mustard maple salmon


I'm back at it. thanks to my mom's Costco run i made mustard maple salmon tonight. i eye-balled the ingredients from a recipe I had, making some adjustments here and there. the results were darn good as i thought mid-dinner i should document the scaly creature so the cooking aspect of this online journal could be back in action.

2 tsp. ground mustard powder, 3 T maple syrup, 1 T balsamic vinegar, s & p into a bag. refrigerate and marinate 20-30 min. throw on grill pan about 6 min per side. so good.

pursuit of holiness

I picked up this book from church the other week and found it to be quite a good read. the topic intrigued me as a daily battle seems to be what is right and wrong, what are my convictions, what is the way God wants me to live, etc. This book was good in that it wasn't just another man's ideas, sure they were in there, but there was a lot of Bible reference for me to see what God's view is. it's not about a moral conduct or abstaining from certain things, but living a life that speaks to Him and one that is all around about him. It's a daily struggle and one I have a ways to go on, but as someone who was once super legalistic is many senses and has discovered grey area, and in that loosened up a bit, much to my gladness and I'd say those around me, this was a good refresher and a book I'll be passing on to friends.

history of love


I recently finished the History of Love. It was recommended to me originally by Kate and overall a great read. I wish I would have read it more consecutively, but would recommend it nonetheless.

long lost friend reunion


tuesday night was so great in san fran. i saw some friends from home who i haven't seen in years. i love how time works out for some of us, most of us, aging us to all be better people. maybe it's that we know more of who we are. yes- i'll go with that theory. ding ding ding we have a winner. we had a great night and fun dinner at Fresca despite the waiter being a little too pushy and as Lauren said, "i feel like you're trying us to buy more food than we need." loved it...

driving down the highway 1

drove down the coast tuesday night to take my mom back to LAX. so beautiful. from there i went to long beach, san francisco, uc berkeley, la, west hollywood, santa monica, then back to santa barbara. glad it's friday...

333


i'm a big kid now (again). loving the new casa.

wild flowers

i can't get enough of the flowers up the hill from butterfly beach.

boat house bust

so maybe i'm being dramatic but ya know what, it's ok. it's my writing and if i was 'whatever whatever' (insert audrey's voice) about things you probably wouldn't come back to my blog.

So- Saturday night my mom was here and we decided to go down to the Boat House. The bar is wonderful- I'd go there any night of the week as you sit there looking at the ocean. The decor of the place is very clean and there's a great view no matter where you sit. I introduced Ruth to a greyhound and we met some old people. Welcome to Santa Barbara. Dinner was overpriced and bland. I mean your standard fish and veg, but little flavour and well not my favorite when I knew Hungry Cat was in our future. So- we went
there after for dessert and the chef was like "Cleveland, right?" We proceeded to tell them how much we didn't like the Boat House and how we would be back for dinner soon. So, tonight is Hungry Cat once again. Excited....

mamma



my mom's coming in this weekend- last minute- great deals- time to get settled trip. couldn't be more excited...

ooey gooey goodness

i almost forgot that i have in fact cooked/baked recently. we had a bbq at maggie's the other day and i whipped up an all time favorite, ooey gooey peanut butter chocolate brownies. they weren't inhaled as quickly as they are when i make them for the nugs, ha, but a success i'd say.

Ingredients

3/4 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk, divided
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted and cooled
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme (about 1 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup peanut butter morsels
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/4 cup condensed milk, butter, and next 3 ingredients (butter through egg white) in a bowl (batter will be very stiff). Coat bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press two-thirds of batter into prepared pan using floured hands; pat evenly (layer will be thin).

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup condensed milk and marshmallow creme in a bowl; stir in morsels. Spread marshmallow mixture evenly over brownie layer. Carefully drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over marshmallow mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

i have to believe


From LYRICSMODE.COM lyrics archive
Song lyrics | I Have To Believe lyrics

nomad no more


i've been a nomad for the past month or so. a place to rest my head but with my life packed in boxes, my head and heart elsewhere. today is the day, i think, that we can get settled into our new place, slowly but surely. it's a two bedroom that's been a vacation rental, but thanks to my new mate knowing this family so well, we're moving in. i'm looking forward to my bedroom not also being my kitchen, family room, and dining room. it shall be a good thing.

