Mama Things

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1. White pompom scarf.  2. Yellow Wooden Bangles. 3. (Vintage Print) Hawaiian Dress. 4. House of Harlow Sunnies. 

5. Brown Saddle Bag.  6. Yellow Saltwater sandals.   

The sea beckons this month. I keep eyeing these yellow saltwater sandals both for me and Mandarin like it was the last fried chicken in the bucket. Although I wonder, with our Bay Area weather, when does it get really warm for sandals? Nonetheless, I covet the sunshine they can possibly bring to my stride. 

I don't think I've ever liked yellow and all its golden hues this much in my life; I even bought daffodils at the grocery store. Daffodils! It's almost like a Vitamin D deficiency. 

I think I should get some sun soon. ♥ ♥ ♥ 

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

There was a time when I was a banana bread purist. No nuts, no glaze, just a plain sweet slice of banana transcendence. 

But then, the internet happened.

I was looking through All Recipes.com looking for dinner ideas one afternoon when my eye caught sight of our fruit bowl and a bundle of extremely spotted bananas (which turned out to be worse looking than on the inside). So after searching for Banana Bread recipes, I came across one that seemed different from the rest. 

Within a few minutes, I gathered my constituents for a baking powwow and went to work. 

Gently tap the pan on the counter to even out the batter and to remove any air pockets. 

The recipe called for 1 hour and 10 minutes of baking time but after conducting my toothpick test, the bread wasn't cooked enough in my opinion, so I let it sit there for another 5 minutes. Or maybe I just wanted the neighbors to get a whiff of the lingering goodness that was baking in my oven.  

oh sweet lord.

Recipe and video link below. 

Chef John's Banana Bread

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

3 ripe bananas

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbs. milk

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

* 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (or 165 degrees C)

2.  Grease a 9x4 inch loaf pan.

3.  Mash ripe bananas in a bowl.

4.  Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl.

5.  Cream the butter and sugar until smooth.

6.  Stir in the mashed bananas. 

7.  Add eggs to the mixture, one at a time - fully blending each egg before adding the next.

8.  Stir in the vanilla and the milk.

9.  Stir in the flour mixture and chocolate chips until just incorporated.

10.Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Tap pan on the counter to release air pockets.  

11.Bake in pre-heated oven for * 1 hour and 10 minutes. (I added 5 minutes to mine) or until an inserted    wooden skewer comes out clean. 

12. Let the bread rest in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Remove from pan. Slice and serve. 

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Spring Hath Sprung

It's the first day of spring today and  most of us (including me had I not noticed it on the calendar) would take it in as just another Tuesday but there are far more things going on than meets the eye than a regular day of the week.

For one, it is a seasonal shift. Metaphorically speaking, we've made our way out of the darkness of winter and are now moving towards the warmth of light and new beginnings. While that may sound like an washed out eighties infomercial from an obscure motivational speaker, it bears the truth of science and spirituality. And a powerful one at that - if we choose to acknowledge it.

On this particular day, balance is achieved. The world as we know it has made its way where light and dark pivots harmoniously; and from this day you will begin to notice longer days and shorter evenings. You stay out more, plan picnics and park strolls and if you ever wondered why you have a very strong desire to purge your closet, garage or entire house these days, it is a primal reconciliation with your spirit that moves you to the rhythm of seasons. Spring cleaning isn't just about dusting the shelves and folding clothes, it is innate in us as instinct is.

Keeping in tune as well are the trees in the neighborhood. The cherry blossoms, fooled by our unseasonably warm Bay Area weather, bloomed earlier on, and was an excellent harbinger for spring. They are seasonal prophets, these delicate flowers.

The iPhone can take remarkable photos given the right conditions.

Evidence of renewal is all around the house too as seen on our plants. New buds and leaves unfold into the world, anchored into its own potted piece of earth.  It serves as a constant reminder that as a living and breathing being just the same, something in me may have grown too. It is this re-centering of being that allows me to relieve myself of all the cluttered noise in my head, to stop and pay attention to what surrounds me. 

