homeland

I wanted to write about Homeland because it is easily some of the best television I have seen in years.  The general story lines are riveting and intense, and the acting is exceptional.  Claire Danes is a tour de force.  There was a moment in the first season where I literally gasped with astonishment at her skill.  I wasn't one of the hardcore initiates into the My So-Called Life fan club, and though what little I saw of her portrayal of Temple Grandin impressed me, I never paid Danes much attention.  I have been very, very wrong.

Thus, if you loved Angela Chase, Homeland is for you.  And also if you were a 24 fanatic.  Or if you would like to see Damian Lewis in a role other than Captain Winters.  Heck, if you appreciate quality television at all, this show is truly a safe bet.

For the uninitiated:

A convenient character-based recap, via EW.com.

New York Times previews the second season. (SPOILER ALERT!)

My fave tv freak, Michael Ausiello, breaks down what he knows about Season 2.

P.S.  Homeland and its cast swept the Emmys last weekend.  You'll be jumping onto a popular, crowded bandwagon when you tune in!

Every day occurrence

This is how we start our day.

Books, always books.

- Posted from my iPhone

what we're reading now...august

August passed us by like a whirlwind.  Our precious few days at home were spent visiting cousin L at her apartment in San Francisco, exploring new (to us) treasures like the local Children's Museum, and of course lots of gallivanting around in the backyard, chasing after balls and climbing up and down the slide.  The rest of the month found us in Texas, first for our annual pilgrimage to Campmeeting and then for the most exciting adventure of shopping for a WEDDING DRESS for my sister!  Baby A has become quite the seasoned traveler.  He cheerfully toddled around various airports, leaving a trail of Cheerios in his wake and charming every soul he passed, and due to my meticulous flight planning, took decent naps on every single flight.  I will say that it is absolutely NO JOKE to travel solo with a toddler, but all in all, we managed fine.  

As is my way, I am just now composing a list of what we read during the month.  It continues to bring such happiness to my heart to see how much A genuinely loves books, and our time spent together reading is truly precious.  

Cowboy Small. We started reading this treasure just in time for our trip to West Texas.  I remember reading Lois Lenski's Strawberry Girl when I was young, but I wasn't aware she composed picture books.  The storyline is very simple, which is perfectly appropriate for A.  It was fun to be able to point out things to him that we would be seeing at home.

Owl Babies. I am sure it is unsurprising that this book is incredibly adorable and sweet.  I love that the eldest owl baby is a girl.  That they are huddled together on one branch when the mama owl swoops home.  That one of the owls is named Percy!

It's Time to Sleep My Love.  I ordered this book for our trip to Texas, thinking I could add it to the collection that will live permanently at my dad's house.  I like to have a few goodnight/bedtime books when we're away because I think it helps with the transition to sleeping in a new place.  Granted, A had never laid eyes on the book-I thought that perhaps his exposure to the illustrations of the so-sweet-I-can't-take-it On the Night You Were Born might attract his attention.  As it turned out, I couldn't bear to part with the book once I read it.  It's a beautiful, rhythmic poem, that seems to get better each time we read.

Ferdinand.  Be still my heart!  Baby A has grown to adore this MOST beloved childhood book!  Even now, I can still hear my mom's voice, telling me about the bull who wanted nothing more than to "sit and smell the flowers."

Frog and Toad are Friends. I will confess that we've been diving into Frog and Toad mostly because of me.  A seemed to really enjoy A Kiss for Little Bear, so I thought he might like the equally simple and straightforward Frog and Toad tales.  There is something to be said for stories that contain such basic plots, particularly for young readers.  A tends to respond to them best when he's feeling a bit sleepy.  Is this a sign?

The Best Nest.  In the last week or so, Baby A has developed the most adorable habit-picking out a specific book and toddling over to us, shoving it towards our faces and then promptly settling down into (or attempting to climb up towards) our laps.  At first there were only one or two books he gravitated towards in this manner, and this was one of them.  His obsession has grown considerably, to the point that I might not ever want to see Leo Lionni's Swimmy ever again in my life, but I think I'll always manage to dredge up some happiness while reading The Best Nest.  A mere glance at the familiar pink cover plunges me straight back into childhood days spent at my beloved grandmother's house.  Always notorious for her frugality, Memaw only kept a few books and toys at the house for the grandchildren, and this was one of them.  It looked exactly the same back then, bright pink cover and all.  We must have read it thousands of times, considering the poor shape it was in the last time I saw it. I'm so glad that A loves it too.

Hattie and the Fox.  We've been reading a LOT of farm animal books, and while I am not enamored of all of them, it's actually been a great thing for A.  The constant exposure to the familiar cast of characters (cow, horse, pig, sheep, goat, chicken, etc.) has definitely made an impression.  He imitates sounds and is probably not far from being able to point out an animal when prompted.  Mem Fox is a literary specialist, and can be counted on for excellent reading options for young children.  Other favorites of mine include Koala Lou and Time for Bed.

