The GGA Project -- Day #155 "You Look Wonderful Tonight"

There are many things for which I give thanks for my time working at Barnes & Noble.  One of those things is the amazing, lasting friendships that have come from my off-and-on Bookseller years.  Though few of us still work there, many of us old school Booksellers have managed to keep in touch through major life changes.

Another thing I'm thankful to BN for is that it's the place where a few of the best couples I know met and fell in love.  I think two of those couples are on their way to the altar within a couple of years, two have already been married for years, and one tied the knot just today, in a beautiful, rain-free ceremony (which is significant because it was raining and even hailing at times just hours before the nuptials were set to take place), off of Skyline, overlooking the bay.

Colleen and Will met when she was the children's department Lead and he worked in the music department. Colleen, super outgoing and ever-friendly and gregarious, used to throw these great parties at her house near the store (which I was always shocked never attracted a noise warning from the neighbors) and pretty much everyone was invited.  Will was always a quiet attendee, fully there but not one to hog the spotlight.  Somehow, they noticed each other at some point and have been honies for about 6 years now.

I have been out of touch with Colleen until I ran into her at our mutual friend Brian's birthday party in January, but it's been great to catch up with her, and I was incredibly honored to have been invited to share in hers and Will's celebration.

Today's New Activity: Post-Separation Wedding Attendance

One may imagine I would have mixed feelings about going to a wedding in the midst of my own divorce, but I have not found that to be the case.  There were actually two weddings this weekend (one was my cousin's in Auburn which circumstances prevented me from attending), and from the moment I heard of each I was excited about the idea of going.

Here's the thing: I don't have mixed feelings about love.  I have many strong and at times confusing feelings about what went on in my own marriage, but love itself seems pretty straight forward to me: it is the act of looking another person in the eyes, seeing that person for everything he or she really and truly is, and embracing that truth, that person, wholeheartedly.

I look at Colleen and Will, hear their story, and I know theirs is a beautiful, mutually respectful love, which emanates from them when they look at each other, even after 6 years together.  That's the kind of couple you love to see get married...the kind you have the utmost confidence in.  I love that Colleen hasn't changed at all since she and Will became a couple.  I mean, I'm sure there are areas in which she'd say she's improved as a result of having known and loved Will, and I'm sure he'd say the same of himself.  But the fundamentals of each of their personalities remain wholly intact.  And you can see that each of them loves the other completely, exactly as is.  I cannot think of a better prospect in life than to be loved for exactly who you are.

I was thinking about this wedding all week as the forecast promised ominous-looking thunderstorms for today.  Though I've been to a wedding on a rainy day that turned out to be uniquely romantic, I know that nobody really hopes for rain on their wedding day.  I also should have recognized, however, that Colleen is the kind of joyful optimist who could will away rainclouds on sheer positive thoughts.  Of COURSE the rainclouds would get it out of their system and clear the way for a gorgeous afternoon!

I loved this ceremony because the bride and groom didn't take everything too seriously, and it had a lightness that in no way detracted from the fullness of its beauty.  I was in happy tears long before the bridal party even made their way down the aisle.  A couple of young men (members of Will's family, I'm guessing) sang and played a version of Eric Clapton's "You Look Wonderful Tonight" that was, I felt, better than the original; me and Maribel, sitting next to me, were fumbling around for tissue before the end of the first verse.

Then Will made his way down the aisle with Toby, the couple's dog, his companion and ring bearer.  Too cute.

Next came the bridal party followed by Colleen, who was as carefree and calm as could be.  I think lots of brides could take a lesson from her on how to truly enjoy your wedding day!

The ceremony was lovely and brief, which was nice because although it wasn't raining, it was at times chilly with the breeze.  I think everyone's favorite moment, apart from the official marriage announcement of course, was when Will took out his phone to read the wedding vows he'd written.  Nice, modern take :)

Will, at times, displayed the solemnity of a truly thoughtful man.  You could see that this moment was a very meaningful one for him.  I love that, in her vows, Colleen described Will's quiet strength.  I feel like men who don't say much are often mistaken for so many things other than what they really are at heart, and that people don't recognize how truly confident and inspiring of confidence such men are.  Cheers to Colleen for recognizing that great quality.  I'd be hard-pressed to think of a better-matched pair.

If anybody's looking for a wedding venue, I'd have to jump in and recommend this one (The Mountain Terrance in Woodside).  The setting was just amazing and the food was awesome!  These are like the two most important things when it comes to wedding venues, no?  I had to leave before the free-for-all dancing and the cupcakes, but I was so grateful to have spent the afternoon and early evening in the presence of old friends, and to witness the union of two great people.

As for post-divorce weddings, bring them on.  I love weddings.  Love them.  That hasn't changed a bit.  I would attend a wedding every day if I had the chance.  It's, I think, an under-appreciated honor to be in the presence of people experiencing (as it is for many) the happiest day of their lives.  To the Cadiz's....may you live many many years bringing this kind of smile to each other's faces!

