Pressure

I read an article today in Elle about nose jobs. It presented the viewpoints of two women; one who regretted her choice to “fix” her nose, and one who was happy with the decision. Both were well-thought out and presented interesting points about plastic surgery and the pressure to be beautiful. I was surprised, however, that the anti-rhinoplasty opinion wasn’t represented. The article felt incomplete without it. I find many magazine articles to be superficial and so, disappointing, but I liked this one. I’m sure most girls struggle with the decision of whether or not to get a nose job at some point in their lives. I certainly did. Growing up, I hated my nose. I thought it was too big for my tiny face, accentuated by my equally hated glasses. I longed for the day when I could get it “fixed.”

I was a shy child. I was most certainly not that rare confident, outgoing preteen. I was awkward and felt that awkwardness through and through. I had friends, good grades, and was active in sports and extracurricular, but I still struggled with my looks and thought a new nose would fix that. I was actually a pretty cute kid, looking back. But I was seeing myself through the eyes of the insecure 12-year old I was, in a society that said beauty = good. I think most girls can identify, no matter what they looked like.

Somewhere along the way, I grew into my nose, or into myself, I’m not sure which. It’s not perfect, but it’s not bad either. Sure, there’s that little bump in the middle or the trademark McCormick ball at the end, but I’ve learned to accept it. From the front, I like it; from the side, I don’t. I really don’t like my profile, but still, I’d never change it. I can’t imagine what it must be like to wake up one day, look in the mirror, and see someone else’s nose. I think it would be unsettling.

Reading the points of view of those girls made me think about our society and the ways in which the pressure to be beautiful affects women. There is so much emphasis placed on beauty and youth, instead of experience and graceful aging. For some, surgery is a personal choice. Like one of the girls who realized after years of refusing a nose job, her large nose defined her, instead of the other way around. I respect that and understand it. It’s hard to emerge untouched from our society. I know I’m guilty of being superficial at times; I almost always wear some type of makeup and like nice clothes. But even more so than before, my goal is to accept my looks and myself for who I am. That means no botox or facelifts in 40 years and aging gracefully. Although I guess that’s easy to say when you’re wrinkle-free and under 30, so ask me again in 40 years. I hope my answer will be the same.

Food

Monday was the Phillies home opener and like any true Phillies fans, we had tickets. I love Phillies games. I love the atmosphere, the people watching (why do girls dress like strippers when going to a game?), and the food. Definitely the food. We tailgated all day leading up to the game and I had more than my share of ballpark food. Over the course of the day I had a porkroll and cheese sandwich, a hot dog, some of Kurt’s Schmidter (a cheesesteak with porkroll), and a sausage sandwich. I’m big into the sandwiches as you can tell. And I still feel gross from all of it. But how can I resist? The smell of the sausages, peppers, and onions lures me to the longest line at the park and blindingly stand there, not hungry at all, my willpower gone, thinking of nothing but that sandwich. Ballpark food is heaven, especially in Philly.

Since I ate my weight in sandwiches on Monday, and the only veggies I had were cooked in grease, served on a sausage, and probably lacking all nutrients, I decided that dinner tonight would be a salad. Kurt is in a weightloss competition at work and I am desperately craving healthy food, so I figured it was the perfect time to introduce him to the dinner salad. Tonight I made a romaine salad with red-skinned potatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and chicken. The dressing has both greek yogurt and white wine vinegar so it reminds me a little of the souvlaki I made a few weeks ago. I was craving something light and healthy and devoid of grease. This was perfect. And there's enough left for three lunches!

