Cookie Throwdown wrap up - Part 2

[If you need to, you can catch up on Part One here]

All of the bakers descended on our friend's house on Sunday evening. Another great part of this tradition is that she feeds us a fantastic dinner of spaghetti and homemade meatballs, sausage and gravy. And yes, I said gravy...I am 1/4 Italian after all. To thank her for being a hostess with the mostess, I made her a Pittsburgh Steelers wreath (sorry for the poor quality blackberry photo!)



After dinner is done and the dishes have been cleared...it's cookie time. Our hostess makes a little recipe book of everyone's entries that year and gives us baggies to start doling out our goodies to everyone around the table. We also make a "sampling plate" in the center that everyone taste tests from. After each of us has sampled each of the entries, we rank our favorites 1-2-3 and the hostess leaves the room to tabulate the votes.

While we were assured this year's voting was extremely close (and I would be inclined to believe her, everyone really stepped up their game this year!) the winner was the Coconut Macaroon. And the winning baker was absolutely thrilled -- her face was pretty priceless. She has truly come a long way from her early entries of bringing a cake the first year (I wasn't there but was told she didn't really "get" the whole cookie exchange concept the first go-round) to another year where she entered cookies so burnt on the bottom that I think we wondered why we even taking a little baggie of them home with us.

But I am not going to lie....I really wanted to win. I have even forced people to taste test all the cookies that I brought home with me and tell me their honest opinions. Well, I don't know how honest they are being to my face, but you get the picture. I can't let it go! So Just as in previous years, I will continue to keep my eye out for that perfect cookie recipe...the one that I can tuck away until next year that will be the 1st place winner. But the losing doesn't sting so much when you get to have a wonderful evening catching up and laughing with friends, eating a delicious dinner, drinking wine, and bringing home more cookies than anyone should keep in the house at one given time. A huge THANK YOU to our hostess for putting this together every year. And thank you to everyone who takes time out of their busy schedules to not only show up, but to put some time and thought into their baking creations and keep the competition stiff. Love all you ladies and hope we can keep this tradition going for years to come!

Other random notes from Cookie Throwdown 2010:
• Two words for next year – scoring cards. Hostess, don’t you worry about this one, I will take care of it for next year. But we need to start tallying by points in categories I think. This ain’t our first time at the rodeo anymore so I think we need to get more sophisticated in our voting.
• Another word for next year - trophy....we need one. I am thinking a golden spatula might be pretty darn spiffy.
• Everyone seriously brought their A game this year...some really impressive baking done by all.
• Was very excited to have a first-timer in the mix who moved back to the East COast this year. Her debut at the cookie party was impressive to say the least.
• I may be a little biased...but my friends have some of the cutest (and happiest!) kids I have ever seen.
• Best conoslation prize for not winning? A high five from my friend's son.


For those out there participating in your own cookie exchanges this weekend Good Luck & Happy Baking! And should you want to share your winning recipes with me....well I can't say I would be opposed to that.

Birthday Weekend Recap

I had such a fantastic weekend spent with great friends, family, and then an NL East championship to cap it all off. I think I may have successfully reversed my birthday curse! Or at the very least, fought it off this year.

Saturday was a great time at Nissan Pavilion (I refuse to call it by its new name) complete with a champagne tailgate, glow bracelets, a birthday sash, and hugs from two little boys passing by with their mom who wanted to stop and wish me a happy birthday. I so wish someone had gotten a photo because me being sweet and nice and accepting hugs is such a rare, rare occurrence. Actually I do accept hugs from little kids. It’s hugs from adults that usually creep me out.

Everyone loved their birthday gift bags (yes I give away gift bags at my Birthday….more incentive to show up next year people!) especially the personalized Koozies that we made good use of at the tailgate and later in the concert.

We even got a free “upgrade” from lawn seats to actual seats in the Pavilion. An employee was walking around the lawn offering tickets. L did get a little pushy asking him “Well how close are these seats exactly” before we took the perfectly great free seats. But I guess she was right, “It doesn’t hurt to ask!”

After we were seated (i.e. after one tumble from me attempting to climb over seats), 3 of us then proceeded to reeeeeeally alter the concert-going experience for those around us as we sang all the songs at the top of our lungs. Whoopsies – sorry bout that folks! After the concert, we returned back to the car to find that someone had STOLEN one of L’s hubcaps. Who does that?? At a concert in the middle of Nowheresville VA, who really thinks to steal one hubcap off a car? The only upshot is now L can get some sick spinners like she wanted and really pimp out her ride. (kidding…..)

