It is not often that I toot my own horn, but as I am sitting here eating my leftover chicken soup from shabbos, I have to admit that I make a pretty good chicken soup.
It has the right combination of aroma, flavor and good old motherly comfort. In case there is anyone out there who is in dire need of a good chicken soup recipe, here is mine:
4-6 pieces of skinned dark meat chicken
2-3 carrots peeled and sliced
1 turnip cut up
1 parsnip pelled and cut up
2-3 yellow onions peeled and cut in half
1 medium to large sweet potato peeled and cut up
2 zucchinis (unpeeled) sliced (2 inches or so)
2 stalks of celery washed and sliced
fresh parsley and dill
generous sprinkles of salt and chicken consomme
few pinches of ground pepper
Put ingredients in large stock pot and fill with water. Cook on medium flame for 2-3 hours. Let cool on stove and then refridgerate overnight. The next day, remove the herbs and skim the fat off the surface of the soup. Reheat and serve. Enjoy!
(FYI, for good matzoh balls, just get the Croyden House or Mother's Matzoh Ball Mix.)
So, Greg got his tonsils out on this past Thursday. I took off this whole week from work to be at his beck and call (please, no Pretty Woman references) in case he needs anything. FYI, for those of you who got your tonsils out as children and don't remember the recovery being so bad, recovery for adults is pretty brutal.
Anyway, my mother and I always joke that she is and was a great mother but there were two areas that she didn't always do great with: Homework, and taking care of us when we were sick. We will leave the homework issue to another time and it probably will never be discussed on this blog (no, I didn't suffer, I ended up with a Masters degree and all...), but as far as the not taking care of us well when we were sick, it just wasn't her thing. Sure she gave the sympathetic ear and made the appropriate sounds and got the thermometer and all that stuff, but there wasn't ever the proactive stuff. The chicken soup, the breakfast in bed tray, the feeling that your mother wasn't freaking out if you happened to have a vomiting attack when your father wasn't home. You know, all the normal stuff. I got sick at my aunt's (my mother's sister) house in Israel once and only then did I realize what mothers are supposed to do when you get sick. Oh well. I am really not scarred.
So that brings us to today. I think I have been somewhat proactive in Greg's recovery. I went to Giant and bought him 3 different kinds of ice cream, applesauce, yogurt, jello, power-aide, and cottage cheese. For shabbos I made an edible cholent (yes, for some reason, that is a big feat for me lately- don't ask) and a mushy sweet potatoe suflee. I made him a special mexican bean puree (also, don't ask, it is better than it sounds). I have rarely asked him to "just use his voice" instead of those um interesting gestures he thinks are sign language (I took 4 Sign Language classes in college, trust me, it isn't sign langauge). I come up to our room and ask him how he is and what he needs. Basically, I think I have been pretty good to him.
So should I feel guilty that I didn't take his request tonight at 8:30 to go out and buy him a milk shake at Baskin Robbins? I had just gotten home from tehillim and I really didn't want to go out again. I offered to make him a milkshake, but we don't have a blender. I feel bad, but really, not so bad. Like I said, I am not Florence Nightengale. Heck, I am not even Florence Henderson, or my Aunt Florence Cohen, or Florence the interesting lady who lived in Greg's building in Washington Heights, or Florence, Italy (I digress, but I am king of the Florences!). I am just trying to get by. I do promise that if all goes well, I will get that milkshake from Baskin Robbins tommorow. Now I just want to get some sleep...
Life is always exciting when you have a kid with SI issues.
Tonight, she was eating ice cream out of a plastic cup and she insisted on wearing her mittens because the cup felt too cold on her hands. Thank G-d, I know why she does this stuff. Otherwise, I would think she was nutty. Cute, but nutty:)
OK. This is crazy. Between the Abercrombie frat boys singing "I Want Moshiach Now" at the Matisyahu/O.A.R. concert and this self proclaimed non-Jew (thanks Sara) who "loved this song and had no idea what it is saying but felt it appropriate to lip sync it", It is just weird.
I don't know about this all. Remember when it wasn't all that cool to be Jewish? Is our religion becoming the new "in thing"? Well we know what Madonna/Esther thinks.
Two Words: ALL ACCESS PASSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK that was really three words, but you didn't expect me to be able to describe this night with just two words, did you? Yeesh!