The Gingerbread Boy.  When I taught kindergarten in the Bronx (oh, such warm and wonderful memories!), I decided that my unit on fairy tales would be focused on The Gingerbread Boy.  The fact that there is a veritable plethora of adaptations is largely what convinced me.  I thought my little learners might be able to pick up on fairy tale qualities better if wrapped in the comforting familiarity of a common plot.  It is fascinating to glimpse the same understanding (even if only a flicker) with Baby A.  When we embarked on our second trip to Texas, I had a copy of Richard Eglieski's The Gingerbread Boy sent to my sister's house.  I thought it would give me a great opportunity to test my theory that he would gravitate towards it, having read the Paul Galdone version at least 100 times in the week before we left.  It's exactly what happened-he loved it, and it was easily the book he asked to be read the most while we were gone.  For the record, the adaptations pictured are my favorites.  There are many others, including Gingerbread Girl, The Library Gingerbread Man, The Gingerbread Man Loose in School, and Jan Brett's Gingerbread Baby and Gingerbread Friends.  Most of these are a bit too complicated given A's age, and while I like Jan Brett, her illustrations are extremely busy.  

Green Eggs and Ham. Ah!  I have been sucked into the vortex of Sam-I-am!  I knew this day would come!  Interesting tidbit: Dr. Seuss reportedly wrote this book in response to a challenge from his editor that he could not compose a book with fifty words or less.  Clearly, he was victorious.

Tikki Tikki Tembo.  Once again, I have to re-list a book, because I must honestly include what we have read during the month.  Like The Best Nest, Tikki Tikki Tembo has become one of A's obsessions.  Let me tell you, it is looooooong.  Despite its charm, and despite our incredibly adorable child, both SH and I probably inwardly groan when we see it clutched in his chubby little hands.  I have already determined that I will not give in to the temptation to skip words, however.  I'll read every single word of that old man's opium-induced haze, darn it!

I can tell that A's reading habits are changing, which means I'll probably move to a monthly post like this one.  No need to write at length when our rotation includes the same favorites from week to week.

Oscar Party 2013 is going to be awesome.

Let's face it, last year was rather lackluster when it came to good films.  Perhaps I wasn't giving the movies my full attention, given that I had a much more important and adorable preoccupation, but I truly don't think it was an exceptional batch.  I promise I'm not just saying that because the only movie I felt appropriately lent itself to a good female costume was The Help.  I hate to sound like a movie snob here, but the fact that The Help was one of the nominees is a powerful statement in and of itself about what was available last year for singling out.  It's not that I didn't enjoy the movie, because I did.  Slumdog Millionaire it was not.  This year is turning out to be much more encouraging.  Take a peek at what's coming.  As usual, most of the biggies won't be out until November or December.

Les Miserables. 



I'm more familiar with the novel than the musical, but I still got goosebumps as I watched this teaser several times.

The Great Gatsby.

It's very, very Baz Luhrmann, obviously.  Definitely cool.

Anna Karenina.


I'm extremely excited about this lavish, unusual adaptation.

Django Unchained.

I can remember when the first Inglorious Bastards trailer was released, and I rather disdainfully dismissed it.  I had to eat my words, because it was one of the most entertaining movies I saw that year. I am now eagerly anticipating the latest Tarantino offering.

Zero Dark Thirty.

Kathryn Bigelow's take on Osama Bin Laden's capture and death has apparently been fraught with controversy, even involving a reported suit against the Department of Defense and the CIA.  The teaser is sparse and intriguing, but I do see Jessica Chastain (otherwise known as The Actress That Was In Every Movie Last Year) and Kyle Chandler (Coach!).

Argo.

When Ben Affleck steps behind the camera, he can do no wrong.  Hasn't let us down once.  I am really excited to see this movie, though its chances for actual awards may be slim.

Lincoln.

No trailer for this BIG movie yet, but do we even need to see one to know it's likely to be amazing?  LOOK at Daniel Day-Lewis.  He IS Lincoln.  Spielberg's project is based on the Doris Kearns Goodwin Pulitzer-Prize winning book, Team of Rivals, and besides titular chameleon Lewis, includes a very impressive cast.  

Other likely contenders:

The Master-Paul Thomas Anderson feature, thinly veiled attack on Church of Scientology, Joaquin Phoenix's glorious return?
Killing Them Softly-Brad Pitt's reunion with director Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)
Arbitrage-Richard Gere and finance
Hyde Park on Hudson-FDR had a love affair?  I had no idea.

sweet potato and kale pizza with rosemary and red onion

It is nothing short of a travesty that I have kept this recipe to myself for so long.  This particularly lovely shot of the MOST UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS pizza was taken in January.  Yes, that is how long I have been making it, over and over, and yet I have not taken fingers to the keyboard to write about it.

I wrote about a new blog find, twopeasandtheirpod, quite a well back, sharing their wonderful recipe for baked pumpkin doughnut holes.  By the way, what is the generally accepted rule about the spelling of doughnut?  I prefer this spelling, not what appears to be a bastardized "donut."  I digress.

