Cappuccino

Caffeine's been getting me through these days. Thanks to an inherited countertop espresso doodad and a milk frother thingamagig, I've been whipping up some fancy cappuccinos and lattés. Anything made with warm milk tends to make me happy. These little white cups we got as wedding gifts make me happy, too.

And, after experimenting with various recipes from the Web, I learned that you can get the yumminess of a latté even if you haven't happened upon any equipment! I tried this "autumn spice" experiment one day when I wasn't getting the right consistency of milk out of my frother jug. I was craving the Starbucks pumpkin spice latté, but I liked this even better, since it didn't have the syrupy-sweetness. Give it a shot:

-One shot of espresso, or double-strength brewed coffee

-About one cup of milk

-Sugar (I use about 1/4 tsp., but sweeten to your taste)

-Cinnamon

-Allspice

-Nutmeg (optional; I don't love this 'cause it never seems to dissolve enough in the milk)

In a small pot on the stove, heat up the milk, sugar, and spices. Whisk continually, so you get a little bit of "foam" on top. (It won't be mega-foamy, like Starbucks, but it's yummy all the same.) Combine coffee and milk; top with whipped cream or a dash of cinnamon, if you like.

Stay warm, friends.

Next

I am not so good at dealing with uncertainty. It's true. I always want to know what's next.

Whenever I have a tough moment, I always think about how I could just do something entirely different, and I depend on that to buoy me up until I can make a next step at whatever is causing the trouble or self-doubt. I never actually do these things, but they comfort me, and then I muster the courage to keep trying at the task at hand. (Last week, my life raft was this idea of spending my days in my grandfather's basement, learning woodcarving.)

It was tough getting to work earlier this week. I really, really wanted to stay in bed one morning and avoid all the nuttiness. But my brain said "Will you really feel better about things if you don't face them?" And one teensy little part of my brain said, "Yeah!" But most of it sighed and admitted, "No. You will just feel cowardly and small." So I made it, and snapped this shot of the Lincoln Center sunset after work—my little reward for getting through the day. And here I am on Thursday, still kicking. But...I found out today that I didn't get the new job I've been waiting to hear about. There was a lot riding on this opportunity, so my head is spinning a bit.

I want to know what's next, but I have to just take it slow. I'm going out to nature this weekend, so I'm sure that will help me clear my head.

Tea season

Is there anything so glorious as tea season? OK, maybe this:
The rest of a grey New York Sunday is not half bad, either...

(View from the 10th floor of the Flatiron Building, thanks to a friend who has an office inside!)

Halloween is coming!

People, I have discovered that there is no better cure for feeling sad (which has been my state the past few days, sorry to say) than the anticipation of Halloween.

I love Halloween. I love picking a costume and hunting for/making the pieces and putting it all together. I am not a fan of costumes in a bag...I love putting together the whole costume too much, and have found that I can usually do costumes cheaper my way, too! (See: Chris's 2008 Mozart "pantaloons" made outta $5 white sweatpants and knee socks; 2009's Buffy the Vampire Slayer stake, whittled at home from a $3 wooden dowel.)

This year, I'm especially excited about my costume. I chose it ages ago, but have only just started finding the pieces. I'm going to go as Kaylee from the TV show "Firefly." This cheers me up even more than most costumes, because Kaylee is an incredibly cheery character. She's the mechanic on a spaceship and can fix anything. Even when sh** is hitting the fan,

Kaylee will dig in, fix the problem, and respond with a bright "Everything's shiny, cap'n."

(Plus, I love wearing my hair in pigtail knots like that. I do it when no one is home. It makes me look 12.)

So, if you happen to have some olive green coveralls and/or size 6 combat boots I can borrow, lemme know...!

Patch of earth

"Beth has lost it," you are saying. "Why is she posting a patch of dirt?"

Because, friends, I have changed my commute route again. For some reason, I have decided that it is vital for my feet to touch real earth at least once a day, no matter how manicured or shabby it may be. Because how can I stay grounded if I never touch the ground? I know it's crazy, but I've convinced myself that I absorb something elemental this way. This nutty current compulsion of mine takes me over this little patch in Central Park each morning. I do love it so.

Perfect picnic

Chris had to work the evening of July 4, but we still managed to have a perfect 4th by packing a picnic and hanging out in Central Park. Behold the elements of our perfect picnic:

Munchies.

Cheeeeese.

Genius last-minute sandwich idea: Leftover grilled zucchini, sundried tomato, parmesan, garlic aioli

Last-minute salad idea (get the recipe here!)

Bright, juicy goodness.

Bubbles! (The kind allowed in the park, anyway.)

A patriotic spot next to the American flag.

Bethesda Fountain.

The famous boathouse.

We also had some biscuits and I ate a gigantic red, white, and blue popsicle. We visited our neighbors' barbecue later that night, and even caught a far-off glimpse of the Macy's fireworks display over the Manhattan skyline. What did you do for the 4th, U.S.-based friends?

Hee hee!

I just recently went high-tech and got a smart phone. How much do I want to carry it around in this cheeky little case??

(A lot.)