Hey There, It's Christa!

An October to Remember

I can hardly believe there's only two more days in my favorite month of the year, but my, what a fun month it's been! :) So as we bid farewell to this illustrious 10th month, here are a few of my favorite memories...

A pilgrimage to Austin: On October 8, Will and I celebrated six (!!!) years of wedded bliss, so we decided a roadtrip was in order. And since Nashville is just a little too far away for a weekend, we decided that Austin might be perfect, especially with some killer mixtapes playing in the background. It was a little rainy and overcast, a rarity in sun-drenched Texas, but we had such a wonderful time nonetheless. Not only did we stay at a hotel that's supposedly haunted by friendly ghosts, but we sampled some great eats at Bess Bistro, not to mention the life-changing beignets (seriously, they were heavenly bites of sheer deliciousness) at Annie's Café. I'm pretty sure I could've eaten 40 of them...

Plus you can't help loving a city when their motto is all about keeping things weird. And considering we live in the oh-so-corporate DFW, the wide array of truly unique shopping and dining was definitely a nice change from the norm. Yay, Austin!

Celebrating another year of Will: Will has the distinct pleasure of having a birthday and our anniversary in a five-day span, so we always make the most of it (and probably gain a good five pounds in the process). I spent hours and hours slaving in front of a hot stove to whip up an Italian feast of grandeur, namely homemade penne alla vodka, caprese bruschetta and per the birthday boy's request, the decidedly non-Italian dessert of homemade yellow cupcakes with semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Will liked the cupcakes so much that he ate 14 of them (I'm so jealous of his enviable metabolism!). Adding to the meal's overall deliciousness was some incredibly potent prosecco that's apparently one of Mario Batali's favorites. So thank you, Central Market for that.

Remembering why I loved baseball: Little known fact about one Christa Banister: I used to travel with my high school's baseball team as the official statician and absolutely loved every second. Yes, at one time, I actually knew a lot about baseball—the numbers that corresponded with the various positions, all the weirdo terminology like what a sac fly is, not to mention the  difference between a change-up, a slider and a screwball (apparently, it has nothing to do with vodka and orange juice).

I wasn't the best history student on the planet (I thought it was basically b-o-r-i-n-g with a capital "b"), so I needed the extra credit, and since my history teacher was the coach, well, it was a pretty great trade-off. He got his stats, I got a decent grade. Plus, being the boy-crazy girl that I was, I thought the guys were pretty cute in those uniforms (even if they were always spitting sunflower seeds...gross).

Unfortunately, my love of professional baseball has always been pretty non-existent...well, until I started watching the Rangers with Will. Growing up in Texas, he's been a lifelong fan of the team, so the fact they've been to the World Series two years in a row is pretty incredible for him. And seeing a game in Arlington was so much better than watching on TV—well, except for when fly balls headed in our direction. That freaked me out a little—as has the Rangers' World Series run. I wish they'd go ahead and close the deal because games like last night's are incredibly stressful. Guess we'll see what happens tonight since it's Game 7. Chances are, I'll be biting my cuticles.

The return of Coldplay, Feist and Beavis and Butt-head: All worth the wait—especially Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto 

Enjoying a weekend of firsts with my Mom: My Mom and I have actually spent her last two birthdays together, and it's a tradition I'm really digging. This time around, she decided to see what DFW was all about and (gasp!) hopped on a plane to see us. In case you're wondering what the "gasp" is about, it's because she loathes flying, let alone by herself. But I had to give her major kudos,  she put her big-girl pants on and found out it wasn't quite as bad as she thought.

After picking her up from Love Field, we embarked on a weekend filled with firsts. In addition to her first solo flight to Texas, she had her first pedicure, tried her first Thai food and was the first person to sleep in our brand-new bed in the guest room. We also introduced us to the glories of Tex-Mex (Mi Cocina all the way), made sure she saw the Packer game in the land of Cowboy fans, checked out the many culinary treasures of Central Market (guess they get two shout-outs in this post) and introduced her to our favorite preacher, Matt Chandler, at the Village Church.

It was definitely an ambitious way to start her 59th year, but I was so thankful for the time we had. :)

Last but not least: I can't wait for all the cute little Trick or Treaters to stop by on October 31. Wish my darling niece Miss Adelyn Grace (that's her in her much-beloved Cinderella costume) was stopping on by, I'd make sure she got lots and lots of candy.

 

 

 

Gut Reaction: "New Girl," "Whitney" and "Two Broke Girls"

I've never been much of a TV watcher (save for my favorite Food Network shows), but when I find something I like, I'm fiercely loyal.

