit to the center. I'm a centrist myself so I find these left wing/right wing shows really offensive and truly obstructive when it comes to helping the general public understand what the heck is going on in Washington. Lawrence O'Donnell is always so angry and pi$$ed off..much like Keith O. (gosh, my DH and I miss the old days...those wonderful early days of Keithie's show when he was so funny while still getting his point across--before the anger took over).
-
2
-
-
@chessiegal: No...it's the one that she made along with the grilled cheese "croutons". This one looks interesting and I bet has much more flavor. Thanks! Hey - it's 43 degrees outside...gotta run and do my errands before the temp drops again to Arctic conditions :>)
-
Due to the snow, shoveling, cold temps, etc., I made a big pot of tomato soup (Barefoot Contessa's w/ lots of seasoning added!) and the grilled cheese croutons. The grilled cheese croutons are wonderful but I need a better tomato soup recipe as the BC's we consider too bland/blah.
-
2
-
-
We are having a snowy day here, so I have Ina's beef bourguignon in the oven. The smell is making me hungry!
We too are having a snowy day so I made Ina's tomato soup and grilled cheese croutons. The "croutons" are always great but I have to admit that I need to find another tomato soup recipe. Ina's is so bland that I'm always tossing in all kinds of seasonings. Not exactly sure what I'm looking for but I need tomato soup to have a bit more "something" if you know what I mean.
-
Kanye and his crazy over-emoting on the floor were definitely not cut, sadly. Thank god for the mute button.
I think Miley's song may have disappeared, though?
Miley sang 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover which I thought was weird since Paul Simon was also in the show. But she did a good job. Good Lord...what was Kanye's performance supposed to be all about under that tent-like thing and the crawling, etc? Why in the world was he part of this show any way?
-
I just watched the re-broadcast of the special (missed most of it on Sunday). Why in the world did they waste so much time on 2 "episodes" of The Californians? The two Pauls have lost their singing voices (McCartney more so than Simon). Doesn't anyone have the nerve to tell them so? I wish they'd shown more of Phil Hartman's audition tape--it's hilarious. IMO he was the funniest of all SNL cast members. During the Chris Rock/Eddie Murphy slap-hands-together marathon I hit the mute button & read emails.
@editorgrrl: thanks for the link to the David Spade spot. Very funny!
-
2
-
-
- Hah! I came here to post something about my dinner last night & saw two posts up a familiar description. I had extra uncooked Parmesan Chicken breasts, from that January dinner, that I'd frozen. I thawed them overnight, cooked them and they were wonderful. And I used my own lemon vinaigrette once again to dress the greens. I should write to Ina to tell her about this "make ahead" meal (of course, I won't tell her that her dressing is so OTT tart that I have to substitute my own ;>)
- Hah! I came here to post something about my dinner last night & saw two posts up a familiar description. I had extra uncooked Parmesan Chicken breasts, from that January dinner, that I'd frozen. I thawed them overnight, cooked them and they were wonderful. And I used my own lemon vinaigrette once again to dress the greens. I should write to Ina to tell her about this "make ahead" meal (of course, I won't tell her that her dressing is so OTT tart that I have to substitute my own ;>)
-
If you like Asti don't let anyone make you feel lesser about it (said the woman who, when she drank, preferred Amstel Light (in the bottle please) over most other things). Enjoy it and relish the fact that a lot of folks will be sipping fancy and pricey champagne not because they appreciate the wine, but because they buy into the hype. Not everyone of course.
@ DeLurker: Actually it wasn't Asti, it's Korbel California Champagne x-dry and it's delicious! I'd forgotten how nice these bubblies are (being a chardonnay & pinot grigio fan). Everything was good except that dessert ;>( I can't believe I didn't pick up on the word "custard" in the name of this dessert. I've never liked custards...it's the soft, damp texture that turns me off. So I enjoyed the whipped cream and fresh raspberries (I should make French toast and put the whipped cream and raspberries on it!)
@ harrie: Yes--it's such a zoo on Valentine's Day...I don't know how people can enjoy their meals. Last night the weather around here was quite nasty too--all of a sudden a mini blizzard arrived and the roads got really slick. I think we may go out tomorrow since snow is predicted later on this week (in the Mid-Atlantic area you never know for sure!!)
-
Well, I decided to be daring so I just made a special dessert for Mr. P914: Chocolate Custard Creams. It's a recipe that appeared in the Washington Post last week from Patrick O'Connell (who owns the Inn at Little Washington). Just hope I can get them out of the little ramekins. Baking/making desserts is not my favorite thing to do (you have to be so precise & I enjoy tossing a little of this & a little of that into whatever I'm cooking!) I'm also making the Barefoot Contessa's Parmesan Chicken (where you put the dressed greens on top on each cooked chicken breast) but taking a shortcut with boxed pilaf. I bought pale pink tulips & a bottle of Asti Spumante (cause I know what I like ;>) We're going out for Valentine's dinner next week when it won't be crowded & noisy.
