Nothing Remarkable...

...has just happened. And there is really no reason for this blog post, other than to say - hello, and I felt like "talking" to my family.

I'm still alive and as I just looked askance at my last post's date, here we go.

I'm in TriBeCa right now. The children are asleep. The laundry folded and put away. The kitchen cleaned, dishes washed, table cleared, and dishwasher loaded.

While this is my job, it feels more like mom-practice. I know it will be so different when I'm a parent, but I enjoy my circa 25 hours a week of paid-practice. (And the times I sneak away on the baby grand pianos.)

On Saturdays, when I venture to the UES (Upper East Side) I get practice ironing for 2-3 hours while the young one is down for his nap. It's mostly an independent study, but every once in awhile when Suzanna (the housekeeper) thinks I'm ready for another tip/lesson OR thinks I'm going too slow, she swoops in. Shows me how it's done, and then leaves me to muddle through the puddle of information she left me with. I'm also getting some free Spanish lessons. We're getting pretty good at communication and laugh together often - which needs no translation.

I was going to launch into a self-reflective bit, but I'll save that for next time (the mother just got home). Which, at the rate I've been posting, will be in six months. Hah. Don't worry. I'm not writing this in their place with them waiting for me to leave - the dog had to go out, so I had time to wrap this up.

Until next time,

Nanny Annie Laurie

The *new* life of Annie Laurie

So much has changed. And, instead of addressing that all right now, right here, it will instead leak through the future posts.

I need a creative outlet. And I've been learning a lot in the kitchen these past few weeks and I thought cooking, and then writing about it, just might fill the creative void in my life!

That remains to be seen... but here is the first stab.

So. I stopped by the zoo some people call Union Square Whole Foods on my way home from school/work. Grabbed some mirin and lemongrass and proceeded to wait for a very long time as I tried to make my phone work.

As I was getting rung up the checker asked his neighbor what this (the lemongrass) was and what the code was. His neighbor looked at me and said "lemongrass?" I affirmed his guess and he provided my checker the code.

My checker then proceeded to ask me all about this strange leek-looking-like thing. I told him I'm cooking salmon with it tonight. He asked me to save him some. I said I would.

So. As the cookbook I've been working through leaves much to the imagination, I explored this new substance. Lemongrass is a common enough word and I feel like I must have eaten it before... but this was a bit intimidating. As I extrapolated from the recipe I now have advice for my future self in regards to lemongrass.

Don't be afraid of buying the bigger stalks.
It's ok if the outside is pretty beat up.
Be sure the root end is firm and not brown.

In essence, you shuck the lemongrass to retrieve the heart-like material. I then sliced in lengthwise a few times and then finely diced it. I threw it in the mirin and some balsamic vinegar. I'll let you know in the next post how the salmon turns out! We're having company... so I hope it's favorable! Also very glad I made vanilla pudding last night. Now I can just add some blueberries and dessert is done!

Thanks for reading!

What a Surprise!

First of all I want to say thank you to all of you who read my blog!

I really had no idea I had any sort of audience!

At my dear sister-in-law's invitation, I will be participating in a Frock by Friday!

So, in preparation, I thought I'd look through my fabric and see what would be suitable.

A few minutes later I found myself measuring the three potential pieces. See, and really, I'm not complaining, but, old fabric has the unpredictability factor. Nowadays most fabric comes in 36", 45", 60" but old fabric....does not!

So, I know this is slightly unscientific but I measured the length and width of each fabric and multiplied them. The one with the biggest number won! I feel like that is a good reason to believe it's the biggest piece of fabric... I'm also planning on making the front ruffle a different fabric then the body... so I should be fine!

All that to say, here is the fabric!
Nice band-aid huh? Haha... The blue is just a small piece but it works surprisingly well with the print! Hopefully it will look good as the ruffle! I might tie it in at the bottom and attach a ruffle down there if it needs a friend.

Skirt!

Well mom. I know it's been forever.

But as I'm pretty sure you're the only person who still checks my blog. This one's for you!

I picked up three pieces of fabric at a new thrift store in the springs a month ago exactly.

One is this darling calico.
And today, while listening to a two episode series of Adventures in Odyssey... I made this skirt from it!
Quick and easy, I just free handed the whole thing. I realized I have no straight pins... hahah... So I just eyeballed the fabric. Sewed the front to the back, gathered the top. hemmed the bottom. Voila!

I have a new skirt that cost me about $2.00 and took about an hour to make.

Love.

Annie Laurie

Full Shots!

My Room:

Before...

A little artwork on my walls:My main wall over my bed:
My jewelry :
The front of my bedroom door :
Full room shots to come!

A Few Thousand Words About Work

This is the room in which I work. The desk you see is Jen's.



This is Jen working at her desk...



This is my side of the room. The desk you see is mine :)



This is my desk!



This is the doorway into Anna's office.

And this is Anna working at her desk!

Stay tuned for the home edition!