                            

The GGA Project -- Day #71 "British for Indulge"

In recent weeks I've mentioned my friend Colleen a few times.  Both posts had to do with yummy cookie recipes she shared with me--as she's the Queen of All Things Cookie--and which I decided to try my hand at.  She has a true taste for the best of what yummy has to offer, so it is not surprise it should be her to introduce us both to


Today's New Activity: Afternoon Tea at the Crown & Crumpet

It's pretty unlikely that either of us should have found ourselves here, as *neither* of us consider ourselves the kind of ultra-fem gals who would dig on something as pink and prettified as all this, but it would seem that the spirit of trying new things is in the air, and we actually both admitted to having experienced a shift toward the girlie girl lately. In Colleen's case, I might credit all the recent wedding planning she's been doing. In my case, well I've got nothing to account for it.

The Crown & Crumpet is in Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, which a great, great place to hang out, if you can manage to make it all the way to the end of the Embarcadero on a Sunday, and if, after surviving that 45 minutes of madness, you can manage to find a parking spot.  Thankfully, we did both and ended up finding parking almost as close as you could possibly get to the little shop (shoppe?).  The only downside was that the meters maxed out at 1 hour, so we had to watch the clock and refill when the meter got hungry.


During the drive, we had the chance to catch up on things.  Colleen is another former coworker with whom I've been out of touch for some time.  In fact, I never really spent any time hanging out with her outside of work, except for during the great parties she used to so hospitably throw, inviting all her coworkers.  Those were really the best days I've had at any workplace, ever.  I've never worked--before or since--in such a fun-filled environment where people got along well with very little gossip or negativity, and they liked each other so much they were happy to party together even after seeing each other at work 40 hours a week.


Anyway, though I've always thought her very cool, this was actually the first time I'd spent with Colleen one-on-one, and I'm so happy I did.  Not only is she a great conversationalist, very open and easy to find common ground with, she is one of the most good-natured and friendly, warm, joy-loving people I've ever met.  Just driving into the city and passing under the Bay Bridge (another beautiful day in The City, I might add), she expressed such unbridled joy and wonder at the (truly wonder-filled) sight, I thought she may just weep with sheer delight.  I LOVE to be around people like that.  I love full-bodied expressions of awe, of pleasure, of curiosity and engagement.


Colleen was one of the very first people to respond to my e-mail seeking GGA participants, and she's the one who had the great idea to check out a tea room together.  It's one of those (almost guilty) pleasures that's perfect for a Sunday afternoon when you've managed to put all your obligations behind you and are free to just soak in the aroma of really, really, really good tea.  


Though you can order individual lunch meals, we opted for the Tea for Two menu option, in which we chose two from the dizzying selection of loose-leaf teas (this is just one of two full-page spreads of tea options alone):

which came served with this beautiful and tasty selection of petite sandwiches, scones, and sweets:

Ever wondered what a crumpet was?  That's one on the right.  It tastes like the best English muffin you've ever eaten, especially when topped with one of the below (super rich strawberry jam, a light butter, and lemon curd).

Talk about dainty!


And this sort of thing is truly meant to be an event rather than just a meal or a run-of-the-mill little treat.  The reservations get you the table for 2 hours, a good amount of time to relax and give the flavors their due.  All the sweets were served in tiny portions, but that was fine because they were so rich, to eat more than what was served was to risk some kind of bodily harm...I'm sure of it.

It was a real treat to spend half a day with this wonderful woman.  We talked about all the things you'd expect two women to talk about over afternoon tea.  The coming hunting party, problems with the help, how dreadful the crumpets at all the *other* tea spots are.  Hehe.  Nah.  We talked about family, and relationships, and Colleen's coming nuptials, and my pending divorce, coworkers, friends, the S-E-X word...you know, just all of everything worth discussing.  Girltalk is so much more fun over good food and drink.


And though it feels incredibly decadent and indulgent, I'm fairly certain we *both* could, and probably should, make a habit of this.


Thank you Colleen, for a great idea and a splendid (read it in a British accent for full effect) day!

The GGA Project -- Day #61 "Sweets for the Semi-Sweet"

A few days ago my friend Colleen (the Cookie Queen I mentioned in a previous post) posted a sugar cookie recipe on my Facebook page, out of the blue.  She said it was the best she'd come across.  She was probably sharing since I have taken an interest in making cookies lately and she wanted to spread the good news--but I sort of took it as an assignment (please keep them coming, Colleen, if it occurs to you.  A cookie-making assignment is about the best I can imagine).  Since she sent it, I could not get out of my mind the idea that I needed to make sugar cookies and decorate them for Valentine's Day, which by the way, happens to be something I've never done before.


Today's New Activity: Prettifying Sugar Cookies


The reason I probably haven't made sugar cookies is that I don't really like sugar cookies.  Their taste is not offensive, of course.  But it's also not very interesting.  I do however recognize that they are definitely the best type of cookie for decorating during the holidays (any holiday!).  Here is the simple, straightforward recipe:

"Granny Grant's Christmas Cookies" (as shown in newspaper article)

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cream

Cream butter, sugar & vanilla ( low to medium setting for 30-60 seconds.)