In fact, in the absence of anything new that's really commanded my attention, I'll often revisit my tried-and-true standbys like "Gilmore Girls," "Alias," "Friends" and "Felicity," not to mention Will and I's recent find, the hilarious adventures of Bret and Jemaine on "Flight of the Conchords."

For the record, we know "Concords" was shown on HBO ages ago, but it's still new to us, so there. :)

But after a while, even your favorite shows need to be retired (at least, temporarily), so I decided to DVR some potentially promising options that debuted last week—"New Girl," starring the always-adorable Zooey Deschanel, "Whitney," starring Chelsea Handler's snarky sidekick and "Two Broke Girls" with Kat Dennings because, well, sarcasm never goes out of the style, right?

Based on what I read in Entertainment Weekly's annual TV preview, I fully expected that "New Girl" would be my new favorite, hands down. Crowned the "best new comedy" of the fall by countless critics I respect, I was actually puzzled by my lack of enthusiasm once the closing credits rolled.

There was something about it that just rang hollow, and trust me, I wasn't exactly expecting War and Peace. Not only was it impossible to buy the impossibly cute Deschanel as this total dork (sorry, but oversized glasses and dated denim overalls isn't enough to scream "undatable doofus"), but the brand of zany they're selling (her character, Jess, not only reverts to watching Dirty Dancing whenever she's sad, but she randomly sings nonsensical lyrics whenever the mood strikes, too) is actually far more cloying than endearing. And considering Jess is who we're supposed to care the most about, that's not a good thing.

Meanwhile, don't even get me started on those roommates of hers... Sure, they're textbook attractive, but there's not much else going on there, definitely nothing resembling actual personalities. Even the characters from  TBS's My Boys (which had a similar premise) made a more memorable impression the first time I watched it. Nonetheless, I'm still hoping there's just something I didn't "get" the first time around and that the second episode will be better. Fingers crossed, anyway.

As for "Whitney," I wasn't really expecting much, and I was mildly amused by her antics. Like the TV spots I saw again and again during NBC's Sunday night football, she's like the best friend in your average rom-com—kooky, full of zingy one-liners and lacking any real sense of decorum in meaningful social occasions like weddings. If anything, you're left wondering if her staunch, non-comfortist shtick can be entertaining for the long haul. Only time will tell, I guess, but I'm still willing to give Whitney a shot.

Last but not least, "Two Broke Girls" was probably the biggest surprise of them all. Funny from beginning to end with a storyline that actually seemed to be going somewhere (yes, the aforementioned shows had that whimiscal, make-it-up-as-we-go quality), I was charmed by the tale of two girls who share very, very little in common but are forced to work together anyway.

Now as far as sitcoms storylines go, the show's decidedly modern "Laverne and Shirley" approach, where Brooklyn stands in for Milwaukee,  isn't exactly new. But "Two Broke Girls" still held my attention, made me laugh and left me wondering what's going to happen next, which is precisely what every story worth its salt will do.

Plus, the fact that it's served with a heaping side of sarcasm definitely doesn't hurt the cause either. If someone told me that Diablo Cody wrote the teleplay, I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised. Imagine Juno as a waitress with Blake Lively's snobbish "Gossip Girl" character (on a newly strict budget)  as her uppity sidekick, and you've pretty much got "Two Broke Girls." It doesn't reinvent the proverbial wheel, but it sure is fun...or at least, the first episode was, anyway...

All the Fall Flavors, No Cooking Required

Our entire house smells like this wonderful mix of fall honeycrisp apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, and I didn't have to bake a thing...

Thank you, Pier 1 Golden Apple candles.

After finishing a slew of writing deadlines yesterday, I suddenly found myself wanting to dust (and yeah, I totally know that's weird). So after going over every possible surface with Pledge, I wanted to vacuum. And then vacuuming led to Windexing, and Windexing led to Pier 1.

Yep, I decided I wanted to make our home a little more Fall-like, and since Pier 1 is about five minutes from our house, well...

Every time I go into Pier 1, I always see something I like, and yesterday was no exception.

In addition to the aforementioned candles of yumminess, I found the pretty, sparkly bowl displayed in the picture, a lovely autumn-colored runner for our dining room table, adorable sparkly pumpkins to set around the house and even a new print to match the new comforter and sheets in our bedroom.

All in all, I'd say my random need to clean turned into a fun little decorating project. Gotta love those, right?

It's 67 in DFW, and I Want to Wear...

My new gray UGG sweater boots.

When I lived in St. Paul, I always wanted these boots but didn't think they'd be all that practical considering how much snowfall is involved.