The next day after a long sleep we headed out for some Sunday Funday. Got to see lots of great friends, one of whom I had not seen since college and we have recently caught back up through Facebook and then emailing back and forth all day long. Was SO wonderful to see her after all these years and meet her husband.

One of my friends requested a mimosa from our waiter who informed her that unfortunately you could only buy champagne by the bottle…

Friend: Ok then, how much is your cheapest bottle.

Waiter: We have one that is $16 and one that is $17

Friend: A dollar difference between the two bottles?

Waiter: Yes.

Friend: Seventeen? Like 1-7? Just one dollar? (holds up one finger)

Waiter: Yes. (shaking his head in agreement)

Friend: Alright, then we’ll take the $17 dollar one.



And THAT is what showed up. Oh yes, that is a bottle of Veuve Clicquot - not an over the top champagne but clearly that bottle was not $17 (who paid for it??? I owe you money so please email me!) It also looks much classier sitting on a covered pool table next to my swanky grilled chicken sandwich that had cheese on it after I had requested the sandwich just be plain. So obviously we had the world's best and brightest waiter that day. You can also see my own Terps personalized Koozie that I decided I wanted to bring with me to the bar next to my huge bottle of Excedrin. Classy.

The next day, my parents were in town – well technically, they were in town on Sunday afternoon, but as you can see I was pretty busy with champagne and chicken sandwiches. We had hoped to head to the zoo for the day (YES I wanted to go to the Zoo for my birthday and NO I am not eight years old - I just really like the Zoo) but the rain kind of ruined that plan. So we just headed to lunch and did a little shopping – nice, dry indoor activities.

After a nap back at the hotel for Mom and Dad (and catching up on some DVR back at my apartment for me!), we headed into DC for dinner and then to Nats Park to cheer on the Phillies. I always get a kick out of my Dad riding the metro. He always keep asking “How many more stops?? You’re gonna let me know when I need to get off the train right??” Like I would just bolt of the train without telling him and leave him to ride the rails of Metro and fend for himself, haha. The look of panic when I tell him we have to transfer lines is pretty comical too. It’s based on colors, Dad. It’s seriously not all that complicated.



My Phillies did not disappoint. We sat through all the rain and watched them beat the Nats and win their 4th straight NL East title. What a special birthday treat just for me, thanks fellas!



It was such a great birthday I kind of feel a little sad that it’s over. Thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated, made me wear a birthday sash, bought me drinks, gave me thoughtful presents, sent me cards, called, emailed, texted, left me Facebook messages, and left me comments here at www.deviledmegs.com. You have no idea how much it meant to me and you were all an integral part of reversing the birthday curse!

And finally, a very special HAPPY BIRTHDAY today to my dear friend and former sorority house roomie, AB. I am so glad we got to have our own pre-birthday celebrations together last month and I am wishing you a wonderful day filled with pony bottles of Rolling Rock, “Wild Things” and hopefully no black eyes. Cheers to you -- love you much!!

Instructions for Birthday Weekend: Champagne-Cupcake-Repeat

Hooray! That picture is the most accurate description of how I feel right now because this crazy work week is (just about) O-V-E-R and I have so much fun to look forward to this weekend because …. It’s my Birthday!

I am usually a big birthday hater. Not other people’s birthdays, those I love. It’s my own that I never like. It’s not about the getting older part of it (okay, yeah that became a teensy bit of a reason after birthday #25) but more it is just because I have awful, horrible birthday luck. So many of mine have been so unfun, forgotten, disastrous, traumatizing, or some combination of all of those. To the point where I have come to just dread the day and hold really low expectations for it.