And just the same, we are all organic in our need to anchor ourselves into something and someplace and see how we grow from there. Zeroing into the microcosm that is my home, Life is quietly unveiling in the form growth. It seemed like it was just yesterday when Mandarin was a baby who could barely crawl across the living room floor. Today, she speeds across it as if she had a jet pack strapped on. She is loud and happy and hungry for more and it is this very spirit of hers that awakens my nostalgic sensibility and strengthens me.

It gets me thinking that many trees and flowers don't choose where they thrive, and yet, they do. This house, this place, is my piece of earth. For how long? No idea. My daughter was born here, took her first steps and spoke her first word here.  There are many instances when I forget about this and grumble about having our own place and I know now, that it's only because I have grown that I want this house to reflect who we are individuals as opposed to living with creative design restraint. As far as spring awakening goes, we became a complete family in this house, and for that alone, it has become our home.

(Who would have known that changing something as simple as curtains can bring so much more light into a room! A non-invasive kitchen re-do is in the works -  but that's another story. ♥)

Well, that's one shelf that surely needed some dusting. :)

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Baby Things

I don't usually pop in on weekends for a post but these darling things are too adorable for the week to wait so here I am dropping in for a quick while to post some Baby Things I love.

1. White and Pink Bishop Dress via Zulily  2. Lovely Green Moon stitch Bow via Hairbow Depot  3. Yellow Polka Dot Mary Janes from Puddle Jumper Shoes 4. Avent Sippy Cup via Amazon

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Friday Five: Six

1. Craft Store Magic and creativity.

2. Mandarin's play room. A good day = A messy play area.

3. My daughter, the toy destroyer. So long, Apple/Fruit Piano.

4. Unexpected book of interest which found in the nooks and crannys of the house.

5. My stand mixer in the perfect shade of red.
(It was intimidating (to use) at first, but we're now becoming fast friends)


♥


What inspired and brought even the whisper of a smile to you throughout the week?


Happy Friday!

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Good Day, Sunshine?

We wake up to say Hooooray for pony tails! Mandarin's hair is long enough for it; I still see no reason for her to get a haircut despite my mother's hankering to do so. I don't have the desire for her to have it grow out to mermaid stature either. I suppose I just like a good manageable length that can easily be styled so when she reaches her teen years she can curse me for the number of ribbons I've lovingly clipped on her. :)

I've been meaning to get a chart for her to track her growth progress but couldn't wrap my head around how  expensive some of them are! Although extremely dreamy and adorable, this little pet of a growth chart would set me back $40 in lieu of the kitchen pantry door, a ruler and a sharpie. However, as a memento, I can't exactly break off the pantry door and display it in her bedroom. 

But oh so cute. 

Nonetheless, I did find better deals with Amazon! Undoubtedly sweet and adorable just the same. 

The garden variety of of this chart, the obvious beckoning of Spring and Summer as I am ready to part with my Ugg boots in lieu of flip flops and neon nail polish and long maxi skirts. 

But wait.

Petrichor: The smell of rain on dry earth.
Who knew there was actually a word for that!?

A line of storms are making its way up from the Pacific this week, one rainy day after another. Winter makes a dramatic comeback after its relatively mild and dry (even warm) weather just days before Spring. Just when I was this close to packing up all the bulky sweaters and coats for lighter and brighter apparel. Nonetheless, we make do with it and enjoy what's left of the season. 

 I do love the rain. While it may be inconvenient to most, it never fails to get my mind to slow down and shift gears into clarity of thought. 

Now for some reason, every time it rains something in me calls out for Chicken sopas - literally Chicken soup. It's always been comfort food for me as a child, and now as an adult I liken it to a warm blanket that I snuggle with on the corner of the couch. 

Mandarin can't get enough of it either.

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Ordinary Days

Sometimes all one needs is an ordinary day to get back into the groove of things. Ordinary days anchor us into the grit of our daily struggles, our pain, our joy. So when an extraordinary day pops up it catches you by surprise, and makes it all the more significant.

I'd like to say that we just jumped in the car in a spark of spontaneity and wandered around the city, landing in a fantastic Mediterranean cafe, bestowed heavenly blessings from the Goodwill gods of thrifting to land the holy grail - my holy grail of pre-loved things . A ten dollar (ha!) Le Creuset dutch oven, maybe a designer handbag, and a fabulous vintage dress.  