And if you haven't experienced the joy sheer disgustingness (yeah, I just made that up) of having your feet ensconced in a soggy, wet boot, well, let me tell ya, you're aren't missing a thing.

So needless to say, I think these boots will be perfect for the South's version of a cold day—maybe even today—we'll see. :)

One of These Things Is Not Like The Other...

Yes, imagine that classic tune from "Sesame Street" (preferably with the Cookie Monster singing) and tell me...which one of these things doesn't go with September 1...

A) Pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks. Mmm.

B) Aaron Rodgers dropping back in the pocket and throwing what's bound to be a touchdown pass.

C) A couple of cute kids heading back to school.

D) People sweating to death from triple-digit Texas heat. Ick.

On Thankfulness...

"Thank you, God, for this good life and forgive us if we don't love it enough."—Garrison Keillor

I'll be the first to admit, whenever Garrison starts talking in that oh-so-soothing voice of his about his fictional home in Minnesota's Lake Woebegon, I could probably fall into a sound, sound sleep in a matter of seconds.

But I absolutely love what he said about being thankful, which is particularly apropos considering tomorrow's the big day, no?

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And here's to being thankful every day of the year—even if turkey, stuffing and a Cowboys VS. Saints game isn't involved.

Ha, ha, ha on the last one, by the way. That was in honor of my Texas family. :)

List #7: 7 Dishes My Thanksgiving Dinner Wouldn't Be Complete Without...

Oy vey! It's been one crazy week here in Tejas.

I'm not sure why I didn't think this through better scheduling-wise, but I think every major writing project on the planet was due this week.

But as of 7:45 last night, it's officially a wrap, and I'm breathing much, much easier.

Now come to think of it, the week was probably a little crazier than normal because I actually took Monday off to meet one of my favorite chefs ...Ina Garten (a.k.a. The Barefoot Contessa).

Now if you're a regular reader of my blog, you already know how much I love her. Not only does she whip up some pretty fantastic recipes with just a few simple ingredients (yeah, don't forget the good vanilla), but I love how much she adores her husband and makes him and her friends these fabulous meals, something I'm equally passionate about.

So as you can imagine, I was pretty darn thrilled, even with a wait of 2+ hours, to say hello. And of course, she was just as sweet as can be, and I left Williams-Sonoma with my signed cookbook positively beaming. Yeah, I know, I'm a giant dork.

Since I'm already in full disclosure mode, I may as well tell you what I can't wait to do, now that all my work is done. See, I have a ginormous stack of magazines in my office (Bon Appetit, Rachael Ray, Martha Stewart, Food Network and Cooking Light, for starters) plus the Williams-Sonoma recipe book they gave me last week, that I'm chomping at the bit to read because I need to finalize our Thanksgiving menu so I can start shopping.

Every year, I flip through all these magazines to get inspiration for what I want to make. After all, cooking the big dinner is one of the things I look forward to all year, and I have fun serving up the classics with the occasional twist.

As you probably gathered from the title, I've got turkey on the brain. So that's why I'm writing about the 7 dishes our Thanksgiving table wouldn't be complete without (in no particular order, 'cause I don't want to play favorites)...

Homemade Biscuits: What can I say? I love my carbs, and biscuits absolutely, positively must make an appearance on our table. While I'm usually a buttermilk girl all the way (last year, I modified the recipe a bit and made the cheesy garlic variety they serve as Red Lobster), I've recently fallen in love with sweet potato biscuits (thank you, Nashville) and have decided to serve those this year. I'm thinking with a little butter and honey drizzled on them, they'll be pure heaven.

Mashed Potatoes, Please? Even though they're a cinch to make, I really only eat mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, and I'm guessing that's because heavy cream and copious amounts of butter make those gorgeous red potatoes so calorie-laden. But on Turkey Day, they're the perfect indulgence, with or without gravy.

Stuffing Stuffed With Lots of Stuff: Yeah, I like my stuffing chunky with lots and lots of veggies and even a little crumbled sausage, but it can't ever, ever include little pieces of the turkey (that just scares me). While I definitely enjoy a good, old-fashioned herb stuffing, I'm also a fan of southern-style cornbread stuffing, which I'm learning toward making this year. And I don't know about you, but I think stuffing tastes even better as leftovers, so I already can't wait for that.

Barefoot Contessa's Cranberry Sauce: It's a gazillion times better than that congealed mess with the can marks still on it, and yet it's straight from the jar (meaning no messing with cooking any actual cranberries yourself). It's got all these great warm flavors you associate with the holidays along with the cranberries and is quite delicious on toast once you've run out of Thanksgiving leftovers.