A few examples:
• My very first sleepover birthday party was cancelled due to the weather (F*ck you Hurricane Gloria – and YES I am still holding a grudge)
• When the party was rescheduled a few weeks later, someone’s Strawberry Shortcake sleeping bag got caught in a box fan causing some legit sparks to fly out of the fan. The almost-fire and lots of smoke caused my Dad to come running downstairs in SUCH a panic that he neglected to realize he was only in his underwear. Traumatizing.
• One year was supposed to celebrate with kiddie friends for a little birthday lunch at a Friendly’s type of place. Then the restaurant caught on fire and burned down the the day before my birthday. Birthday lunch was moved to Burger King. Swanky.
• An attempt made by my parent’s to have a “surprise” birthday dinner for me at a restaurant was ruined by my protesting going out to dinner because I had too much homework. My mom angrily spilled the beans about my friends waiting to surprise me at the restaurant and told me to get my ass in the car. Surprise!!
• This was a few years after my parents had totally forgotten my birthday. See, it’s not just a humorous John Hughes’ movie plot!
• Being a year older than most of my closest friends in college, none of them could legally go out with me for my 21st birthday. I was at the mercy of older sisters in my sorority who I recall being a bit relentless with the whole idea of doing 21 shots. I threw many of those shots out the front windows of Bentley’s (a bar at my school) and will never forget the one that sent my ass running back to the ladies room with a wave of sickness. (Deviled Megs was never again to do a Lemon Drop. No lie, have NEVER done one again.)
• A few years ago I was taking me and boyfriend-at-the-time out for dinner. Yes I was taking HIM out, don't ask as it's not even worth explaining. He then came up with some complication about going to dinner so I said screw it and just cancelled the reservations. He thought it would be funny to then send me an e-card that wished me a “Happy Pancake Day” Let me tell you, that was just hilarious. Haven’t eaten a pancake since.

And while there have been a few fun birthdays (particularly the Vegas/San Diego bash), by and large you get a little taste above of why I just try to avoid my birthday all together.

But I am changing that this year. This year I have fun things to look forward to and would be just as excited for all of it if it all wasn’t tied to my birthday. L even helped me make a birthday mix CD. Because every fun event needs its very own special soundtrack, right?

Tomorrow kicks off with a trip to the Farmer’s Market, then awaiting the arrival of V so a few of us girls can head out to the Sugarland concert. There may also be a very special appearance made my Hair Stylist P…wishes really may come true, haha. There will be tailgating (with champagne) food, good music and good friends. Can’t get any better. (As a side note, how much do you just love Jennifer Nettles? One of my birthday wishes might be to be her.)


Wait, yes it can get better! Sunday (which is the actual b-day) will be spent as a low key Football Sunday Funday watching games. Some more fun friends will be joining the cast for the day with hopefully a few very special guest appearances. Then that night there is not only the premiere of “The Amazing Race” but also the Season 2 premiere of “Eastbound and Down.” It’s like special tv presents just for me.

Monday is a day off from work (I think everyone should observe a day off from work in honor of their birthday) and some time with Mom and Dad who are making a trip down to visit. The birthday train pulls up to its final stop on Monday night, into DC to see my Phillies take on the Nats. Oh and of course, my boyfriend. (Bonus points if you have realized that my birthday is the 26th...and his number is 26)

So for once, I am going to go against type and get excited about this birthday. Excited about this weekend and seeing friends, having fun, and putting all my worries and stresses on hold for a few days. And looking forward to a year that is full of potential and possibilities. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend too, whatever your plans may hold for you.

Follow Me Friday

So I am still getting the hang of all this and don't really know what the hell I am doing yet. Like one of those baby giraffes stumbling around on legs that don't quite work yet. But I love that there are people that I follow out here in Bloggyville that participate in Follow Fridays. So maybe I should hop on the train and give it a try too!

Thanks so much to all of you who have actually been reading my rants, raves, thoughts, and silly stories. Thanks to friends who have sent me words of encouragement and let me know they enjoy reading. And thanks to the people I don't even know who come here and leave me comments and feedback. I am enjoying this all so very much and hope to continue to have fun with this and make some more friends.

Happy Friday Everyone!

A Good Man is Hard to Find

ESPECIALLY when you are going to trust that man with something as important as your hair. I mean I may date some real losers, but I am much, much pickier when it comes to my hair.

When I first moved to DC, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of salons and stylists. Then I was in complete and total sticker shock over the cost of these places. I went to one place recommended by someone who I thought had good hair. When all was said and done sure my hair looked alright (nothing special), but I also couldn’t afford to eat for the next 6 weeks.

So I asked around and had one salon in DC recommended by a lot of different people. And this time I made sure to poll people like me that were working for next-to-nothing salaries at low level jobs and for who “super sizing that value meal” was an expensive treat reserved for very special occasions.

The first guy I saw at the salon was nice enough. Really eerily quiet but hey, I am not much of a talker myself, so I kind of liked not having to make chit-chat. Hair turned out ok, didn’t kill my wallet, so off I went. Looking back at some photos of me taken at a wedding a few weeks later, I realized that I was far too blond and bobbed for my own damn good. I looked like I should be giving the weather report somewhere or passing out free keychains at a bar, it was just not a look I could pull off.

