Farewell from Durham Cookout

 

 

I'm so backlogged on my posts -- I still have no wifi in my house yet.  You know how they say, "everything is bigger in Texas"?  Well everything is slower in Louisiana.  The driving, the streetcars, the service anywhere.  And setting up my cable/internet.  And don't try to rush them.. because then they get aggravated.  What I've learned so far, take a deep breath, grab a beer, and chill the eff out.  Patience is a virtue, or something.

But this was my farewell cookout in Durham at JP's house -- all of our mutual friends (well, his grad school friends that I came to love) were there.. and Coops!  Cookouts became quite a regular thing over there.. and I'm really going to miss them, and all the wonderful Durham people I've met!  Here are some highlights from the cookout.

Grilling Out.

Now that spring is in full spring down here, I LOVE to grill out and be outside.  The weather is gorgeous and the sun sets late these days.  It's just perfect here in the south.

Typically, I would walk Coop over to JP's house where he has a quality Weber grill and it's a BYOMeat kinda evening (a la Scotty) with beer and hamburgers, hot dogs, kabobs, steak, fish and/or veggie burgers (for the hippies).  However, I think now that I've cooked all the typical grilled foods, it might be nice to try a few new things... and these look absolutely delicious.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa -- Serious Eats.

Grilled Pizza -- The Kitchn

Grilled Stuffed Peppers -- Homesick Texan

..and for even more ideas.  101 Fast Grilling Recipes from Mark Bittman.

And this is life.

So first of all.  He's ok.  He actually made it on his Africa trip (and thus our break-up since I would be gone to NOLA by the time he gets back) -- which we didn't find out he was going on until a few hours before his flight left.

He was hit on his bike by a car that was not paying attention and pretty much t-boned him.  He's in good spirits, although it has really shaken up me and his friends.  He broke his arm and nose.. and her windshield.. and she was the first to apologize and call the ambulance.

It really put a damper on our farewell plans.. well ruined them.. but we made the best of it.  There wasn't much else we could do.. but I am so thankful he wasn't hurt worse.  

And since he was off to Ghana, he made sure to get red, white, and blue colored cast for to rep the US in the world cup.

..till it happens to you.

I know what I said

Was heat of the moment

But theres a little truth in between the words we've spoken

Its a little late now to fix the heart thats broken

Please don't ask me where I'm going

Cause I don't know

No I don't know anymore

It used to feel like heaven

Used to feel like may

I used to hear those violins playing heart strings like a symphony

Now they've gone away

Nobody wants to face the truth

But you wont believe what love can do

Till it happens to you

Till it happens to you

Went to the old flat

Guess I was trying to turn the clock back

How come that nothing feels the same now when I'm with you

We used to stay up all night in the kitchen

When our love was new

Oooh love I'm a fool to believe in you

Cause I don't know

No I don't know

Anymore

It used to feel like heaven

It used to feel like may

I used to hear those violins playing heart strings like a symphony

Now they've gone away

Nobody wants to know the truth

Until their hearts broken

Don't you dare tell them

What you think to do

Till they get over

You can only learn these things

From experience

When you get older

I just wish that someone would have told me

Till it happens to you

Till it happens to you

Till it happens to you

I absolutely love this song by Corrine Bailey Rae.  It's gorgeous... and it's a lovely song on my breakup playlist.  John and I mutually agreed that we were not doing long distance (bad experiences in the past), and that we'd much prefer to be good friends than try a relationship that is doomed from the moment I move and end up hating each other.  I need to be on my own for a while (y'all I've never been single since 15. not. good.) and I need to figure myself out.  In the past I would have given up everything I had worked so hard for to make a relationship work, but that mentality is so juvenile and it would only hurt myself.  Everything I have ever done has been to become a doctor.. and I'm not letting anything prevent me from getting there.

I know John and I will be great friends.  We have to be.. but it may mean some critical time apart before we actually reconnect as friends.

This is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.. and I'm scared shitless, but I'm also very excited.  And these upcoming posts may be a little emo (or a lot? ah.) but bear with me.

A Memorial Day Picnic!

The boys and I went out to the American Tobacco Trail on Memorial Day.. and it was just the perfect relaxing day.

How cute was this little picnic backpack JP got me for Christmas last year?!  It had everything you need for wine, cheese, and other food.  There's even a cooler in the back.

Here's our spread.

And look at how relaxed Coop is?!  Gah, I love this guy.

Of course there was wine..

I absolutely love the summertime.

Cascarones!

So last night -- we were all grilling/drinking out in the backyard, and JP came out and hit us all on the head with these Mexican celebration (usually for Easter) eggs.  Filled with confetti, they're meant to bring good luck if it was broken on your forehead.  I don't know where he acquired these in Durham, but I have a feeling it was from this delicious Mexican bread-shop down the street from his house.. hm.

