Turkey, Trials, and Traditions.

Beautiful trees on campus.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and subsequent break.  Things are slowly ramping up around here, and Thanksgiving provides a much needed calm before the storm of exams, projects, and general end of semester hysteria sets in.  The main reason I love Thanksgiving (excluding the start of the Christmas season) is the fact that there are so many traditions my family has surrounding the holiday.  My entire family hiked out to our beach house, which is rather desolate in the winter, and chowed down on a (Croatian inspired) turkey feast together.  The family time was unparalleled, but what I want to talk about is actually something new we tried out.

Getting ready to run.

This year, my sister and I decided to change our Thanksgiving morning plans, and run in our local Turkey Trot 5k.  Let me preface this by saying, I was never a runner.  In fact, I could be quoted (on multiple occasions) as saying running long distance was a fate worse than death.  Yet somehow this summer I got the crazy idea in my head that I wanted to take up running, and I had managed to keep running all through the summer and early fall.  Sometime in August I set my mind on running a 5k by November, thinking I had ample time, but with ankle injuries (and studying) I somehow couldn't find time to squeeze in a run.  However, inspired by Jenna and the fact that she ran a half marathon with a sprained ankle, I arrived at the high school ready to go sans training.  Less than a half hour (not by much) later, I crossed the finish line ankle miraculously in tact.  The rest of the day was spent surrounded by family and treats and my regular traditions, but there is something so satisfying about accomplishing something you never thought you could.  Here's to new traditions!

Tired post run.

Bedside Table.

Lamp. Plate. Candle. Alarm Clock. Bracelet. Bowl.

It's the last thing you see before you turn off the light, and the first thing you see as you fumble for the alarm in the morning.  I need my bedside table to be functional and hold my jewelry, glasses, and books, but I also want it promote restful sleep.  These are my top picks.

Graham Crackers.

When my friend Devon got the chance to jet off to SanFran for the weekend, I begged her to stop at my favorite bakery (that I've never actually been to). As a surprise she brought me back a pack of their graham crackers, and I knew I had to learn how to make them myself. Buttery, dense, and nothing like the graham crackers that come out of the cookie isle of your local supermarket, these delicious nibbles did nothing less than change my opinion of the snack.  With their little scalloped edges they were almost too cute to eat, and when I had a free moment on Sunday, I whipped up a batch using this recipe.  They were sinfully delicious, easy to make, and the ingredient list was short.  The only comment I have is that they will definitely be making a reappearance again soon.

Rainy Days.

Candles.

Well that was quite an experience! Hurricane Sandy spent the past two days ravaging the East Coast, including Baltimore, giving students two days off in its wake.  The experience was quite scary, and after looking at all of the pictures pouring in from New York and the eastern end of Long Island, I realized I was one of the fortunate ones.  I did not lose power, my building was not affected, and I am going back to school tomorrow.  The promise of school did not stop me from having a great two days indoors despite contracting a mild case of cabin fever.  Here is what made up my hurricane days.

Getting work done.

Hot chocolate with fresh whipped cream and movies. 

Playing Tourist.

Fort McHenry.

This past weekend was Parent's Weekend on campus.  My mom, my ultimate partner in crime, and I explored Baltimore together, and I made sure to knock a few places off my never ending Baltimore Bucket list.  To get to the point, I fell in love with Fort McHenry.  I consider myself a history buff (history geek if we're being honest), and adored walking around the fort exploring the innovative design, listening to the story of the battle, and getting a great view of the inner harbor in the process.  We made our way over to Fell's Point and stopped at an oyster stand ("buck a shuck"), and an italian gelato shop.  Walking around the historic neighborhood is my favorite Baltimore past time, and the day was perfect for it. We eventually ended our day at Woodberry Kitchen, a place I have been dying to go to, and its deliciously prepared local fare did anything but disappoint (and was consumed too quickly to be photographed).  The weekend was rounded off with Sunday brunch at a local place around campus, and it was a great ending to a perfect weekend.

Mom and me. 

Gelato in Fell's Point.

Sunday Brunch at Donna's.

U-Pick.

This weekend I jetted home to the North Fork for a little R&R and a chance to catch up on all of the fall activities that I have been missing while at school.  It was a whirlwind of cider, sweaters, and family coupled with magnificent weather. In spite of all of the running around we managed to find time to squeeze two annual fall outings (on the same day- multitasking).  Now I have a pretty pumpkin occupying space in my living room, and too many apples for my own good.  Apple baked goods to come!

<Note: Not pictured are the warm apple cider donuts we polished off in minutes.>

Wednesday Wish List.

1. Bookbag 2. Classics 3. Loafers 4. ID case

Now that school is in full swing, I have had time to drum up a few items (both big and small) that would make life just a little bit sweeter.  From the practical to the extravagant, new trinkets always bring sparkle to a dull day.