But we didn't.

In fact it was a loosely planned day to strut around Fillmore street. There was, in fact, a fantastic Mediterranean meal (which we found on Yelp) of shared vegetable moussaka and a sample platter of La Mediterranee's Best: spinach and feta fillo, armenian potato salad, chicken pomegranate, hummus, warm pita and a warm glass of morrocan mint tea. 

Thrifting too, was on the up and up. A couple of (new) belts, a pair of sunnies, and a Beatrix Potter illustrated book of rhymes for Mandarin all for under $7!!!

As for my dutch oven. Not even close. No cigar.

.99 cents, yo!

Just looking at this makes me hungry. Let's not forget Mandarin's grilled cheese with feta! So good, I couldn't help myself with a serving.

cookie monster

Winding down at home reading the Anthropologie catalogue with freshly baked chocolate chip-toffee cookies and some french roast coffee. 

And finally, topping the day off with some home made Chicken Alfredo sauce with Wild Mushroom Fettuccine.
Some ordinary day - which of course, turned out to be more than what it started out to be! 

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The Hard Truth

This was the thought that arrived on a cloudy Saturday morning while my family and I were still huddled in bed. This is the hard truth of motherhood - motherhood in migration.

I was of course being reflective of the events of the precious evening when Mandarin blatantly reminded me of my place

1. What was I even thinking bringing a toddler to a restaurant catering all-you-can-drink sake bombs to twenty-somethings who barely understand the meaning of pacing your drinks. This was irresponsible on my end; hunger, the lure of Japanese Shabu-Shabu, and admittedly just to be out with  (pretty much) everyone got the best of me. Had I known it was as bad as it was going to be, I wouldn't have even considered taking her there.

2. When going to the said place, given a very late reservation of 9:00pm means you will be seated at 9:45 and start eating a little past 10:00.

3. Toddler bedtime + short afternoon nap + belligerent and drunken crowd noise = mommy and me meltdown. The best thing to do was to leave, mid-meal before the next round of paper thin slices of beef even had the chance to cook because my instinctive solution was to remove her from that environment.

While I can easily say that all mothers out there completely understand this scenario, the hard truth that immediately commanded my attention was that - while all possible mothers there had someone to leave their children with, I on the other hand, did not.

I've heard several opinions about this and it's easy for someone who has a parent or grandparent or a sibling to leave their child with at a wink's notice to say that they should learn how to cope with their environment. Knowing what I know about my child; that she is very much opinionated, knows what she wants and is capable of traumatizing an adult in the manner in which she cries, that she can set off mass chaos with the voracity of her howling protest- how can I possibly leave her with anyone and not feel any sense of guilt? Guilty for the person watching her, that is. It is debilitating to say the least. Embarrassing (at times) even. Because I have no more excuses. Whether she's tired, hungry, sleepy or groggy - the reason she cries the way she does is because I am her only sense of comfort and security. This of course is expected, being a stay at home mom. 

And if it were a process, it will be a long and treacherous one. 

This was something I didn't foresee when we moved here. Getting lost. The sense of emotional space I would have to deal with as a mother, without close proximity to the people I would otherwise - ask for help. 

*  *  *

I wrote that draft a few weeks ago, with every intention of finishing it but hit a dead end when I fell short of  finding transcendence in my struggles. Because there always is; says the adult in my head. I could've just deleted the draft and moved onto other things, but felt that that particular evening was definitive of how I've now decided to alter my perception of  how things are versus how I think they ought to be. 

So this weekend I tried to find my bearings by taking Mandarin to a park to simply let her be. The girl loves to run and explore. Allowing her to play and discover to her hearts content was liberating, the fresh albeit cold air, cathartic. It is simple days like this with my family that I like to pitch in my anchor and steady my sails for the bliss and battles to come.

Happy Baby  =  Happy Mommy  =  Happy Family.

The internet (surprise!) harbors an alarming hoard of inspired words to live by. One in particular that I came across with:

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain."

