Tag Archives: working hard for the money

Monday things from the weekend

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1. My dad was in town all weekend. We share a love of two main things, the first being eating delicious food (especially anything Italian or chocolate). So, we ate.

Pizza at Il Canale at Georgetown, aka the best traditional Italian pizza I’ve had in D.C. so far. 

This guy had fresh buffalo mozzarella, eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, and artichoke hearts, all on top of the softest, most perfect crust ever. It seriously reminded me of that amazing pie Penpal and I enjoyed in Epcot this past July.

But that’s not all! 

A dark chocolate cupcake from Sprinkles, aka a blast from my west coast past.

Obviously we both hated it.

2. The other thing we both love doing? Taking long walks outside. 

So what if I was the only person outside showing my knees. I’m embracing the option of dresses and shorts for as long as humanly possible before it’s necessary to embark on the wearing-12 layers-on-each-half-of-my-body adventure I like to call winter on the east coast..

3. Saturday, my roommate Blaire, my dad, and I participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on the National Mall. Just a little 3 mile loop from the Washington Monument to the Capitol and back. 

My grandma had Alzheimer’s, so it is a cause that is extra close to my heart. Although can we talk about how irritating slow walkers are sometimes? Slow runners don’t bother me in the least, but slow walkers.. forget it.

4. Last night I attended a performance of the Great Gatsby ballet at the Kennedy Center with my friend Justine. Because we’re fancy locals like that. 

I’m a major English major nerd and love this book, so I was obviously ALL over the idea of getting tickets when Justine suggested it. Plus I like to pretend I could have been a bigtime dancer if I hadn’t quit ballet and tap back when I was 8. I mean, probably, right?

5. I just ordered these boots.

I’m a  horrible shopper and although I tried them on at the store last week, I didn’t actually buy them til this weekend, online. Want to be my personal shopper? Please?

6. I am kind of head over heels for fall right now. I guess I forgot how pretty the leaves are and slightly cooler temps?

Ugh, I can’t even believe I just wrote that, being I’m a diehard desert climate loyalist, and prefer temperatures so hot you want to stick your head in the oven for relief. Don’t tell anyone please.. this girl’s already on to me though.

7. So, apparently boxed wine is good for you.

If I read it, it has to be true, right? Dear Shape magazine, Penpal thanks you.

8. The running bug’s back because (it seems) my knee is on the mend (!!!!!!!!!!!!). One mile down today (interspersed with walking) = victory. 

Is it just me or are you seeing my shoe collection a lot today?

9. With this new job, I get to work from home half the week. Clearly I’m being very productive.

What are your Monday things?

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End of October things

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Happy Monday!

1. Sunday morning, I woke up to an orange, rubber construction cone in my living room.

We’ll just leave it at that.

2. It’s probably the fault of all of the pumpkin beer I enjoyed last night.

Autumn in a bottle. I highly recommend this one by Post Road.

I was just excited to finally find pumpkin beer in a D.C. bar.. I’ve only been searching since September.

3. It’s becoming apparent that I’m no longer in my early 20s, which means more than two adult beverages in an evening and the next day I’m toast.

But then, that’s probably a good thing. ;-)

4. The Logan Circle neighborhood of D.C. is quickly becoming one of my favorite parts of town. Locals- what do you think?

I mean, it houses my new favorite bar, as well as the restaurant Commissary, which, as I’ve mentioned before, is quickly becoming my favorite casual dining neighborhoody restaurant in the district.

We had dinner there Saturday evening, and it was just as great as their brunches I’ve sampled in the past.

I had a chicken pita sandwich that filled me up perfectly.

There wasn’t too much mayo, which is just how I like my chicken salad sandwiches, and they even added bacon. Win win.

5. Speaking of perfect meals, I had a big bowl of my stew for dinner last night, and it made my world complete. Have you made it for yourself yet?

6. It’s finally happening. This guy is in the mail, ready to arrive at my apartment any day now thanks to my wonderful madre.

(Source)

I’ve only been hoarding slowcooker recipes for the last two years or so, so I hope you’re all hungry.

7. I haven’t done so hot on my goal of fitting more yoga-time into my life this month. To be honest, though, I’ve sort of fallen in love with spinning, so that’s taken a front seat lately. As of this weekend, though, post-high heels, my knee pain has returned slightly… I may need to actually cash in on that yoga goal sooner rather than later.

8. Today is my first real day of work at my job!

No more orientation with this new company.

Maybe it’s time to finally buy a business suit like a real adult. Ugh.

What’s on your mind from this weekend? And what the heck should I do with this orange cone?

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Wednesday things

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1. It’s Day 3 of Orientation for my new company and my brain is fried. Who knew orienting could be so exhausting?

2. I could stare at this sight for hours on end and not get sick of it.That was my view of the sunrise from  ol’ Virginia yesterday. Call it a perk of my long commute this week.

3. Another view I’ve had for the majority of other hours making up my week so far?

Coffee.

I’ve had about 652 of these so far, since Monday at 8am. Thanks.

4. I actually went to the gym last night.

I have no idea how I summoned the strength since it took all my self-restraint not to crawl under the table in hallway at Orientation yesterday afternoon and take a 4 hour nap.

5. I was asked repeatedly yesterday by a couple older, male new hires at Orientation whether or not I have a hollow leg, because I eat so much.

I’m not entirely sure if they were impressed or just freaked out by witnessing the amount of snacking I do on a daily basis. Just because I’m petite does not mean my appetite is as well. I was also warned my eating habits would catch up to me eventually, to which I smiled and stuffed another grape in my mouth, because I was snacking on fruit, not steak sandwiches or cupcakes.

Not that those both aren’t delicious as well, but they don’t really travel well ;-) .