Now for the long-awaited review of Eno Terra. I know you’ve all been waiting with bated breath. Here it is: make a reservation now. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was amazing, the service was amazing. I can’t say enough about this place. I know I said my review would be partial and biased, but rest assured, it isn’t. Eno Terra appeals to all types. The dining room is relaxing and quiet, perfect for a romantic dinner. Almost every ingredient is local, appealing to foodies. The wine list rivals those of all the best enotecas. It was clear that the owners and chef paid strict attention to detail when designing this building and planning a menu. The menu changes monthly to accommodate seasonal ingredients. It’s small, but diverse. Before we ordered, the manager brought over two glasses of prosecco (sweet and not too dry) and a plate of sliced prosciutto and local cheeses. This was one of my favorite parts of the meal. The prosciutto was so thinly sliced it was translucent and the cheese paired well with it. We also had a bucket of fresh bread from their bakery, Witherspoon Bread Co. and a little plate of oil to accompany it. In the oil was butternut squash puree. I was skeptical at first. Butternut squash puree, in oil, on bread? It was incredible. We finished all of it. For an appetizer, I had the beef carpaccio. It was perfectly sliced and tasted fresh. For my entrée I had one of the specials: fluke stuffed with crab meat. It was flaky, a little buttery, and fresh. For dessert we had the Bent Spoon gelato trio which was perfect since we were entirely too full for a rich dessert. All in all, it was a great restaurant, with great food and great service. The prices aren’t bad. For the quality of food you’re being served, the prices are actually really good. But it’s definitely a special occasion restaurant. At least for us in this point in our lives. I will definitely be back for my next birthday!

Restaurant Week

This week was my own personal “Restaurant Week.” Last Friday I tried Five Guys for the first time. Last night was Yummy Sushi. And tonight is Eno Terra. All new restaurants for me. So, this week, you get some restaurant reviews to read, you lucky people you. Yummy Sushi is in the Robbinsville Town Center and for various reasons, I’ve never tried it. The name was one reason. I always assume that if something says yummy or tasty or good, it means it’s not. I know it’s silly, but I usually assume that a restaurant’s food should speak for itself. The clientele shouldn’t need to be told that it’s good. I learned last night that sometimes, a name is just a name. We walked in to a beautiful, dimly lit restaurant with dark wood paneling and dark brown leather seating. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and an even more friendly server. After being seated (in the most comfortable chair I’ve ever sat on in a restaurant), our server brought us wet naps, waited while we wiped our hands, and took away the now dirty wipes. Impressive, I thought. When I asked if they had iced tea, she pitched me bubble tea. Figuring I’d be adventurous, I tried the Mango flavor. It was decent. I probably won’t order it again with food since it’s a little heavy, but it was good. Different. The edamame was by far the best I’ve ever had. It was fresh and really juicy. I was brave and ordered an eel cucumber roll along with a philadelphia roll. The eel cucumber was amazing. Kurt suggested pairing it with spicy mayo and it was awesome. Kurt ordered a crispy scallop roll and that was amazing too. I’m not sure what the little things are that make “crisy” rolls crispy, but they’re really good. That roll was my favorite of the four we ordered. The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing and we had fun trying to name the songs (instrumentals only) playing in the background. The sushi was fresh and tasty and the server was very nice. All in all, despite my initial prejudice, Yummy Sushi was yummy.

Eno Terra review to come. Though since I work at it’s sister restaurant, you can expect it to be a little partial.


On my nightstand:

For my birthday, I asked for a few books that I’ve been wanting to read, but never had the time to pick up. Kurt gave me Wuthering Heights and Splendor, the fourth book in the Luxe series. I picked up the latter first knowing it would be a quicker read. Ever since I finished the third Luxe book, I’ve been waiting for Splendor to publish. The books take place in Manhattan at the turn of the century and are filled with gossip, romance, love triangles, love squares, heartache, and drama. It’s period chick-lit at it’s best. The stories are interesting and all intertwined. They’re perfect books to take on a beach vacation. You’ll easily read all four in a week. I love the glimpse into the lives of the rich during the late 19th century/early 20th century. It’s so different from our high society now. The rules of fashion and behavior are so interesting and the ways the characters find to break those rules make for scandalously fun reading. Splendor is much like the other books in the series, so I was not disappointed. And thankfully, it keeps me awake on my train ride into the city in the mornings. Not an easy thing to do lately.

Five Guys

I have a new favorite burger place. Kurt has been raving about these burgers for months. I was less than eager to try it. But on Friday, I was craving a burger. I was sick of same old Red Robin and Ruby Tuesday’s sliders. So, while Five Guys in Ewing was a 30 minute drive, I suggested we go. Oh my goodness. I was in love. The place is a cross between Checkers (décor) and Pat’s Cheesesteaks (ordering style). The décor is 50’s-inspired red, white, and black. We walked in and I almost tripped over 10 sacks of potatoes sitting on pallets on the floor. I assumed they had just come in and they were in the process of storing them. Not so. They just sit there until they’re needed. Love it! Five Guys only has burgers, hot dogs, and fries. That’s it. Let me give you a piece of advise: go straight for the burger, and make sure you've prepared your order ahead of time.

