Dear Dena

Dear Dena, here is a video I think you will like. It is kind of long. Sorry. 

Its Been Awhile

Sorry for the lack of posts everyone. Dena and I have been busy at our school for the past two weeks. We are both Sophomore Advisors (SA's) in our residence hall. We help freshman transition into college life and living away from home for the first time. We have been in training from morning to night every day for the past week and a half, then we've been doing move-ins and orientations with the residents. Its a challenging job. We've been in lockdown...no boyfriends...no leaving campus...but tomorrow is the official first day of school! I'm excited. I've always loved the first day of school. New backpacks, school supplies, teachers, and friends. I also like having a routine.
I'm super exhausted. I have to work the front desk at 6 am tomorrow. The plus is that I get to watch the sun rise!
Here's to a great year!

$ 2.99 splurge well worth it

On the topic of consumables, I'd like to add my newest grocery store splurge. Amy's Peace Sign Pasta. Not only does the little Amy's rabbit have a tye-dye theme but the actually noodles are peace signs ! The sauce it comes with isn't my favorite, and the price is almost triple that of good ol' easy mak, and I can only find it at Fiesta. But, i don't regret the splurge and extra trips - I definitely recommend it.

Mason Jar Coffee

Think you need a fancy coffee maker for a great brew? A french press? An espresso machine? Think again! All you need is a mason jar and some cheesecloth or a coffee filter. 

Step One: Measure out 1/3 cup coarse ground coffee (or whatever coffee you have is fine) and pour into a tall mason jar (I used a 20z jar)

Step Two: Add 16-20oz plain old tap water. It doesn't have to be hot or cold. Lukewarm is fine. The less water, the stronger the coffee. I used 20oz and the coffee was plenty strong. 

Step Three: Screw the lid on and shake gently to combine. 

Step Four: Put the jar somewhere cool, like the pantry or a cabinet, and let sit for 12+ hours.  

THE NEXT MORNING

Find a pitcher, bowl, old tupperware, anything that will hold 20oz. I used an old yogurt container

Cover the mouth of the mason jar with a cheesecloth or a coffee filter and pour the coffee into the container. This will filter out the grounds and coffee silt. 

I washed the mason jar and poured the coffee back into it, because it looks nice. 

TO SERVE THE COFFEE

Serve coffee in a tall glass with ice. Mason Jar Coffee is less bitter than other brews so you may not need as much milk or sugar. However, you can add both if you so choose. The left over coffee can be stored in the refrigerator. 

You can read an article about cold brewed/mason jar coffee in the New York Times and you can find their recipe here.

robert ellis

my turn for a post about makenzie and my love for local musicans.

first up: Robert Ellis and The Boys

Makenzie and I first experienced this country sensation on the first week of February, what mak and i have titled " the week it all began". We had been to Mango's earlier that week and decided to make it back for what they call country night. Country night consists of an all age show that starts around 10 and the best part is that there's no cover charge! That February 3rd was a night to remember. We not only met a bunch of new friends and danced our hearts out but i have my first kiss with a boy who i'm now madly in love with. My boyfriend steven. Wednesday nights at mangos have since become a weekly tradition.

Robert and Will at SummerFest 2010

Robert at Mangos

Robert and Geoffery at Mangos

Whoooos Drivvvinggg?

Our Favorite Local Bands: Sideshow Tramps

One of my all time favorite Houston bands is Sideshow Tramps. I first saw Sideshow play at St. Thomas in the fall at Shadwell's Wake, a pretend funeral for "the worst poet in history". There was a fake coffin that we carried around campus while Sideshow Tramps marched and played. Here's a video of Sideshow Tramps playing at Summerfest 2010. You can see Dena, Steven, and I dancing near the front. 

On January 31, there was a fundraiser show at Mango's for Haiti and Sideshow Tramps was on the lineup. I told her we HAD to go. There were very few people at the event because it was a Sunday night. Sideshow Tramps started playing and we went CRAZY. We danced crazy up on the front row. During the song called Lady Vodka, the lead singer aka The Reverend, came out into the crowd to "kill" his lover. He picked Dena and pretended to slit her throat. There was a very drunk 50 year old lady who kept wanting to dance with me. Here's a video of Sideshow Tramps:

The live experience is one million times more exciting. And I have a major crush on like...all of them. And The Reverend and Geoffery are graduates from St. Thomas. Yay!

Okay dena...your turn! Wanna talk about some of our other favorites?