6. These exist.

It’s like my two kryptonites had a lovechild. Thank God I didn’t actually buy a bag to try it because I’d probably spend all of my new paycheck on ordering caseloads of the stuff.

7. In case you were wondering about how that whole cake in the jar thing went over, well apparently it was a hit.

Penpal loved it, so it’s now received the seal of approval from someone other than a girl who will eat just about anything if it took me long enough to make and/or includes chocolate (hi…). And I miss him enough that I might even bake him another soon.

8. It’s not even 7 am, and I  need more coffee already. Yikes.

 

And how is YOUR Wednesday?

 

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Breakfast commute

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Hello! 

Let’s just say that the commute to this orientation is a challenge. Not that it’s hard… just far for someone who lives in the heart of Washington, D.C., without a car. Yesterday (day one) and for the rest of this week, I’ll be riding an excellent array of transportation around the D.C. metropolitan area, aka into the depths of Virginia at the crack of dawn.

Okay, not really the depths, but far away from a subway train to reach.

A delightful ride on not one, but two different shuttle buses throughout northern Virginia, and a subway ride from D.C. What a party. ;)

Least the leaves are pretty to look at! Beats pitch black subway tunnels for the whole ride.

That’s pretty much all my life consists of at the moment, with some new job orientation smushed into the middle of that. And food, because that’s all I really care about, right? Breakfast was provided by my new company yesterday for all of us new hires (and will be for the rest of the week, plus lunch!), aka bagels, pastries, mixed fruit, and gallons of coffee. :-)

I had a cinnamon raisin bagel with some cream cheese, which wreaked havoc on my lactose intol tummy. For some reason some dairy is okay (like Greek yogurt usually), but others = death. Like cream cheese (I get bad stomach cramping) and ice cream. Plus I just like more protein in my life, since lunch was also carb and dairy heavy (tortellini).

I decided to bring my own transportation friendly breakfast today.

Overnight oats!

1 packet of instant plain oatmeal, a 6 ounce container of Greek yogurt, and 1 tbsp of pumpkin mixed together in a tupperware last night, which are sitting pretty and patiently in the fridge for me to grab this morning. I added a scoop of creamy peanut butter and some sliced banana when I woke up to finish it up.

Now it’s time for day 2 of my epic commute- I’m off!

 

What’s your favorite on-the-go breakfast? I usually opt for pb and banana sandwiches or toast! 

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Chocolate cake in a jar

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TGIF like whoa right now.

I’m am thisclose to a dirty martini and I can’t wait. :-D

Happy long weekend everyone!

Or unemployed-for-a-week-starting-now weekend!

Oh, just me? Bueller?

And did you notice the new blog URL? onapinktypewriter.com <– update your google reader, if you please!

Last day

Today was my last day at work, so all I did was finish tying up some odds and ends before peacing out for real.

That is, after I found this surprise hidden in a cabinet over my computer at my cubicle.

Deflated but pretty.

Excellent.

Looks like my coworkers were trying to punk me…a few months ago. Guess I showed them!

A coworker also gave me this delicious box of chocolate as a parting gift!

Nom nom nom.

Edward Marc truffles. I’m a lucky lady.

Don’t worry, I already took a nibble of a pink-striped one.. DELICIOUS.

And I can finally tell you all where I’ve been working for the last 1.5 years.

Figure it out. :-)

Cake in a jar 

So, now on to the real blogworthy part of today’s post! 

Baking a cake in a jar, like I did for Penpal’s care package.

It’s sort of like oats in a jar, only… better.

It’s easy! Like stupid easy, and I wish I’d been the first to think of this brilliant gift idea for loved ones who are far away (like deployed military members!).

Or, you know, yourself.

This is a judgment free zone.

And you can really use any cake recipe you have on hand, as long as it calls for baking soda.

Go over all of the directions first though, so you don’t end up reading too fast because you were trying to look at the recipe on your computer while also taking a photo of each step, and pretending you multitask super well, but really… you don’t- not when food products are involved.

Because that could probably happen.

I may have made a teensy mistake with by switching the order of the addition of buttermilk/egg/vanilla and flour into the melted butter, unsweetened cocoa, and water mixture.

I mean, it looked pretty… I got distracted, said a few choice words, and then crossed my fingers that I didn’t ruin the cake too badly.

And did I mention that Trader Joe’s white sugar is a little too coarse for hand-mixing?

Ahem.

Pre-oven.

BUT it all came out beautifully!

And if it tastes like dirt when Penpal pops open his first birthday cake in a jar on Tuesday, I just won’t tell you guys.

Just kidding- I’ll tell you. But then I’ll just blame it on overseas mailing. ;-)

Your turn!

–

Chocolate Cake in a Jar

Adapted from AllRecipes. Makes enough for two 16 ounce mason jars of chocolate cake.

Ingredients

  • 2 straight sided wide-mouth canning (i.e. mason) jars (16 ounces each)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and boil mason jars, with lids and rings for 10 minutes. Keep the lids and rings in the hot water until needed.

2. In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water, and cocoa. Heat and stir together until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into a large bowl.
4. Stir flour mixture into butter/cocoa/water mixture, and blend well. Then add the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla, beating (by hand!) until smooth.
5. Distribute evenly into the 2 prepared jars. I had some extra leftover for a small cupcake, also. Place the jars on a cookie sheet and bake  for 40-45 minutes,  or until toothpick inserted deep into center of cake comes out clean.
6. Remove cake jars from the oven carefully (will be HOT), and place a lid and then ring onto each of the jars. Screw them down tightly and listen for a “ping” as they both seal. (If you miss the “ping,” – so scientific right? – wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn’t move at all, it’s sealed!
Done and ready to be mailed off!

*Note: Since it was for a birthday, I also tied a ribbon around each sealed jar, and included a tub of frosting.

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