That pesky guy Sean took my camera for the weekend. What’s a girl to do when she needs material for her blog? Draw it of course. Now I have to confess, that was last weekend and I have 2 or 3 entries that I haven’t even posted yet… Yes I am that behind. This post is not filler at all. Honest. I drew this on adobe ideas for the iPad. It’s pretty sweet other than the fact that it saves in PDF format and I had to take a screenshot and then crop it to post it. 30 minutes of tinkering later, tada! Totally worth it right?

This is my 100th blog post according to wordpress and I’m posting from my new iPad. It is everything I dreamed of. I will update with some pictures of me cooking with my iPad in the kitchen, then you will all want one. It’s truly magical and any moment now unicorns are going to fly out of my oven and start grooming my dogs. I want to have its babies. That is all.

If you are Jamie, do not read this post.  Pretend like I didn’t buy any house decoration stuff.

This little decorating project started with a toothbrush.  We had this old Braun electric toothbrush that I didn’t like anymore, and my dentist and hygienists kept pushing me to buy a Sonicare.  So much that I think they’re getting a cut of the profits somehow…!  I had a gift certificate to Bloomingdale’s, and after 2 months of trying to spend it on shoes and clothing and everything I got sucked, I gave up and bought this.  Our old Braun was wall mountable, but this Sonicare requires a flat surface to live on.  Our only power outlet in the bathroom is on a wall, without any shelving.  The first step was to find wall mountable shelves which I found at Target – and if you’ve ever shopped at Target, you know you’re not walking out the door without spending another $100 on things that you don’t need.  So I ended up getting this shower curtain for our bathroom window and this mirror decoration set because we are on a polka dot theme here!  I was originally introduced to this awesome idea of round mirrors for decoration from this mirror set at cb2, but the target set is cheaper and I think it looks better without the frame.  Once the shelving was up, the toothbrush and my sonicdermabrasion dohickey (which is like $150 cheaper than the clarisonic one) sat on the bottom shelf, but the top two shelves were bare because I had nothing bathroom appropriate to put on it.

This led me to buy these alfie candle holders at Crate and Barrel.  They are on sale for 95 cents!!!  Here are some red ones also for 95 cents (which I bought 4 of, and you might have spied them on my dining room table).  I wish the purple ones went on sale, because I kind of love them too.  So there you have it, an economical redecoration of our bathroom for under $100, all thanks to a toothbrush.

Here is a full shot of the shelving.

For tonight, my blog contribution consists of the Omnivore’s Hundred, a list of one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their life. Created by Andrew Wheeler of Very Good Taste, and as seen on Chocolate and Zucchini, copied from Raccoon and Lobster, and brought to you by the letters N, O, and M.

To participate

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.

2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.

3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating. [AS IF!!!!  Then my blog name wouldn't be true]

4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

Andrew has also published a FAQ answering some of the more obvious questions that come up from seeing this list.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison

2. Nettle tea

3. Huevos rancheros

4. Steak tartare

5. Crocodile – I’m counting this because I’ve had alligator, tastes like chicken.

6. Black pudding – Ronnie counted blood tofu, so I am going to as well.

7. Cheese fondue

8. Carp

9. Borscht

10. Baba ghanoush

11. Calamari

12. Pho

13. PB&J sandwich

14. Aloo gobi

15. Hot dog from a street cart - I can almost say I did this in Mexico to make it more hardcore but the dude was totally not there when I remembered!

16. Epoisses – I suck at cheeses.

17. Black truffle – You’ve never had a burger until there’s fois gras and truffle on top.

18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes - I’ve had some super sweet Japanese pear wine… tasted like syrup ugh.

19. Steamed pork buns

20. Pistachio ice cream

21. Heirloom tomatoes – I think I get extra points for growing them.

22. Fresh wild berries

23. Foie gras – moar please.

24. Rice and beans

25. Brawn, or head cheese - love this stuff, want to make but too scared.

26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper – does putting them in a salsa count?  I’m counting it.

