Creative Use Cooking

We are now at the point in our move where all the fun bits are over and the countdown of Stuff That Must Be Done Before We Move has begun. In the fun department, we did have a great time at the Scavenger Hunt on Saturday and subsequent After Party. Team 1 edged out Teams 2 and 3 by winning in the Diviest Dive Bar category. They found a dive bar with plastic on the pool table to prevent a leaky roof from ruining the table. Anyway, the party made us really reconsider leaving Portland (and all of these wonderful people) behind. But like I said, we are now past the point of no return. The other fun bit was corned beef and snarky Oscars commentary with Dear Friend Neil on Sunday night. That man can cook! But sheesh, what a disappointing year for the Oscars. Jennifer Hudson??? Please.

Yesterday Erika packed 17 boxes. I slept on the sofa, the sunny floor in the office, and inside the bottom part of my New cat carrier. It might not be so bad. I don't think I'm ready for the top to come on yet, but I'm getting there. Martin worked all day, and packed up his office.

Today Erika is planning on packing AT LEAST 17 more boxes (perfect day for it - pouring grey rain outside), and continuing on her "Creative Use" cooking binge. In order to assuage her guilt about Wasting Food (children starving in Africa and all that), she has decided to make creative meals using only the as-of-yet unpacked pots and pans and the food in the cupboards, freezer, and fridge. Kind of like Iron Chef, but with the added challenge of "Is this really still edible?" Last night she cheated and bought chicken breasts from New Seasons, but only because she needed something to combine the frozen peas and brown rice with. Today's lunch should take care of the rest of the frozen peas, the frozen basil from the garden, the frozen shrimp, and half of the macaroni pasta. Maybe even the leftover frozen tomato paste. I'm thinking this will last about another 24 hours, at which point she and Martin will RUN to Le Pigeon and delightedly sink their teeth into another Perfect Burger. Me, I'm just chowing down on the diet stuff - it's not so bad.

Limbo Squared Plus Our Foodie Road Trip Itinerary

So I thought it was bad with all the furniture disappearing. Now I hear we are going to be living in "temporary housing" until Martin and Erika find a place they actually like in New York. I can't believe they couldn't find something after 3 days of searching in weather that reached a high of about 27 degrees. I just hope the temporary place has a nice heating vent...

We leave in 9 days and Erika has not packed a single box. I think she's in denial. Either that or she is having too much fun planning the Going Away Party and Scavenger Hunt Extraordinaire...that and the road trip.

Ah yes, the Foodie Road Trip Through the South. We start by driving to Mt. Shasta, then journey down to Marshall, California for a picnic at Hog Island, followed by pizza at Pizzetta 211 in SF. After SF we will visit Uncle Bill and then "Uncle" Chris at the Alpine Lodge and Learning Center for a La Honda dinner party, complete with duck and duck eggs from Chris's menagerie. Next we travel down to Los Angeles to say hi to Frankie and David (another home-cooked dinner!) and then we leave our friends behind and go in search of the best pizza in the U.S. which is supposedly in...Phoenix! After Phoenix there is a long stretch of Texas (and great BBQ!) before we get to Austin and enjoy a Gospel Brunch at Stubb's. From Austin it's a quick trip to New Orleans where we will lunch at Cochon (recommended by Charlie, who was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi) and have dinner at the Commander's Palace - a N'awlins tradition.

Things get a little fuzzy after that. There is a cheap motel in Atlanta, and then a quick zoom through one or more Carolinas, which should put us right outside Polyface Farm in Virginia a few hours before we are due for dinner in Williamsburg, Virginia, home of Uncle Dave and Beth. I have no doubt we will eat well there.

After that it's just a short hop to Alexandria, Virginia to say hi to Shannon and family, and then...we land somewhere on W 30th St. in New York, New York. We arrive on St. Patrick's Day. I've never had green beer, but I'm not knocking it until I've tried it.