Green Bean Casserole: Yeah, I know, I'm not going to win any points for culinary originality here. But I just can't have Thankgiving without the green bean casserole. There's just something about the soup, the green beans and those crunchy onions that make my taste buds happy.

Pumpkin Something: No, that's not the name of my secret recipe. But I am known to switch up the pumpkin dessert I make every year. Case in point: Last year I made a turtle pumpkin pie with caramel and pecans and lots of whipped cream. Yum. Other years, I've gone the traditional pumpkin pie route, while the pumpkin creme tart was dessert du jour a few years back. This year, I'm still on the fence about what I'll make. But unlike last year, I probably won't make two desserts (carrot cake cupcakes with homemade cream cheese icing was dessert #2) because it's going to be just Will and I.

Last, But Certainly Not Least, the Turkey: Last year, I ordered a Greenberg smoked turkey (www.gobblegobble.com) for Will since he's a good ol' Southern boy, and that award-winning bird's from Texas. It's also one of Oprah's faves, so I knew it would be delicious. And Will liked it so much it'll be appearing on this year's table, too.

But I also like a good roasted turkey breast, too, so I always make one of those. Once I made it with a peach rosemary glaze, and that was out of this world. Another year, I went a bit Italian and went heavy on the garlic and oregano. But this year, I'm thinking just some good Thanksgiving-y spices (like sage, thyme, rosemary, etc.) is the way to go, and of course, I'll brine it so it's super juicy, even when I use it to make sandwiches later on.

Ok, now that I've shared my favorites, what are some of your family's Thanksgiving must-haves and why?

 

Can Anyone Tell Me Where September Disappeared To?

Anyone else shocked by the fact that it's already September 30th?

I mean, seriously, where has the time gone?

Now I know that I've been super busy with deadlines per usual, but truth be told, I really don't remember all that much about this particular September.

So to unlock the giant blur in my brain and reassure myself that something productive actually did happen, I consulted my dayplanner (yes, I still like to write it all down rather than type it into my phone) and Twitter account to get the skinny...

Oh yeah, this is what I was doing...

*Saw I'm Still Here, the Joaquin Phoenix documentary (I mean hoax). Before he declared that everything was fake, I was fairly convinced I was watching his complete breakdown. Guess I was wrong. Or naive. Or both.

*Had our new dining room table, chairs and European farm bench delivered from West Elm. Total bliss.

*Reviewed five movies and three (Buried, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and The Town) were actually really, really good— a nice change of pace from the rest of the year. As for Going the Distance with Drew Barrymore? Well, not so much.

*Reviewed six CDs (the real low point was Maroon 5's latest)

*Wrote four artist bios (mostly Indie, very cool) and several magazine features.

*Watched the Packers, Vikings and Cowboys lose several heartbreaking games collectively. Sigh.

*Indulged in a bit o' pumpkin spice latte therapy, then went to the gym to work off my transgressions.

*Freaked out a little when I saw CHRISTMAS lights at Target.

*Booked a plane ticket to Colorado Springs for my Mom's birthday and to see the rest of the fam including the adorableness that is Adelyn Grace.

*Reconnected with my fab college pals from some good ol' fashioned girl time.

*Attempted to knock down all 100 pins in Wii resort bowling.

*Baked a snickerdoodle coffee cake and chocolate chip muffins (not at the same time) for Will's co-workers.

*Rejoiced that it finally was less sauna-like in Texas. Debuted my UGGs.

*Saw the preview for Katherine Heigl's new film approximately 4,673 times. Yeah, I know it by heart, and that's unfortunate.

*Got a new idea for a novel and actually started working on it.

*Started reading the buzzed-about novel One Day. Yeah, it's worth the hype, and I already can't wait for the movie. Finally finished the scandalous Oprah biography I started in April, plus Lauren Weisberger's latest, Last Night at Chateau Marmont.

*Watched the pilot for the new Keri Russell-Will Arnett sitcom Running Wilde. As much as I love my Felicity (yeah, Keri will always be Felicity to me), I don't think I can stomach another episode.

Ok, I think that's all I've got besides the usual household chores/errands that I won't bother elaborating on... Now that September is nearly out of the way, I can't help wondering what October (my favorite month) will have in store...

My, My, How They Grow Up!

It's always a happy, happy day in my world when my sister Lindsey sends me a new pic of her sweet 'lil Adelyn Grace.

Apparently, Adelyn is thoroughly enjoying the fall in Colorado Springs and is a big fan of the brightly colored leaves.

Must say that I'm already looking forward to Christmas so I can hang with this little cutie pie (I'm guessing she'll also get a kick out of the snow) and her parents, of course, too...