and then i fell in love


nope- not romantically. however monday night my parents and i went to hungry cat for dinner. we sat at the copper bar, right in front of the chefs and watched them make whole fish, pug burgers, and our dinners right in front of us. my mom of course made a new friend that of course i ended up knowing through just one person (welcome to santa barbara). although the menu looks small all of our meals were excellent and full of flavor; seabass and mussels, clams and homemade chorizo, and yellowtail. if i were laurence hauben i'd highly recommend this place.

in other news

I got my Ohio T in the mail and it's as wonderful as I expected. Maybe even more wonderful because it came packaged with Gladiator Trading Cards with a 20% off my next purchase coupon and a note from "Ryan" saying "Thanks!" I'm pretty sure I just supported some 21 yr. olds in a basement somewhere- which, is awesome. Seeing as I've got the 20% going for me I think I'll have to decide what my next T should be.

toast santa barbara

A woman I know in town launched her new business website recently and whether you live here or not it's worth taking a look at. So beautiful, well done, and waiting for Town and Country to take a look at... Classing...it...up.

no more alone time

A friend who also has been living the studio life and is entering back into the land of roommates sent me this article. It's funny, well written and something I can relate to...in pieces.

wordle


i saw this site from another blog. i put in my blog address and it gives you an image based on what you write about...pretty telling. i admit to liking the top left corner "warm laura sunset"

life is beautiful

The whole intent for this blog was to celebrate the good life...to find things in my every day to be observant, excited, and thankful for. to realize them as the big and small things in life that make all things well. i just had lunch at the harbor and my heart is very thankful right now. i don't know how i got here or why this life was chosen for me, but I'm going to do the best with what I've been given. I'm reminded of a psalm i often come back to in life, Psalm 73: 23-26

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

hike for change

My dear friend Kathryn and her beau are hiking the Appalachian trail and have created a sweet site you should all go check out. Ed created it and there are ways to donate to the cause. I just heard about the site this morning but go- check it out- and be inspired.

tourist

Santa Barbara is full of European tourists- everywhere. a lot of tomato red people soaking up the sun and enjoying how weak the dollar is.

ohio on my mind

i don't know what it is; probably the need for a mental break and the only place i can see that happening, really, is home, but i just bought this t-shirt thanks to learning about this company while in denver- home of a ton of midwesterners. pretty excited for it's arrival from homage in 3-5 business days.

the essentials

I bought the essentials of Calvin and Hobbes with Chagrin on the back cover for $8 at a used bookstore yesterday. I'm pretty sure this is a 'Laura Hall Library must have' and I'm excited to now own it. The lady at the store surprisingly wasn't as excited as I about Chagrin. Weird...

jimmy t


i really don't know how i forgot to mention the events of friday evening. warm night. vino. sunset. santa barbara bowl. james taylor. this has been a gooood year down in the books when it comes to concerts for me. done and done.

i need a vacation


or a little bit of this in my life...

besame besame


saturday night in honor of fiesta jess and i went to los arroyos only to find out there was a mariachi band more than willing to sing 'besame besame' to us... they did in fact besame us which was more than entertaining for us, and the lovely on-lookers. salud.

i love leslie


similar to i love lucy yet different. thanks to people (leslie and jeremy) re-doing their backyard jess and i got to enjoy some vino and lazy acres last night outside. what a hostess with the mostess. les that was more than a good thing. this pic has nothing to do with last night- it's more of trying to make up for not posting about leslie until now... and to send a much needed thanks and shout out.

pike place

after much stress thanks to meetings in seattle last week i finally was done and got to sit in a little french bakery looking at pike place. i was loving life and realizing that Jesus loves me a whole lot too. i of course wandered over to the market and wondered if i'd run into the window washer i made friends with some months back from the same coffee spot. alas he was not there, but the view and rain and happy people enjoying the northwest were all around. i of course also had to stop into nordstrom rack as it's probably the best one in the country. i had some restraint but did give in and bought a pair of crocs for 9 monies. no more heels for me all day...

needing to breathe

raney, kp, s.taylor, and i went to the triple door in the heart of seattle monday night to see needtobreathe. a great venue with menu from wild ginger. i'd go there any time you want. the band was singing lyrics to my heart, but not really to my heart when afterwards we chatted them up to find out they're basically all married. maybe the vino got to me but my tone was a little shocked with 'you're married?! how old are you?!" metal metal everywhere.

little man ice cream

ana and i ventured to this spot in denver last weekend- highly recommend it then a nice little walk over the bridge into downtown. sit on a bench, stare up at the sky and think. then get up when homeless man starts creeping you out...