27. Dulce de leche

28. Oysters – big ones, little ones, cooked ones, raw ones, and even oysters the size of a fist.

29. Baklava

30. Bagna cauda – oh wow this looks delicious, do want.

31. Wasabi peas

32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl - eww, sourdough, why ruin the clam chowder that way?

33. Salted lassi

34. Sauerkraut – welcome to scandihoovia also known as minnesota.

35. Root beer float

36. Cognac with a fat cigar

37. Clotted cream tea – I’m a tea snob, creams do not go in teas.  That’s just so… British.

38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O Shots

39. Gumbo

40. Oxtail – hmm I just realized that I didn’t post my oxtail stew…

41. Curried goat

42. Whole insects – I swallowed a bug once accidentally.  Then I burped real loud.

43. Phaal – very intrigued, would love to try.

44. Goat’s milk

45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more

46. Fugu – I wish.

47. Chicken tikka masala

48. Eel – Mom used to buy these live and stir fry them.  So good.

49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut – What’s the hype?  They’re not that good.

50. Sea urchin – a few times I’ve tried this… I think I like it?

51. Prickly pear

52. Umeboshi

53. Abalone

54. Paneer

55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal

56. Spaetzle

57. Dirty gin martini – I prefer vodka.  Gin tastes like pine trees.

58. Beer above 8% ABV – Once at Buster’s on 28th, I had a flight of 5 beers, 4 of which were above 8%… I was so wasted.

59. Poutine

60. Carob chips

61. S’mores

62. Sweetbreads – mmm, innerds.

63. Kaolin – bwuh? [I left Ronnie's bwuh there, because... bwuh?]

64. Currywurst – I’m pretty sure I’ve had every kind of wurst there is to wurst.

65. Durian – mmm, stinky feet smell with rotten onion texture, how do you not like it?

66. Frogs’ legs

67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake – moar please.

68. Haggis - Just had this recently at L’Ecosse in Minneapolis.  I would highly recommend it.  And maybe order 2… because sharing 1 sucks.

69. Fried plantain

70. Chitterlings, or andouillette

71. Gazpacho

72. Caviar and blini - I’ve had them separate of each other… but eating them together? Interesting…

73. Louche absinthe

74. Gjetost, or brunost – I am cheese fail.

75. Roadkill  - ok cleetus.

76. Baijiu – hahaha Sean calls this Chinese moonshine.

77. Hostess Fruit Pie

78. Snail

79. Lapsang souchong - I’m going to say yes because last time I was in China, we did a tea house tour and tasted like 40 different teas… I’m pretty sure we covered this one.

80. Bellini

81. Tom yum

82. Eggs Benedict

83. Pocky – I got some in my pantry right now!

84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant – *sob*

85. Kobe beef – remember from up above I mentioned a burger with fois gras and black truffles on top?  Well, it was a kobe beef patty.  It also had braised short ribs on it.

86. Hare - one of my favorites.

87. Goulash

88. Flowers

89. Horse

90. Criollo chocolate

91. Spam

92. Soft shell crab

93. Rose harissa

94. Catfish

95. Mole poblano – I keep ordering this and struck out every time.

96. Bagel and lox

97. Lobster Thermidor

98. Polenta

99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee

100. Snake – tastes like chicken.

That is a total of 74, I tied you Ronnie dammit.

Ronnie’s additions to the list:

101. Jamon Iberico – mmmmm spanish bacon…. do want.

102-104. Tripe. Tongue. Trotters. – yum, I don’t care for tripe that much but I love a good tongue taco.

105. Marrow

106. Wild mushrooms

107. Huitlacoche - Ronnie this looks disgusting, but I’d try it.  I wonder if I can find it at that Asian/Mexican supermarket.

108. Natto – I bet this isn’t as bad as people make it out to be.

109. Bitter Melon – ehhh it’s ok, and kind of refreshing in a way, but I still don’t think I’ll go out of my way to eat it.

Lets add a few more shall we?

110: Lutefisk – who doesn’t want a big glob of lye soaked fish?  I still need to try this, and it’s not like it’s hard to get in MN.

111: Fermented Tofu – this is tofu fermented in white wine… I kind of love it.

