Running on Empty

Miss me? I missed you!

Check out my article, “Running on Empty,” on Herstoknow.com.

Here’s the scoop on what’s driven me to a non-blogging life for the past few weeks:

1. I accepted a job . . . and quit for another, just two weeks after I started. I am now an editorial assistant for a book publisher in the Bay Area. I think the fact that three companies offered me jobs in the past few weeks proves the U.S. economy will see better days in the near future!
2. Earlier this month I moved into a studio in Oakland (south of San Francisco). Me and Milo, on our own once again! Every day will be our own little dance party, I’m sure. My commute to work takes 40-60 minutes, so I might move to S.F. when my lease expires in a year. And I will adopt another cat next month, so my baby isn’t so lonely.
3. I love O-Town! The city, not the band.
4. In addition to my awesome job, I also intern for women’s online mag and social networking site, Herstoknow.com. I do little write-ups, upload photos, etc. Right now I am researching organic/vegan beauty products for another article. My editor assigns stories suited to my interests — you won’t see my byline next to a spread on fur coats! I love her and this site, check it out.
5. I want to write a column for a comic book site. This is going to happen. I’m going to make this happen!
6. The commute, my job and this internship take up most of my time, but I will resume blogging in the next few weeks! Miss Kitchenette will most likely turn into a photo blog, a bare-bones scrapbook.

I want to know what you think about my article! It’s been five years since I’ve written anything, so I appreciate any feedback. misskitchenette@gmail.com.

Pancakes

This morning I made the pancakes featured on VeganYumYum.com.

I also modeled the photo after Lolo’s beautiful photograph, although mine pales in comparison! In this case, the highlights really offset the picture. I don’t get good natural light in my apartment, and I made the mistake of using a glossy plate.

I tried to lasso the bright spots and darken them with Photoshop, but nothing could save this photograph.

Fortunately the pancakes themselves are really tasty! I highly recommend them. I have eaten about two-thirds of the batch so far. I don’t think I’ll have any left for tomorrow!

Get the recipe here.

Just Go!

Last Sunday I ran the Just Go! 5k, which benefited Reach Air Medical Services in Santa Rosa.

I completed the race in 29:04 — ninety seconds faster than my last 5k in November. I actually ran the whole thing faster than that, though — I was in the back of the pack, so it took some time to maneuver my way to the front.

I also ranked 5th out of 42 women in my division (20-29 years old).

My mom, who took the photo above, was able to see the race so I felt wonderful having her support! Also, the other people in my beginning runners group did a great job too, so I am proud of all of us.

My new goal is to complete a 5k in 27 minutes, which would average less than nine minutes per mile.

Tomato Starts

I own a 196-square-foot plot at the local community garden. On Wednesday I planted eggplant starts; last night I bought these tomato starts, which I will plant today.

Last winter I planted rainbow Swiss chard and broccoli, which blossomed quickly and were delicious! And I usually don’t eat broccoli, but I feel like food tastes better when I make it.

The plant pictured on the left is for black tomatoes, the one on the right is yellow.

If you are in Santa Rosa, you can purchase eggplant and tomato starts at the Community Market on Mendocino Avenue. I bought the Swiss chard and broccoli starts at King’s Nursery on 13th Street.

Green Dress

I bought this sweet dress at Target. My mom had given me these footless tights a week ago, and when I saw them I wondered what I would wear with them. Then I saw this dress and it all came together.

Milo — April 21, 2009

My kitten-son, Mr. Milo Garret, was named after a character in the comic book series “100 Bullets.”

He is six months old. Like most kittens, he is excessively hyper, observant and whiny. He will start a fight with anything, whether it be a puppy or a laundry basket or my feet. Yet he is also a big baby: Wherever I go, he goes; and whenever the vacuum cleaner or electric mixer is on he dives under my bed and shivers profusely.

He is such a noisy and stinky little devil, and it is difficult to wrangle him into a photograph. Good thing he is so handsome!

Ode to Baking

I baked cupcakes.

A lot of people in my social circle don’t cook or bake for themselves because they don’t have the time. Well, what I like about baking is that anyone can do it, but it requires 100 percent of your focus. Keep your eyes on your batch, be precise about measurements, don’t cut corners and you will end up with a perfectly edible round of pastries that will suddenly make you feel accomplished.

Cupcake recipe taken from “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World,” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.