So while I wanted to go back to that same salon, I wasn’t really wedded to seeing that guy again (such a hair floozy I was!) The next time I let them schedule me an appointment with P. It was one of those occurrences where I truly believe there is something out there bigger than me, because some force stepped in and made a match up for me (and my hair!)that I will be forever grateful for.

I know there are all the lame jokes and stereotypes about women and their hair stylists. But this isn’t some wannabe therapy session. I look forward to our time together the way most girls look forward to a date with Prince Charming. We like the same things – like music that is far too young for us and making fun of other people. We talk about important things – things that MATTER. Like who’s going home that week on American Idol or if Jillian Michaels would beat Jackie Warner in a cage match (I totes agree with him that Jillian would knock the stuffing out of Jackie)

P has saved my hair and my sanity so many times I have lost track. I will never forget (because I don’t know if he would ever stop reminding me) of the fateful day I walked into the salon literally in tears. I had spent the course of that day discovering my identity had been compromised and had to go through the long process of shutting down all my credit cards, bank accounts, even my damn Blockbuster card as some @sshole went on a spending spree. My boyfriend-at-the-time’s reaction? "That sucks, babe. I will do an extra shot for you later." P’s reaction? "You can come back and pay me whenever it all gets straightened out but you need your hair done today more than ever." THAT is love people.

P has even met my mother. I brought her down here for her birthday one year and surprised her by bringing her to P and letting him fix the whole situation she had going on on top of her head at the time. My mom probably felt like she woke up on an episode of the Tyra show or something. But she STILL talks about that appointment with P to this day and wishes she could go see him all the time.

My relationship with P has lasted longer than any other relationship with a guy. And I’m fine with that. When I finally find a guy who makes me laugh half as much as P does, I will know I’ve found a keeper. Oh and straight too. Sorry, as long as I’m throwing wishes out there, I should be specific. Straight and can sing showtunes with me?? Well that would be like finding a leprechaun riding a unicorn, but maybe it exists. I mean, someone like Mr. Shuster could exist in real life, right?

So I will sit here at my desk watching the minutes tick by and looking forward to my date with P later. I should be making use of this time by deciding what I’d like him to do to my hair later on, but it’s so much more fun to see his pissed off expression when I tell him “I don’t know….just something different” P, if you read this, I hope you are always the Ken Paves to my Jessica Simpson. Unless you let me out of the house in mom jeans. Then we may need to break up.

Cliches from the Coach

I grew up with a Coach for a dad. Now there are a lot of positives and a lot of negatives to that. Personally, I wouldn't trade the experience I had for the world. But one thing that has always bothered me is that my dad speaks in cliches. Constantly. To those who get to speak with him from time to time, they find it endearing or quirky. Seriously, any one who has ever met or known my Dad has loved him and I know I am lucky to be his daughter. But for me, who has sought advice or insights from him since I was a little kid, this quality irks the hell out of me sometimes. When I am having a tough time of things at work, it isn't very encouraging or inspiring for him to tell me "They don't call it work for nothin'!" I probably have a number of scars and bumps and cracks that were a result of shunning medical attention over the years and being told to "walk it off." But having heard them time and time and TIME again over the years, I know that cliches are used over and over again for a reason -- they're usually true.

You can't go home again. I find myself coming back to that one a lot lately. I think I started to understand what that meant for the first time when I went back home from college for the first time. "Home" wasn't my parents' house anymore. It was Route 1, my dorm room, and my friends at school. And some years after that, I felt that same way again going back to my college and experiencing the places and the sights and the people as an alum. Everything was the same but still....different. Because I was different. I think that everyone goes through a series of these experiences over the course of their lives, married or single, gay or straight, rich or poor. After all, isn't that what makes it a cliche?

There are ways I have physically gone back, to try and get some glimpse, some brief taste of experiences from my past. I don't know if I have done that to feel younger, or better, or safer, or what. And it is good -- for a little while it feels really nice. Just kind of warm and reassuring -- like some favorite, beat-up, old sweatshirt. I feel like a me that is younger and hasn't yet experienced hurt, or broke, or failure, or scared, or sick or one of the many other tough emotions I have personally felt in the process of growing up. For that brief little while it's kind of intoxicating. But in the end, I am left wondering, is it worth it? To just forget about or ignore who I am now to try and relive for a little while who I was then. If I am being honest, no, it probably isn't. I think if I can step away and look at it clearly I'd be able to see that it's a little self indulgent and probably pretty immature of me. The cons likely outnumber the pros.