112: Thousand year old egg – black eggs, ends up in a lot of episodes of andrew zimmern bizarre foods.  Yeah it’s gross if you eat it as is, you gotta prepare it with something, then it’s pretty delicious.

113: Salted Duck Egg – Super high in cholesterol but oh man it’s worth it.  The yolk is like roe.  The white I can care less about.

114: PORK BELLY – I mean seriously, how do you make a culinary must-eat list and not include pork belly.

115: Shark fin soup – kind of a delicacy is it not?  I don’t condone cutting fins off of sharks, but I do want to punch them sometimes.

116: Geoduck – they look so gross but they taste so good.

117: Chicharrones – basically pork rind, but if you’ve never had the skin of a perfectly cooked pig, you are not living life my friend.

I leave you with a picture of some roasted pork with the skin on.  Crispy and delicious.  Excuse the crappy iPhone picture, this is served at Mandarin Kitchen in Bloomington MN.

I am weak, I gave in to these ice cubes from cb2.  I am so excited to have these, because I’m kind of shoe crazy, and also kind of red crazy, and also kind of all around crazy about cute things.  I froze them last night, and put them in my OJ this morning.  I am a slow drinker (also slow eater) and these are the perfect ice cubes.  They are encased in plastic filled with water, so when they melt, they don’t dilute your drink.  I hate warm OJ and I hate watered down OJ, and today my OJ stayed at the perfect temperature for quite a few hours.  Cleanup is super easy as well.  If you follow the link, you can see the cb2 picture and they are super cool when they are in fizzy water, the little bubbles stick to the shoes and make them SPARKLE.  Ok I am officially a dork, but a dork with cool ice cubes.

Helllllo I am back from the crazy Christmas escapades.  It’s 11 degrees outside, and tomorrow’s low is -10, I’m not even going outside if Saks is giving stuff away… ok no I would.  This calls for grocery shopping online in my jammies.  And…. I ordered 6 bottles of wine.  Because they are groceries too.  *shifty eye looks around*

What’s on the menu?  I’m going to attempt a braised short rib recipe from the french laundry cookbook that involves setting some stuff on fire.  Sean is making some carnitas.  I think I will try to make pain d’epi mostly because I need some bread crumbs, not because I like crusty old french bread.  The bread crumbs are for a tilapia and mashed yams with pancetta sage breadcrumbs recipe, and also on the menu – peppery pasta carbonara with poached egg, and indian lamb chops with curried cauliflower.

STAY TUNED FOR FOOD.

So I spent most of Sunday Christmas shopping at the Mall o’ America and o man I’m really good at picking stuff out.  Honestly.  I am!  I can’t divulge any of the gifts that we purchased today for obvious reasons, but here is what I got for myself for xmas yay!!!!!

Oh look, somebody wrapped this up for me all nice-like.  I wonder what it is…..

Ohhhhh you shouldn’t have.  Two of my favorite words in the dictionary!! (probably not in the dictionary…)

Oh Marc, how I love you.

*swoooon*

Ok I’ve had my eyes on a Marc Jacobs Zip Clutch for the past year, and miraculously found one on sale at Nordstrom.  I love it when you find things you least expect!  This color is past season, but you can get this in black, orange, and my favorite… red.

Here are some more affordable alternatives.  I know this ok, I’ve been looking for a new wallet for 6 months.

Here are a few more picks for the fashionista on your list:

Pretty Party Dresses - who doesn’t love a nice dress? :P

• Nanette Lepore always wins my heart.  I may or may not have already ordered this dress (also comes in Stacy blue ™)…. This dress is in an amazing plum color and if I didn’t already have something similar, I’d be stalking it like crazy.   And finally, this is on sale!  It didn’t appeal to me at first but after I saw it in person, I kind of love it.
• For some cheaper alternatives, this dress at forever 21 is a knock off of this Nanette Lepore dress, that’s like 99849839% off.  And this is very similar to the beautiful red dress mentioned above.