-
2
-
-
For all those who loathe being called ma'am, how about being called young lady by a male who's young enough to be your son? I doubt very much these young men would refer to an adult male as young gentleman or young man. Maybe some day I'll get ticked off enough to say something (unless it's a waiter--that's too risky as I wouldn't want him messing around with my food!)
Is using the word amongst ok? I like to use that word some times (depending on what I'm writing or saying).
Did anyone see a recent article on Misophonia? According to wikipedia, it's a rarely diagnosed neuropsychiatric disorder in which negative experiences are triggered by specific sounds (whistling, slurping, sniffing, constant coughing, throat clearing, etc). When I read the article I got a bit nervous since I have never been able to endure hearing someone whistling (my sister could torment me with that back in the day!)...it's like a paper cut going through me. Thank goodness people don't go around whistling much any more.
-
1
-
-
I believe I've mentioned these new discoveries in other threads in this forum but at Trader Joe's, I love their Reduced Guilt Mac & Cheese (frozen foods). Just as tasty IMO as their regular M&C, maybe even better. And Trader Joe's arrabbiatta sauce (the "heat" varies from jar to jar, I've learned, so I never add any heat myself). And in the regular supermarkets, I now buy a couple bags of Bertolli's Shrimp & Asparagus w/ Penne to keep in the freezer. All you do is pour it into a large skillet, cover and heat (I sprinkle with garlic powder and Penzey's Mural of Flavor first). The sauce is a creamy tomato basil and quite delicious. That's for nights when I just don't feel like cooking. Back to Trader Joe's: their California Estate extra virgin olive oil is very good and only $5.99 (I think it's as good as Olio Santo which is $29).
Tonight I ground up chicken breasts (pulsing in my food processor) and added other ingredients so that all I have to do tomorrow is make chicken burgers...my new favorite.
-
I just ordered one the first Dana Girls book of the second series that came out I think in the early 70s. The original series is a bit pricey for something in good condition but would love to read one.
If you don't mind me asking, what didn't you like about The Goldfinch? (I haven't read it yet.)
@glowlights: Regarding The Goldfinch, everyone in my book club agreed that the author needed a better editor. She'd go on and on forever and a day describing a windy afternoon walk down the block, for example. I was relieved when I heard others say they (very soon into the book) began skimming over multiple paragraphs, looking for the next dialogue/action. By the time I was 3/4's of the way into the book (heading toward the final stretch!) a character re-appeared, made a confession about something and that was it for me :>)
-
1
-
-
Any Nancy Drew fans here? Every now and then I take a break from my regular reading and curl up with a Nancy Drew mystery. Couldn't get enough of this series as a kid, and enjoy them in a different way now. The manic pacing and breathless dialogue never fail to amuse, not to mention how much exposition "Carolyn Keene" could fit into one or two sentences. Still, Nancy kicks butt! Today's fare: The Hidden Staircase.
The Nancy Drew series was my introduction to mystery books and I've loved them ever since. Started when I was 10 (I could sit in a comfy chair all day long and read my Nancy Drews). I also loved The Dana Sisters (or was it the Dana Girls?). I have yet to find any of the original ND books (before they were changed to be more "modern" and thus, IMO, ruined). Oh well...I just finished The Goldfinch for my book club and only enjoyed a small portion of it (no one seems to be ambivalent about this book; they either loved it or hated it).
-
Tonight was a "take it easy" night at chez park914 so I poured a bag of Bertolli Classic Meals for 2: Shrimp & Asparagus w/ Penne into a skillet. I sprinkled Penzey's Mural of Flavor and some garlic powder over it, put the lid on and cooked it per the directions on the bag. In no time at all, we had a delicious dinner ready (the only work for me was putting together a tossed salad and making a lemony vinaigrette). I like this better than any of Ina's frozen meals. The sauce is very good!
Re: chili? I'd never had, nor heard of, chili on top of spaghetti until I had a neighbor who hailed from Kentucky (probably an area near Cincinnati). She made some for me and I loved it. So that's how I usually make chili today--love that hint of cinnamon in the chili. I don't like a lot of beans in chili so I just add about half a can of rinsed/drained beans. My DH thinks I'm nuts to eat chili on top of spaghetti (he makes his own--it's vegetarian--and I have to admit...it's very tasty).