Add eggs.

Sift dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder & salt).

Add flour mixture gradually to creamed mixture, adding cream as needed.

Dough will be stiff.

Chill dough for about an hour.

Roll out dough (or pat press with hands) on a lightly floured surface.

Shape dough with cookie cutters.

Decorate with sugar/chocolate sprinkles before baking (lightly press sprinkles into each cut out with fingers or a small pastry brush)

Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes.

Cool on racks for about 10/15 minutes. If you're planning on using decorative icing, do so after cookies are completely cool!

*Baking Tip* Instead of using parchment paper to line cookie sheets, use a Silpat (Silicon Baking Mat). Silpats  are very easy to clean off & re-use (they're a god send, to me!) You can get them at Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma =)

That last part is from Colleen.  One of the reasons I liked talking with her about cookies when I saw her a few weeks ago was that she's already tried and tested so many methods and recipes--she really does have the best to offer!

I'd actually done the baking last night, as a way of distracting me and keeping me busy during my baby's absence.  My Mom, who has more than a little bit of Martha Stewart in her (good Martha Stewart...like all the knowhow and materials and means to make beautiful things, without the annoying condescension or arrogance) brought out her heart- and flower-shaped cookie cutters and introduced me to some variations on the theme (using a smaller one within a larger one to make for a heart outline or putting the whole of a small heart on top of a larger one or a flower and baking it like that).  She and my Dad both hung around to help with the shape making and baking--it was a fun family effort.

So when I got home tonight, all the little luvies were there, just waiting to be dressed:

(Well they hadn't been sitting there getting dried out all night.  I brought them back out of their tupperware housing for this part).

Again, my Ma busted out all her tools for decorating, along with the recipe for a very simple lemon glaze (just mix 4 cups of confectioner's sugar with 1/4-1/3 cup lemon concentrate from those little plastic lemons you find in the produce section).  I colored half of the glaze to make pink and left the other half translucent white.  It was great to have my Ma nearby during this part, as she just has a way of making everything pretty.  She has MAD skills with stuff like this that I know come somewhat from practice, but also seem like a gene she was born with that I just didn't get.  She mostly watched and offered suggestions, but when I asked her to, she took up a tube of icing at the end to add all the best finishing touches.

Then, she prepped a red plate with a doily (hers again, of course--remember, she is the Keeper of the Pretty!) and helped me arrange it with cookies to take to work.  I say these are sweets for the semi-sweet, because not everyone I work with is sweet (though really they mostly are...lucky me!), but anybody in need of a gentle push in the right direction will hopefully be influenced by these:

Thanks Mom and Colleen, for helping bring some extra love!

:)

The GGA Project -- Day #32 "Cookie Whim"

This morning at our inspiring, pre-work "huddle," my manager was giving suggestions on how we can discover things about customers who are there to open personal checking accounts, leading to possible add-on sales.  For example, we could find out if there was a need for them to open a business checking account by asking this casual, easily-worked-into-conversation question: "So, do you sell cookies as a side job?"


I don't think I missed anything.  I believe I've told it exactly as it happened.


So of course I found this sales strategy less-than-promising and immediately tuned out the rest of the meeting.  What resonated, however, was this brilliant key word: cooooookieeeees.


I spent the rest of the meeting thinking about cookies and how I needed to make some the moment I got home from work.  The thing is, I don't have my tried-and-true Mrs. Fields' cookbook unpacked now, and I don't really trust an untested recipe.  Plus, in the spirit of my life these days, I wanted to make a kind of cookie I'd never made before.


Enter my friend Colleen.  Colleen is a woman I used to work with who has gone on a cookie-makin' RAMPAGE  recently.  I see her beautiful pictures of the cookies she makes posted on Facebook, and they make me want to reach through the screen and attack!!  I asked her if she had a favorite recipe for the cookies I wanted to make and she came through promptly with the link to one she'd been wanting to try.  Stopped on the way home for a few missing ingredients and was well on my way to


Today's New Activity: Baking Chocolate, Semi-Sweet and White Chocolate Chip, Macadamia Nut Cookies


I never used to like chocolate cookies.  Chocolate chip cookies...yes.  But I always thought chocolate cookies were kind of not-so-good.  Something changed recently for my taste buds, though, and I was suddenly down to depart from my predictable Pecan, Chocolate Chips.


So thanks, Colleen, for the recommendation.  It led to this:

Richest dough ever.  And this:

Baking times all wrong (oven's fault)! Then these:

Mmmm.  They turned out pretty good.  I had to restrain myself though, because apparently my Mom had the same wild baking impulse, and she created this lovely hunk of happiness:  a graham streusel cake with double the called-for topping and icing, to boot.

Hot damn.  It was a good day for eating in these here parts.