Tweed Jackets - I’ve been OBSESSED with tweed jackets lately.  It’s because I am crazy allergic to something this winter and my skin is itching like crazy.  The docs put me on some hardcore meds and things are a lot better now, but I’m forced to push all the wool cardigans I have to the back of my closet.  But I live in MN!!! I am COLD all the time!!!  So a jacket is definitely the answer.

• White House Black Market black and white (duhhhh) tweed jacket!  It’s got great shape, color contrast, what’s not to love?  (Apparently I’m also obsessed with this store lately…  SUCK IT JCREW!)
• I love this ruffle tweed jacket from Ann Taylor.  Another store I seem to be obsessed with.
• Even though this is not tweed, this new Nanette Lepore jacket is just so coooool.

Nail Polish – When you bring out the ham on xmas and your nails are chipped, you will be so embarrassed and glad you read this…. not that you were shopping for yourself or anything…. never…..

• Matte Top Coat – this is the best invention since sliced bread.  If you live under a rock, the latest craze with nails is to paint them matte.  But before this came around, you had to buy matte polishes which were expensive and seemed a bit excessive because how long can this fad last?  With this top coat, you can turn any of your existing polishes into a matte finish.  I bought a bottle for myself, and for presents as well!  Essie also makes one and it is a little bit cheaper than the Butter London brand.
• Sephora teams up with OPI to bring you the bestest nail polish ever.  This set, you get 3 polishes for the price of 2, and it includes the oh so elusive color Metro Chic.
• And this just seems so smart, a french manicure pen!

“Ok Seriously, when are you going back to being a food blog?”  WAAAAAAHHHH :(  Ok fine.

APRONS! – They are a bridge between fashion and cooking.  Hmmmmph.  This is totally a great gift for somebody who loves cooking.  They make them SO CUTE now!!  How do you resist?

• I’m pretty sure I would wear this apron out as a dress (not with my butt hanging out tho, I’ll wear some pants or something.)  Did I mention that I am also polka dot obsessed?
• Stacy posted this ruffle apron from Anthropologie and I kind of hate her for it because now I’m looking at aprons all over the place and I DON’T WEAR APRONS!!  gah.
• This apron is for kids, but I kind of wish it came in my size because it’s pink and it has a gingerbread man on it.  LOOOOOVE.  This one too…

For the Guys – if they deserve a gift…

• BBQ Stuff – You can get them this cool barbecue set that arranges their barbecue utensils like it’s some kind of tool box.  Then they can make dinner for once and you can paint your nails.  This set if they’ve been REALLY good.  Sean really wants a smoker as well, and I am definitely behind that 100% because he can smoke bacon for me!  This if they’ve been REALLY good.  This if they’ve been REALLY bad.
• Smelly Stuff – This seems like a great idea to try out new smelly stuff, if the guy is into being smelly.  It is also available for women as well!
• A netbook, because somebody wants one……. but he already has a laptop!!

For your Kitchen! – What, this is a food blog?  Why didn’t anybody tell me…

• Lobster Crackers are essential, especially if they are shaped like lobsters.  This is on my gift registry muahaha!
• Snow pup mugs – they are really cute.  I generally hate seasonal stuff, but I kind of love these snow pups.
• Herb Keeper – I’m sure I’m not the only one that’s bought a big stalk of sage or rosemary and couldn’t use it up in time.
• Spice Grinder – most people probably don’t have one, and they are definitely nice to have around, you can also grind coffee with it too.  Under $20 too!
• Rice Cooker – again, most people probably don’t have one, and it’s definitely nice to have around.
• Salad Dressing Bottle – make your own salad dressing, mix it, store it.  Genius I’m pretty sure.
• CAKE STAND!!!!111!1111`~~~~!

And if all else fails, get them chocolates! - If they don’t like chocolates, you shouldn’t be friends with them anyway because they probably aren’t even human and I’m pretty sure they eat babies.  Truffles are the best, I wish somebody would get me some truffles for xmas.  Or if you’re like my friend Adam, get him the nut-free truffles because he’s allergic to nuts (and numerous other items which would involve 50 pages and a flow chart to explain).

And if that faills…. and you insist on still being their friends, I guess they might like some caramels… or enroll them in a fruit of the month club.