Limbo

We are living in limbo, neither fully in Portland nor quite in New York. The Subaru is sold, we gave notice to our landlord, and our social time is booked solid for the next month as we meet with friends to say good-bye and eat at each of our favorite restaurants one last time (Le Pigeon, clarklewis, Ken's Pizza, Simpatica...). We might have to eat at Le Pigeon more than one last time - the burger is the best we've had anywhere. Yes, that includes New York's Bistro Burger.

The most disturbing thing about this limbo state is the way the house keeps losing furniture. It was ok when they sold the guest bed, because I only slept there during a 45-minute period in the early afternoon when the sun comes in through the back window. I tried to prevent them from selling my favorite office chair by jumping up into it as a prospective buyer was examining it, but that didn't stop the buyer. The office chair is gone now too, along with Martin's desk. The thing I miss the most is the futon/loveseat thing that Martin used to use for his "office" in the living room. It was one of my favorite napping places, especially when I could snuggle up in between a warm laptop and a forgotten coat.

Luckily Erika's messy, paper-covered desk is still around, as is the old velvet sofa. I can make do. For now.

Snow Day!

One great thing about Portland is that when it snows, everything stops. Today we got 3 inches!! I investigated, but decided that I prefer the heating vent to the white stuff. At least Martin and Erika stayed home from work to keep the heater running.

New York City!

I'm going to be a big city cat! Martin finally got an offer that he liked from [very large financial institution] and he accepted it today. We will be leaving Portland around the 1st of March, after a blow-out going away party, of course. I am heartbroken about having to leave behind Uncle Neil, Auntie Hazel and all of our friends (especially the ones who tell me I look "svelte"), but I certainly won't miss the rain and what it does to my fur. I don't know if I will drive across the country for 2 weeks with Erika and Martin, or if I will be escorted in a plane instead (any volunteers?), but I can't wait!

In the mean time, Erika has 7 more weeks of work at the training place, an event to produce (Swap o Rama Rama) and a workshop to teach (Break-up Boot Camp). And Martin has to finish up his job and figure out how we are going to find an apartment...preferably one with a nice sunny spot above the radiator that is big enough for me to nap on.

I'm busy checking out hip new hair styles - what do you think of the Wet Look? Doesn't it make me look thin?

Job Karma

Well the Kosinas must be doing something right, because they both got job offers today. One in New York, one in Portland. Hmmmm. The New York offer from a big financial firm (Martin's) is probably a keeper. And even though Erika swore she would never work in advertising again, a 2-month contract at a Portland firm that does Web-based training is somehow tempting.

I don't know who they are going to hire to give me my twice-hourly pet-down if they are both at work all day....

Czechs - Masters of Snack Food

The Czech Republic is not known for their cuisine. However, there is one area in which they excel - snacking. I am thinking, in particular of "chlebicky" (pronounced Kleh-bee-chkee). Chlebicky are little open-faced sandwiches which can contain any number of ingredients. Martin makes his like this: Spread some potato salad (the kind with the mayonnaise) in a thin layer on the bread (Erika likes to put a layer of good hot mustard under the potato salad). Place a piece of ham or salami on top of the potato salad, and top that with a slice of dill pickle, or maybe an olive. Pop the whole thing in your mouth, and chase with a swig of good Czech beer.

This, along with chips and dip, is what guests at the Kosina household ate on New Year's Eve from 8pm until about 2:30am on New Year's Day. They are the perfect food to accompany a lazy, drawn-out evening of board games and various alcoholic beverages while waiting for the clock to strike midnight. They easily expanded to accommodate an additional three guests, and even the visiting dog showed her approval by licking an abandoned chlebicky platter clean.

I wasn't so crazy about the chlebicky or the dog, but then again my stomach has not been quite right lately. I expressed my queasiness today by finding all sorts of alternatives to the litter box where I could relieve my twitchy bowels. Erika finally went out and bought that cat food that I really like, and I'm feeling better already.