                                                                            Source: sodahead.com via SevenHurricane on Pinterest

Of course, it's got me thinking: Migration is a bitch. There is it is. The simple truth. The hard truth. There are blessings of possibility and curses of detachment.  It gives you opportunity with a side of isolation and pure moments of bliss with dismal echoes of gray discomfort. It is the constant turning of these binaries that can sometimes make settling into a life difficult. Manageable. But difficult at times.

I moved to a country known for vast spaces, interstate freeways and super sized opportunities and dreams only to find myself living a limited fraction of what I know I am fully capable of - with the biggest responsibility of my life nonetheless - Mandarin and motherhood.  Now that I've finally (and painfully) admitted this to myself, I take it to duty to sift through my cluttered thoughts to find MY voice. To find MY place in the order of things, and ensure myself that I will have the tenacity to never get lost again.

When was the last time you danced in the rain?

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All You Need Is Love.

Image via: heythingschange

Even nature knows that love abounds. 

Simple and understated is how our Valentine's evening went. I got a bouquet of perfectly red long stemmed roses (I may not be the sappy romantic, but I would take flowers any day) and Mandarin was lovingly handed a heart shaped balloon, that she of course brought to bed with her.  A home-cooked meal; a nice fat juicy steak and herbed potatoes, a good movie and some family snuggle time is all the lovin' this family needs. 

Happy ♥♥♥'s Day!

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Feeling Good, February.

This weekend gave us a double take with 65 degree weather, full on sunshine, blue skies and all the shades of summer - except that it's not. It doesn't feel like winter 'round here and we're not complaining.  So the family and I packed up what little gear we had, took our bikes and the baby trailer on the road to have our day in the sun with some much needed heliotherapy. I say this, sounding like the ultimate bike enthusiast, but truthfully up until Saturday I have NOT ridden a bike on a paved road for at least ten years. Let’s just say, it’s a good thing that one doesn’t forget how to ride a bike and found my stride within a few minutes and partially went numb (legs) within the first mile or so. So out of shape. The water and the day’s clarity and warmth, the smell of salt in the air was a nostalgic invitation into beaches I have not driven my toes into for years.  Either way, it was a good day to be out - even if I was on wheels. 

The week also delivered lovely surprises. Mandarin learned to say the shortest word she’ll ever come to know. NO. Just when I thought she finally understood what I meant by saying it every time she toggled with the knobs of the stove, in spite of the fact that it already is baby proofed. I’m surprised she didn’t learn it earlier, opting to say more syllable friendly words like apple, purple, ball and a good number of animal sounds from Old Macdonald’s farm. I’m pretty sure the word stop is also in the forecast of her ever expanding vocabulary. While I am amazed at her development I am even more pleased that she has awakened into the value of choices. The fact that she has an opinion about the daily options of her precious little life reminds me of the miracle of every child’s prodigious growth and development. While she may have mindless moments of saying no to every single thing now as a toddler, the weight of this word carries the full embodiment and integrity of choice. As an independent individual, this will prove useful in her teen years when peer pressure comes into play. 

What can I say…the girl knows what she wants as early as now. And I’m fairly certain that when it comes to the Nth serving of cheerios though, it’ll always be a yes. 

In true mommy and me style, I also learned to say NO on a few things around the house this week. Old school kitchen tiles which I can’t really do much about, twenty year old wallpaper and our couch’s outdated blue fabric. On a whim I googled what-to-do-with-ugly-sofa and was entertained to find that there is in fact a contest on The World's Ugliest Couch, which admittedly made ours look more like Pottery Barn’s finest, as opposed to some of the Cosby sweater couches on there.  Some couches were so incredibly bad that if you threw it,  the dumpster would spit it back out. Incidentally my search also led me to Ugly Sofa a company that sells Brand X slipcovers for much much much less. I always knew I would never spend a ridiculous amount of money for what is essentially a sheet over your couch, I would gladly do it for a fraction of the cost.  

I was ecstatic. Over the moon. I gleefully made my way to the living room stood right in front of both couches and barked “NO” wagging my finger as if it offended me. No! No more. There is hope and salvation from the chokehold of eighties furniture after all. Just a few more weeks until the living room can actually have a fresh makeover into the current century. So I turned up some Led Zeppelin and danced like a madwoman.  All while saying, Yes. Yes. YES!

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