There you have it, my 2009 gift guide yaaaaaay.

So apparently I’ve been informed that I’m hard to shop for because I just buy what I want, I was like “no wai” but I’ve been trying to compile a list and it seems way too small.  Please don’t look at my pile of 10 boxes in my living room.    I mean I’ve only ordered like 2 things…

So just to try to prove to myself that I CAN actually make a good list of things… in no particular order at all.

Kindle – Sean says I should get a Kindle (or nook) because I’ve been reading a lot on my iPhone.  I have this awesome app that loads up a pdf file, and I scroll through the pages.  But apparently it strains your eyes blah blah blah, and apparently I need a kindle.  I’m still not sold on it tho, what if I want to read in the dark?  (which I do, lots, because I don’t have a reading light because we’re still in the process of picking out table side lamps).  Plus Apple will come out with something and it will be infinitely better, right?

Crumpler Photography Bag – We just got a super awesome Canon EOS Rebel T1i camera, and I’ve already acquired 2 lenses, we need a nice bag to store it in.  Although I told Ronnie that the bag looks like an over-sized lunch box when I first saw it, after doing much searching, I’ve come to the conclusion that all camera bags are fugly and this one is actually somewhat decent.  (Sorry that I didn’t listen to you Ronnie!) I think first color choice would be the gray/red – stylish and sophisticated!  Plus Sean can carry it as well (all the time, so this would be a gift for him, ok?).

Bare Minerals Mineral Veil Brush on the go or something or other.  I use this stuff, I go outside, what’s not to love?

Infiniti by Conair Tourmaline Ceramic Rollers, I think I do need some hot rollers yes?

Such a pretty clutch from Ann Taylor, the black leather one is MUCH better than the red satin, and much more useful as well.   (No I swear I’m not 30, I know I shouldn’t be shopping there yet).

This awesome tank top from Ann Taylor in black, small, it’s so awesome and super cute on, but extremely sold out online.  I saw it at MoA and downtown… I do have a 25% off coupon and sorry I might just go and track this down and buy it.  DAMMIT I SUCK AT THIS!

Ok ok, this ruffle jacket is from the Ann Taylor LOFT ok, it’s for younger people, I swear.  It’s also sold out, because it’s so damn cute.  Curses.  But this necklace isn’t sold out so yay.

These cute little pins in the shape of dudes.  For this tackboard, from cb2.  Love cb2!!!!  This little dude would match too right?  Maybe I need 2 tackboards :O

UH HELLO DO YOU KNOW ME? *squeeeeeee*

WARNING, if you get me any kitchen stuff, my wedding planner Jamie will track you down and slap you upside the head because we need to have this stuff on our wedding registry blah blah blah!

This awesome bundt pan because Ronnie’s bundt cakes are sexy.  Maybe this bundt pan too…

Popover pan, because popovers are delicious and you just can’t make them in a muffin pan, not the same!

I’m going to stop here with the kitchen stuff in fear of retribution from Jamie…….

If you’re looking to subscribe to some food mags, amazon is offering a pretty damn good deal on Food & Wine, only $5 for the whole year.

I also grabbed House Beautiful for some decorating ideas, Real Simple because I flipped through it at Stacy’s and actually kind of liked it… after subscribing to something catered to the 35-45 demographic, I had to bring myself back to earth with a subscription to Cosmopolitan so I don’t feel like an old fart.  Every subscription was $5, I love dealz dealz dealz!

In other news, I submitted my ribs and wontons pictures to tastespotting, I am e-famous!  I also submitted my bread stairz but forgot to edit the watermark out and it got rejected, doh!

Yup, I purchased my first cookbook.  I’ve been wanting to study up on classic french cooking and techniques lately and it just happens that this book came up on an episode of top chef, and my favorite contestant Kevin described it as “life changing”.  I’m sold.

I skimmed through it and so far it’s super interesting, I’ve already learned a few things that I never knew before such as how to get beef marrow out of the bone easily, and how to make tomato consomme.  I think I’m going to start with the brioche since I have all the ingredients… and then go shopping for exotic ingredients such as truffle oil, veal tongue, and beef cheek!