I stumbled over my order, “uhh a cheeseburger please?” while Kurt whispered instructions, “tell him what toppings!” “umm lettuce and ketchup?” Kurt went through his order like a pro and the cashier yelled out “four patties and fries!” I looked at Kurt. We had only ordered 2 burgers. “Four patties?” Each burger has 2 patties, but he assured me I’d be able to handle it. We put a dollar in the tip jar and the cashier yelled, “tip in the jar!” and the line cooks responded, “thank you!” I was loving this place already and I hadn’t even tried the food. When our order was up, Kurt came back to our table with two brown paper bags. One had our burgers and the other will filled with fries. The fries were awesome – they reminded me of the fries we used to get at the boardwalk smothered in vinegar. The burger was a little messy, but was hands down, by far the best burger I have ever had, including the filet mignon burgers my friend’s uncle used to make. It was juicy and full of flavor. The cheese is completely melted and completely awesome. The sesame-seed bun was soft and fresh and soaked up the juice from the patties. It was a burger that could convert any vegetarian. Kurt always teases me because I always end up leaving the last bite of food on my plate (why - I have no idea). Let's just say there wasn't a crumb left. Do yourself a favor, drop everything, and find the nearest Five Guys.

A Wedding Rant

Warning: This blogpost is going to be a wedding venue venting session. I would love to promise you that this will be the only wedding venting session, but I don't like to lie. Bear with me please.

Since Kurt and I got engaged, I’ve been on a google rampage. Whenever I have free time, I head to my favorite website and type in terms such as “outdoor wedding, princeton, nj” or “vineyard weddings, 08501”. We (and by “we”, I mean “I”) have two requirements for our wedding. (1) We don’t spend a ton of money. Even if we had all the money in the world, I can’t justify spending beaucoup bucks on 8 hours of my life. (2) It is outdoor or tented. I will not compromise on this. I love parties outside. I think there’s something so romantic and fun and casual about them. That’s what I want my wedding to be like. But finding a venue is proving to be more of a challenge than I thought. I have the option of a backyard wedding, but I have two concerns. First, we would have to rent everything, plan everything, assemble everything, break down everything, AND worry about mud if it rains (I really don’t want a ruined lawn on my conscience). (2) renting everything might end up being really expensive and since saving money would be one of the biggest draws of a backyard wedding, I’m not sure it would be worth it.

I read blogs (this is my favorite: a $10,000 wedding), buy magazines (I would have a lot more money to spend on the wedding if I hadn’t bought so many), and scour theknot.com for tips. You’d think with the economy the way it is and with all the information in the world at our fingertips, planning an inexpensive outdoor wedding would be easy! Not so. First of all, the options are endless. Just looking at the number of pages my search generates makes my head spin. Second, why don’t places post pricing!? All I want to know is how much it will cost per plate. Is that really so much to ask? I have a list of venues as long as my arm and I’m sure a large majority will be easily and quickly eliminated once I see the price per head. The only things I have planned so far have been discovered through connections. A chef/restaurant owner we know will cater (so the venue we choose, if not the backyard, would have to allow us to bring in our own caterer), and due to a hobby of my aunt and uncle, we have our favors. The thing is, the more I search for venues, the more frustrated I become. I don’t want a reception in a hotel (no offense to anyone who had their wedding in a hotel – it’s just not for me). I’ve found a few “perfect” places, but they’re either too expensive or too small. I’m hoping the backyard reception will be easier and cheaper than I think, because the more I think about it and envision it, the more I want it. If any of my readers knows someone who owns a tent/table/chair rental company, please hook me up! Also, any anti-mud suggestions would be much appreciated.

PS - I know I've been slacking with the book suggestions and new recipes. I promise to get back into it. I've been reading a manuscript so I can't really write about it, and I've been cooking some favorites lately. I've found some new recipes though for next week.