I smell like bleach.

We did the laundry last night and Mom told me to put in too much bleach. Clearly that is why everything smells like bleach. Thankfully the office is half empty today because if not everyone would probably have to stand 10 feet away from me in order to not be annoyed by the smell. I don’t know how I am surviving right now. I just want to rip this damn tank top off! Blah.

Chad ordered me the KitchenAid Pasta Maker attachment for Christmas and it arrived last week. I took a swing at making ravioli again. Same recipe, but with much thinner dough. I also made some pan fried Chicken cutlets and a Caesar Salad as Dario and Gina were coming over for dinner. Small and simple, unlike my usual dinner parties. Everything tasted excellent and I feel much more comfortable in the ravioli making department now which is good. This has caused Chad to become obsessed with freshly made pasta and he now wants me to make it when every possible. I might try Fettucine with his Moms famous meat sauce this Saturday.

Sunday the four of us helped out at the Befana event that our Italian group puts on every year. It was Ginas first time being introduced to the ‘Italian Witch’. The lady you ‘plays’ the Befana is like the cutest Italian Nonna of all time. She reminds me of my Nonna on my Dads side. ADORABLE. We get free pasta and sausages out of the deal, and really, that is reason enough to volunteer. We ended up watching the last 10 minutes of the Broncos vs. Stealers game on Darios android phone, including the insane over time finish. Where were you when Tebow threw a pass to beat the Stealers? Oh, we were in a Gym with a bunch of Italians eating pasta and watching the game on a cell phone. Random but true.

Claudia is in Chile for another week, which makes the office very lonely.

Tonight we order sushi for dinner. This makes me very happy. What makes me even happier is that on Friday we are all getting together for sushi again, but this time we are going to use light saber chop sticks. Oh you just wait for those photos!

I’m half Japanese and half Italian, didn’t you know?

NYE at Darios house.
Pretty self explanitory.
You can see the progression of Sober Chad to Wasted Chad.
Thankfully, Chad was a little under the weather, so despite having shared a bottle of Scotch with Dario, we were home and in bed by 2.
Best NYE present ever.

Happy 2012 ya’ll!

This is has been the first time in years that I have been filled with zero Christmas spirit. Maybe it has something to do with being homeless. If Mom hadn’t put up the tree, I wouldn’t have complained. I didn’t miss it like Chad missed it.

I guess it feels like everything is off to a late start this year. The stress of moving, then Mom and Dad being away. You can’t really go ahead and fill someone else’s house with Christmas decorations now can you.

This is also the first year that I have nothing planned for Chad for Christmas. I actually tried to convince him that we should save our money and not get each other Christmas gifts this year. That didn’t really work. I am still stuck on what to get him and that never happens. Time is running out and I am getting stressed!

Gifts as a kid were a big deal, of course, but for some reason, I always felt bad asking for what I really wanted. I was very money conscious as a kid and if I thought something was probably too expensive and my parents probably wouldn’t get it for me anyways, I never asked for it. Hence, the Easy Bake Oven. Just ask my Mom about it. It was something that I wanted for YEARS but never asked for because I thought it was too pricey, and of course, those who don’t ask don’t get. My Mom had no idea I was so obsessed with it and so she never bought it. I blame this on why I am such a terrible baker.

Then there was the time I finally did ask for what I really wanted, the Ken and Barbie wedding set. I was like 99% sure I was going to get it, until I started to unwrap the present and I realized it was knock off Ken and Barbie getting married. It was like the most disappointing thing ever.

These two events pretty much scared me for life. This is why now, when I am asked what I want for my Birthday or Christmas, I am anally specific. Yea, it makes me look like a snob, but that’s too bad. Honestly, I prefer you buy me nothing, but if you really do want to get me something then this is what I want. And really, as far as I see it, being specific about something just makes it easier for the person buying the gift. No thinking required!

We finally finished all our shopping last night. The stress of it all caused me to yell at my phone in the middle of Chapters because Chad was texting me every 30 seconds about this gift for my Mom. I almost punched an innocent bystander. But it was OK, we got it all done. That is, expect for our gifts for each other.

The stress of buying gifts. I just don’t get it. It makes me not want to buy anyone gifts. How about I make you some potatoes instead. I’m really good at that!

Christmas.

I had heard some chit chat from my cousin about a new little pizza joint on Main Street. We drove by it a couple of times and the decor and overall feel of the place peaked our interest.

We planned a date last Friday to check it out. Pizzeria Farina.

They open every day at 5 and stay open until they sell out of their freshly made pizza dough. Such a clever idea.

No booze, just adorable little drinks. Chad got the Chinotto and I got the Lemonade, of course.

You go up to the front and order your pizza, then you take it home or grab a seat at one of their communal tables.

I was losing my mind over the decor of this place. I just happened to be reading a blog that day where they were interviewing these two guys about their apartment. They called their design style ‘Modern Farmhouse’. For the first time in my life I finally figured out what my design style was called. I knew what I liked but I never knew how to describe it. The pizza place was designed in this exact style, Modern Farmhouse. It reminded me of my days spent in vintage houses at Burnaby Village Museum mixed with my Italian lifestyle. I would have created a home under one of the tables if I could.

The pizza. Sweet Mother. I had a craving for mushrooms and ordered the Fungi pizza. I’m so glad I did. Mushrooms, Cheese, Red Onions, Roasted Garlic, and Arugula. Best thing ever. It had so many amazing flavours.

Chad got the Calabrese, naturally. The black olives were a nice touch. The crust was utterly perfect.

I took some leftovers home and they wrapped them up in Deli paper. I lost my mind, again. Now all I want to do is buy a roll of Deli paper and make all my dinner guests take home care packages all wrapped up in Deli paper.

OMG. Stop killing me with your adorableness!

I told Chad, this is the place where Hipsters go to be Italian.

In Life, he who risks nothing, gains nothing.

I know that Vancouver now has a million Italian pizza joints, but this is an experience you need to try. It’s the only pizza place where you can actually call in your order and take your pizza home. It is adorable and cozy. The pizzas are simple but amazing. You can buy freshly baked bread, oils, sardines, and cans of tomatoes.

Pop in, have a pizza, fall in love.

A couple of months ago I came across an article about my co-worker Lindsay and her fiance talking about their relationship. She told me that the author was looking for couples to interview and asked if I would be interested. I gave her my contact info and a few weeks later I had the pleasure of meeting Adina the author, and Sam the photographer.

We gave them wine and made them pasta and talked and talked and talked. It didn’t feel like an interview, it felt like having a good conversation with friends over food.

We wore our hearts on our sleeve and talked openly about our relationship.

Of course there was too much stuff to include everything, but here is what made the cut.

Love is a Four Letter Word.