Maria and Josh, bloggers and new parents, have lots of great-looking recipes.  Many sweets, and I would say fairly heavy on the veg side, but that's good for those of us looking to eat more healthily during the week.  I have told you before that I'm quite proud of my attraction to kale, and it was really the unique combination of the superstar veg and sweet potato that drew me to the pizza.  I will also confess that I'm unusually drawn to pizzas with no sauce.  It's weird, I know.

Anyway, I can't say enough about this dish.  Sweet potatoes are thinly sliced with red onion and roasted, which is the perfect time to let your pizza dough rest.  I've been using Trader Joe's fresh dough, and while it has been a learning experience manipulating it properly, I think I'm getting better.  Chopped kale is tossed with a bit of balsamic vinegar, and once the sweet potatoes are done, all are scattered across the top of the dough, along with a bit of freshly chopped rosemary, and then topped with cheese.

You guys, there aren't words.  The pizza is otherworldly good.  Even my vegetarian-loathing* SH can polish off a few slices handily without complaining that it's not a whole meal without meat.  Last night, I gave Baby A a slice, and he cheerfully plucked a golden cheese-encrusted piece of kale right off, shoving it into his little mouth and causing my heart to burst with pride.

Is it acceptable to make the same dish every single week?  I could totally do that with this pizza.

*He doesn't loathe vegetarians really, just the lifestyle :)

loving lately

Chronicle.  SH found this gem one recent evening, singing its potential praises via his newfound appreciation for Rotten Tomatoes.  I was disdainful at first, certain that the fact I'd never heard of it boded poorly for the little film.  Granted, our movie nights aren't exactly what they used to be, and I'm clearly off my pop culture game because a quick perusal of my trusty entertainment sites revealed that critics adored the movie.  Full of unknowns (with the exception of Michael B. Jordan, of The Wire and Friday Night Lights), it's an interesting story, with old-school special effects that are actually quite compelling.  

Divergent trilogy.  I know I'm not alone in always keeping an eye out for the next YA (young adult) series that will capture hearts and imaginations.  While this is no Twilight saga (alas, my wounded heart mourns the impending breakup of our real-life Edward and Bella!!) or Hunger Games, it's still a compelling, well-written set of books.  Like the Hunger Games, the books are set in a dystopian future, though there are no messy love triangles and the concept (division into various factions based on character traits) is somewhat less violent.  I was especially lucky to come across the books right after the publication of Insurgent, which meant I had two to look forward to reading.  Now I'm just like the rest of the fans, eagerly awaiting the third installment.  

Heartless Bastards, Arrow.  I've always loved "All This Time," a totally addictive Heartless Bastards tune that was a part of an Austin City Limits sampler a few years ago, but I never sought them out.  [Full disclosure: my love affair with "All This Time" was really ignited when it was used on a FNL episode that prominently featured Tim Riggins.]  A few weeks ago, one of my fave blogs, Dinner A Love Story, had a great post about the best things about the summer, essentially, and co-author Andy claimed "Arrow" as the Best Album to Cook To.  It's good, people.  Really good.  Even Baby A, who is also obsessed with "All This Time," agrees.

Trader Joe's Coconut Milk Ice Cream, Chocolate. Not too long ago our beloved Joey came for a visit with his lovely girlfriend.  Times have changed, OBVIOUSLY, since the days of yore when Joey, SH and I would prepare elaborate and delicious meals together and relish the cool California evening, sitting in the backyard for hours and rising late the next day only to repeat the whole process.  There is  a bit more rushing involved to our dinners now, and I hardly act as the sous chef I once was.  We usually eat inside, often on paper plates, and there aren't quite as many Jules glasses, but we continue to enjoy our time together.  I can always count on Joey finding little gems at TJ's (chocolate-covered frozen bananas, seasoned mahi-mahi, etc.) which I have yet to discover, and on this trip, he brought the best one yet.  I literally cannot get enough of this coconut milk ice cream, and I am not alone, as it's practically cleaned out of the freezer EVERY time I go shopping.  It is indescribably good, creamy and delicious without feeling the least bit heavy.  I am in love.  Purchase some immediately, if you're lucky enough to find it.  

Baby Gap pajamas.  As Baby A steadily approached his first year, it became increasingly difficult to find pajamas that would fit him. Apparently, most one-pieces are only made up until about 9 months.  At first, I bemoaned this discovery, feeling that he could never possibly be as adorable in two pieces as he was in the snug zippered one-piece footie pjs.  Turns out, my sadness was completely unwarranted, both because my little baby looks precious in EVERYTHING and also because these Gap pjs are so great.  Functional, high-quality, and super cute.  It pains me to admit that he does look a bit more like a little boy and less like a baby when he's wearing them, but I need to be reminded every once and a while that this new, exciting toddler stage is going to be great fun too.  

how I'm coping...