But I have also been looking back a lot recently. Places I have been and people I have known, jobs I have had and things I have done. I have spent some time recently with people that have very much been a part of my past. But I can't say they are a part of my present. Personally, I have struggled with that one for a long time. I invested a lot of myself in friendships from college and many of those didn't pan out. Someone told me when I graduated that I'd find out quickly who my true friends were after graduation. While the process wasn't immediate, it did prove to be true over a bit of time. I hate that I grew apart from people who meant a lot to me and wish I could have meant something more to them. I know that I tried, and sometimes I wonder if it was valiant to have made the effort or if it was a total waste of time/energy/emotion. I can't answer that question, really. I am scared I might pick option B...and be right.

You can't go home again. And that's fine. Maybe the upshot in all of this looking back is when you eventually turn around and look forward, you can see how far you actually have come. Ugh, that sounds like a long winded fortune cookie message doesn't it? Damn it...maybe speaking in cliches is genetic. Thanks, Dad.

Take two...

Trying this whole blogging thing one more time - and carrying over some older posts from the old blog to this new one, so bear with me! Blogging was good times for me before and I kind of let it fall by the wayside. I guess by kind of I mean totally dropped it for awhile. So I figured why not give it another go....typing to myself makes me a little less crazy than talking to myself, right?

I would not ever call myself a religious person, but I think I can be spiritual. Or at least know that there is something/one out there looking out for us. A cosmic checks and balances. Karma, kismet and all of that.

So I hit a rough patch a few months ago, things got very hard for me. Too much stress at my job and work days that ran late into the evening can leave you with a depleted sense of self -- like I don't know who I am outside of the confines of my office. And I don't even really like the person I am while I am there. I had made attempts to set up plans with the friends I still have in the area. Often those calls or emails go unanswered. Sometimes I can't make good on plans that I do end up making because I tend to get stuck working so late. These situations can get can get a girl feeling really low, blue and alone.

And the universe can sense those sort of things -- like when my snazzy coffeemaker blinks to tell me it needs water. I was blinking, big time.
I have been able to reconnect with some old girlfriends recently on Facebook and it has been gratifying beyond words. People I have not talked to let alone seen in years and years. And the resounding recurring theme is that I have truly been able to talk to them like no time has passed. It's wonderful for two big reasons for me.

1. I have laughed more than I don't know when. And god how I have needed to laugh like that. The good laugh til you cry kind of laughing. Some of these friends I feel like I can literally hear them talking to me through the email and all of the sudden I remember all their personality quirks and sayings. We are back to sharing old inside jokes that I had forgotten but somehow, some small part of me remembers and recalls it immediately. Wonderful big laugh with your whole body kind of laughs that are better than any drug, drink, food, sex......well maybe not better than ALL of that, but you know what I mean. Really freaking good.

2. I have has some periods of feeling kind badly about myself lately. I think it can be attributed to a combination of the people I work with and the people I am around in my outside of work life. All of them are often in agreement though -- they like to bully and belittle me. Unprovoked, usually no good reason. Apparently picking on me is something you might be able to medal in in 2012 and they are all trying to make the US squad. Let me tell you, there is some stiff competition out there and they are all united in a common goal -- making me feel like I should be sorry for even having the nerve to leave my bedroom every morning. But these dear old friends...well their emails and conversations have made me feel validated. Like nope, I am not total crap. Maybe that might sound totally far fetched or maybe it sounds like I need to spend some time watching Oprah and getting in touch with my feelings. I know receiving some emails from old friends might not sound like much, but it means a lot. It has literally given me the strength to keep pushing through on some really tough days.

A combination of the brain and the heart recalls all the subtle nuances of the wonderful people and the beautiful friendships I had long ago and that maybe never really went away. Maybe you can truly save some friendships for a rainy day....like now. Boomerang friendships -- cast out or aside for so many reasons, but they find their way back. One person was cruel when it may have been that they just had some growing up to do and needed the time and space to do it. You might have just drifted apart because one moved to a new city or another got married. You may have had hurt feelings that you weren't ready to forgive. Maybe you may have put other friendships first that turned out to be the wrong ones to devote your time and energy to. No matter the reason, they were friendships that got cast out or faded out and they have now beautifully bounced back into your present.

When the universe could sense I was really low and down on my luck...it brought back some people who I hope with all my heart will stay around for many years to come. We have lots of catching up to do and new memories to make. That, and I also have blackmail pictures that I am sure they don't want their coworkers, kids or husbands to see.