Building a Bar: An Epic Poem

Graduating from college and becoming a full-fledge adult comes with responsibilities. There are many, most of them boring and unglamorous, but today we'll just focus on the glamorous. My favorite adult role that I have to play is hostess and being a good hostess means having a well-stocked bar. What's the point in coming over to your house if there's no booze in it? Am I right? No guest should feel like a lush and have to ask for a drink. That said, the best way to keep the libations flowing is to be prepared and have a decent set of drink-making materials and you're in business.

I'm not going to lie, it's kind of difficult to get your bar together all at once. Alcohol and supplies are expensive! On top of that, you'll probably start drinking before you have everything that just needs maintaining. With patience and care put into curating a perfect bar set-up, you'll wow all of your guests in no time.

The Calm Before the Storm

It is Inauguration Weekend and, as a DC-resident, I am terrified. I made it through the traffic last night after a tiny hiatus at my parents' house in northern Maryland, but I know Monday is going to be a little crazy with all the tourists in town. So, to gather the last of my marbles before tomorrow, I've been relaxing on my couch, reading all day. Here's a few pieces of my day:

Totalitarian Restaurants and the New Tyranny of Today's Top Chef by Corby Kummer for Vanity Fair (via Layla)

Merrick's Art: Tutorials The DIY addict in me is dying for a sewing machine thanks to this blog.

Jenna Lyons, the Woman Who Dresses America NYTimes

trinidad james for matchbook mag

trinidad james for matchbook mag by aliciacollision featuring a sheer blouse

Sheer blouse
sheinside.com

J.Crew slim pants
jcrew.com

Del Toro skull slipper
matchesfashion.com

River island
$13 - riverisland.com

Marc by Marc Jacobs marc jacob
marcjacobs.com

Lanvin
theoutnet.com

Get fit, bb

I don't like working out. Let me repeat, I really don't like working out. Gym class in MIDDLE school was awful for me.. I would make up any kind of excuse to not participate. Anyway, music helps. Working out should be casual. As in, you shouldn't really think that much about the working out you're doing. This is something that runs in my family. Grandpa Mallatt enjoys long walks around anywhere (mall, usually) as long as he's not running. Working out that doesn't feel like working out, ya dig? I like pilates, because you're lying down the whole time; walking; riding the recumbent bike and reading magazines! However, I'm dating a marathon runner, so I should get into that cardio game. Here's what I've been doing:

WALK TO RUN program from Women's Health Mag-- get running.

These two go well together. I suggest you get in on it! Running isn't so bad. :)

Also, I am really interested in this cleanse. The point isn't to lose weight, though the author of the article says they lose a few. It's to recalibrate your body after a hectic and rich holiday season. Why not get all reset with delicious, in-season foods? I don't see why not. I've made several of the recipes and they are delicious. Mainly the Lemon-Fennel Relish, mm!

Prediction: This is going to be a great year for women (musically, at least)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALL.

Sorry for the lapse in posting. You know how the holidays are. The other day, I was talking to my lovely boyfriend who mentioned how surprised he was to notice that his Best of 2012 album list has a ton of women on it. Isn't that wonderful? Maybe my man is an anomaly, but I like to think 2012 was an amazing year for women artists, commercially or not. Here are some of my favorites from 2012, so keep an eye/ear out for these talented women in 2013, as well as others.

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Joan Didion's Mexican Chicken

I love when people move. One day in Philadelphia I found a box of free books on the sidewalk and picked out a few gems. My favorite selection is a copy of The Great American Writers' Cookbook. There are tons of recipes and I always end up pleasantly surprised at the author who contributed it. Some are written as recipes, some are written as essays on cooking the recipe.. it's just a fantastic read. If you can get your hands on a copy, I highly suggest you keep it.

Anyway, one of my favorite authors in the book is Joan Didion. I've made this simple Mexican Chicken recipe many times and it's officially in my regular mix of dinners. Nora Ephron called it "Joan Didion's Chicken Thing."

Joan Didion’s Mexican Chicken

Chicken breasts: 1 whole breast per person
Onions: ½ per person
Tomatoes: ½ per person
Fresh chiles: see below
Garlic: 1 clove per person
Salt & Pepper

This is very simple and takes about half an hour if you have cooked the chicken breasts ahead. If you haven’t, poach them in water with an onion, a carrot, celery tops, bay leaf, whatever; remove the chicken from the bones (I usually throw the bones back in to the pot to make stock, but the stock has nothing to do with the recipe) and tear into rather large bite-sized pieces. Set the chicken aside.

Slice the onions and sauté until limp in a little olive oil. Add the chopped garlic (if you’re doing this in quantity you cut down the amount of garlic) and the chopped fresh chiles. The amount of chile depends in the heat of the particular chile available; I use very hot small Serrano green chiles, and chop maybe three for six people. Chop the tomatoes roughly and add to the onion mixture. (The amount of tomato you use should also decrease if you make a large amount, or the sauce will be watery.) Add salt and pepper; cook five or ten minutes, uncovered, over low heat; add the chicken, mix thoroughly, and cook only until heated through. This can be kept warm for quite a while but if you keep cooking it, the tomato turns watery and the chicken gets stringy.

Serve with hot tortillas, a bowl of guacamole, a bow of fresh cilantro, a bowl of sour cream, and a fresh salsa. (The salsa is made by chopping up more chiles and mixing with a little chopped onion, a little tomato, some cilantro leaves and a splash of cold water.) The idea is to break off bits of tortilla and wrap it around bits of chicken and anything else you want and eat it with your fingers. I do this all the time as a main course, usually with a chilled cucumber or water cress soup first and a banana tart or flan for dessert.

Tis the Season.. for Tights

These tights are beautiful! Check out the Flash Back Collection on Gal Stern.

Some more from the collection...