Anyways -- it was actually a lot of fun, and my bathtub (and my pillowcases) are filled with confetti that I shook out of my hair.  And if you're really sneaky, you can smack your friends on the head when they least expect it.

image via gracie's eggies

Martha Stewart has a how-to here.  Super easy.

Loving on Etsy: Dude and Chick.

I love these cards from Dude and Chick.. and they are super nice (although, I haven't encountered anyone through Etsy that wasn't  just wonderful).  They're so cute and clever.

..and I had to get the lumberjack card for JP..

Happy Hour: Grapefruit Caipirinhas

One of my absolute favorite drinks is the caipirinha!  It's the drink of Brazil, and when I spent the summer there (has it been 4 years since??) it was a staple.  It's a strong drink, but cachaça is such a good liquor (especially when you get a quality one like JP did), that even when you taste a ton of liquor (usually not my style), it doesn't even matter.

Now.  The typical caipirinha is made with limes, but you can really make it with whatever fruit you want.  And if you make it with vodka instead of this Brazilian rum, it's called a caipiroska (fun fact!).  

JP had some delicious smelling grapefruits, so I decided to use those instead of the standard limes.. and it turned out great.

How to make the caipirinhas:

-Cut the grapefruit, and peel off the rind (you can save them in the fridge and use it to zest since they smell so good)

-Cut the grapefruit into quarters, and use one quarter per glass.  Each quarter should be sliced into about thirds to make it easier to smash it in the glass.

-Using a pestle (or in my case, a honey drip, err..) smash the grapefruit in the glass to get some of the juice and pulp out.

-Add about a tablespoon of sugar to the grapefruit, and smash it again to mix (is there a more appropriate bartender term instead of "smash"?? But then again, correct terminology isn't quite my style).

-Pour in about a shot of (chilled is best) cachaça, add some ice cubes (and if you're really fancy, which I'm not.. mix it well with a bartender shaker -- as I've seen done when I order them elsewhere)

So to recap:

In a lowball glass, you'll need
     -a quarter grapefruit
     -1 shot of cachaça
     -ice cubes
     -1 tablespoon of sugar


Smash together, mix well.. and enjoy (a la JP below).

Valentine's Day... in music.

One thing I am completely envious of is JP's music collection.  To me, he is the king of all things indy music related, and is always making me mix of songs he thinks I'll like.. and he surprised me with a VDay mix hidden in my car's CD player. 

Here's the playlist (I tried to keep them in order.. but JP let me know if they're not).  And while they all might not be uber-romatic.. they're beautiful songs to listen to with your honey.

Bag of Seeds -- Curtis Harvey
Basic Space -- The xx
Bizarre Love Triangle -- New Order
Bruises -- Chairlift
The Carolinian -- Chatham County Line
Kiss Me Again -- Jessica Lea Mayfield**
Littlest Things -- Never
My Girls -- Animal Collective
Dance Dance Dance -- Lykke Li
Ring Ring -- Sleigh Bells
Sea of Love -- Cat Power
Summers -- Loney, Dear
These Days -- Nico
You Really Got Me Goin' -- Belaire
Zak and Sara -- Ben Folds


**One of my favorites.. and some great lyrics to go with her sultry voice:

I guess we have to play

the cards we've been dealt.
And I guess I got nothing,
but whatever happens, happens...
'cause my life is falling apart,
Or is it getting better?- I don't know.

Well you can kiss me again if you want,
I don't mind.
Well you can kiss me again if you want,
oh that'd be fine.

Land of Talk.

I absolutely love this band. JP and I went to see them a few weeks back, and it was probably top 5 shows I've been to. Her voice is haunting, and it's absolutely mesmerizing to listen to them play. The drummer has ridic skills, and she plays lead guitar while belting it out (very uncommon). This is my favorite song of theirs right now. I hope ya'll like them as much as I do.



I'm also a huge fan of poignant lyrics. Beautiful and Heartbreaking.

what started at a summer lake
a sentence and a name
if only for a moment's sake
we called it and it came

held it down-the loving heat-
longer than a time
held it down-the loving heat-
softer than a chime

We've seen how Sick Wind blows
but i've got your bovine eyes
i'll love you like i love you
then i'll die

shot the rats and as they ran
from the quarry to the tracks
chased them as you took my hand
and never gave it back
held it up and felt the wind
blow and miss a chime
found a god and begged it in
to fight your body crime

My boys.

This is one of my very favorite pictures of Coop and JP. Now I know I don't mention the boy that often, but he's a good guy. And he and Cooper are the cutest together.

Friday night is our first date night in a while, and I think I have JUST the outfit for it. I'm trying to do better about doing my daily wears, so I'll make an effort to take a picture of it.