-
1
-
-
@stewedsquash: When you make it, let us know what you think of it (hope you didn't injure yourself when you fell out of your chair...a little chocolate will make you feel much better :>)
-
This recipe for a chocolate custard cream is in today's Washington Post magazine section. It's from Patrick O'Connell (of The Inn at Little Washington). I'm not much into baking (or chocolate) so I wondered what everyone here (who is) thinks of this recipe. Would you make it? Does it sound chocolate-y enough? (my DH who loves chocolate says, "It doesn't look like it has much chocolate in it").
-
I just loved how he heard her story and decided she was, "The victim!" Heh. I wouldn't go that far but I think it's adorable that he sees it that way.
Yes...I wouldn't go that far as well because I thought her story was a bit too incredible (she went to prison for a man she loved...hunh!). I could be wrong but there's just something about her that doesn't ring true IMO. And now she has info' re: the Bates? Unless JF is really jerking us around, I don't know how she'd have info' on them since they didn't acknowledge each other (as previous acquaintances) when she arrived at Downton Abbey. I'm getting weary of the downstairs drama this season...it has become annoying & uninteresting to me.
-
1
-
-
I don't "get" all the competitive cooking shows. They seem to have taken over Food Network (except for Guy Fieri's monotonous DD&D marathons). Why does everything have to be a competition today, filled with angst, injuries, time-running-out anxieties, condescending judges, etc.,?
I didn't know Midsomer Murders switched lead actors. Initially I liked John Nettles (guess I was watching re-runs and didn't know it) but after a while, his squinty smug expression got on my last nerve (that, plus all the truly off the wall oddball characters committing murders in those beautiful little towns). His dimwitted sgt. didn't help matters any either.
Doc Martin...cannot get past the main character's OTT homely face (and the actor doesn't help matters any since he's always pouting).
And one more for the road: Mr. Selfridge. Initially, I loved the concept and thought it would be interesting but here's another face (altho' handsome) I can't get past--Jeremy Piven's almost constant smile complete w/ twinkling eyes.
-
3
-
-
I can't decide if I think Cora was flirting excessively or not because she always has her head tipped to one side with a simpering smile on her face. Coy is her resting face.
Exactly my thoughts about this was she flirting/was-she-not debate. It got to the point where whenever there was a scene between these two characters, I picked up a magazine or crossword puzzle until I knew the show switched to other characters. Between her simpering & his gushy goofiness, I just wanted to hurl (or, hurl something at the TV screen) Thank God he's gone. I can't remember seeing Elizabeth McGovern in anything prior to DA...did she always carry herself this way or do y'all think she's been directed to keep her head tipped?
-
1
-
-
I need help with what the Russian exiled prince said (after the Count basically yelled that the people who left Odessa were not real Russians). Was he agreeing with the count?
-
1
-
-
As for that Rostov jackass, he can go back to Russia and get shot.
Amen to that! Guess that ends our empathy for those poor royal Russian exiles. JF is certainly giving us a good look at what some of life was like in Europe back in the day.
Oh, joy to the world--Miss Bunting is gone. I actually waved buh-bye to the snarky witch as her cab trundled on down the road away from all of us. Now I can't wait for next Sunday night. Loved seeing Lady Mary with Blake...always thought he was perfect for her.
-
4
-
-
Tonight was something new for us. I thawed a bag of frozen seafood (mussels, squid, shrimp) and then sauted. Added a jar of Trader Joe's arrabbiatta sauce + a little Bertolli tomato & basil sauce to tone down the arrabbiatta a bit. Sprinkled in some seasonings + squirt of lemon juice and served over thin spaghetti. It was really good and easy/fast to make. Went well with leftover tossed salad. I'm not allowing myself to enter a supermarket until I start using up lots of stuff in the freezer (like that bag of frozen seafood).
-
1
-
-
snip
Speaking of Paul Wylie, Joshua reminded me a LOT of him yesterday, and not just because he also skated the Schindler's list. He just seemed to have a lot of Paul's grace and - elegance of movement is the only way I can put it. His lines were superb.
I was stunned by Joshua's SP. His sublime skating skills, beautiful choreography and music were the perfect blend of athleticism and artistry (which is what figure skating is supposed to be). And I'm one of the anti-lyrics people. But the lyrics were subtle and didn't compete with the music nor distract from his skating. I really do wish he won the title. I agree with previous comments about JF being a nice reminder of the great Paul Wylie (just hope his nerves are stronger/steelier than Paul's!!)
PBS: Viewers Like You. Thank You.
in Network Talk
I wish at least one of my local PBS stations (we have 3 in the metro DC area) would create a foreign films night. How expensive could it be to show films from Great Britain, France, Sweden, etc., from the 60's up to the 90's? Couldn't they, weekly, at least give up one 2 hour time slot (from Antiques Roadshow That Never Ends)?
Whenever we have pledge drives here, you can count on the Pete Seeger documentary being shown. It always gets the phones a-ringing!