Anyway, This past weekend was one of the most surreal I have had in a while. I'll start off by saying that shabbos was great and there is nothing like hanging out with people who have known you for forever and who don't judge you and who are just laid back and fun. T, A, Y, E, and D- thanks for a fab. shabbos/motzei shabbos. They rocked (but you all know how I feel, you got my e-mail).
Anyhu, onto the main event. We got to MSG around an hour before the show started. We met my father in law outside the garden to pick up the tickets and we took pictures under the O.A.R. at MSG SOLD OUT sign (I would post them, but I am not a big fan of posting pictures of myself on the net, just a weird thing I have). My father-in-law handed us our tickets as well as our O.A.R. at MSG ALL ACCESS PASSES. I don't care who you are, that is just cool (Think Waynes World).
We went into the Garden and found our seats which were neither here nor there fine. They were one section up to the right of the stage, pretty close to the stage. Nothing special, but really fine, and did I mention I had all access passes? So, Greg and I went down behind stage to look for Benj, or whomever to wish them good luck. We honestly didn't expect to find Benj and knew that he was probably too nervous to talk, but we couldn't not go backstage at MSG. So we found the "O.A.R. Family Room" (yes, the sign posted said that, darn why didn't I take a picture of that?) and went in. We chatted with some of the band/crew members' family, had some water and baby carrots (there was a whole spread but we could only have the carrots). I then made friends with two guards who gave me a setlist which proved to be very useful during the show (it is always good to be able to plan your bathroom breaks at a very long concert).
By then, it was getting closer to 8pm and Matisyahu was going to take the stage so we decided to head back to our seats. Matisyahu was fabulous. I only know 1 of his songs really well, but I really like his music. The crowd was very into him. I went down to the press photographer section which is right in front of the front row for a littel bit and Matisyahu is prettty dynamic from so close. That was really neat. Greg got some awesome pictures from that location and I will post that link in a bit.
After Matisyahu, O.A.R. finally took the stage. OK, let me say this. Nothing could have prepared me for this experience. I met my brother-in-law Benj when he was a trouble making 8th Grader (no, he wasn't my brother-in-law yet, I was still in high school). A few years later, he played us a homemade tape that his band recorded and it was pretty raw. Over the years we have gotten to know the music and the band intimately and have been to a bunch of shows. We have watched O.A.R. take step after step to achieve success. We have discussed and re-discussed decisions the band took amongst ourselves, Greg's parents, and Benj. We watched Benj play at the Recher in Towson and thought that was the coolest. We stood in awe as the band sold out the 9:30 club. We watched them on TV on all the late night shows. We were as proud as we could have been. And then they played at Madison Square Garden.
They played in the Arena and sold it out. There were between 18-20,000 people singing the words to all of their music. The lighting was fantastic (and that is an understatement). Each member of the band was completely ON. They were going crazy. Marc, the lead singer, noted that they were all giddy and it showed. This was unequivocally O.A.R.'s best concert ever. I was with some friends who had never been to a rock concert, and some friends who had never seen O.A.R. play. They were all blown away.
Here is a link to the pictures Greg took during the show. It is hard not to notice the energy and to recognize how excited the band and the crowd were.
Anyway, the show was amazing. 19 songs and we didn't want it to end. But, alas, all good things must come to an end. With our ears ringing, we went to J2 for pizza after the concert. We sat at the table next to Matisyahu. Greg introduced himself as the bassist for O.A.R.'s brother, but by that time, Matisyahu had been bombarded by a bunch of fans, so I don't think he noticed or cared. Oh well...
After J2, we headed to a club where O.A.R. was having and after-concert party for their friends and family. I am not into the dark room, (save for random tea lights on tables), VERY LOUD, and crowded alcohol drinking scene. We waited for Benj to come, hung out for a bit, and then went back to the Hotel. Sunday morning, Benj had a brunch at his apt. for family and close friends of his and it was nice (catered kosher from the Village Crown-Thanks B!).
It was great getting home to the kids though. Seeing them after we hadn't been with them for 3 days was really uplifting.
I am not going to forget this weekend for a long time. It was really pretty awesome.
Greg and I are going to NY this weekend to see O.A.R. play at Madison Square Garden. I am really excited. On Friday night, we will be staying with our friends who got married in September and will hang out with them and other good friends over Shabbos. On Sat. night, we will go to the show and then stay at a hotel in the city. A lot of Greg's relatives are coming to the concert (even his aunt and uncle from California!) so it will be a nice family gathering.
I am honestly just very excited about getting away, sans kids. I love them to death, but I haven't been away without one or all of them since before Eden was born. She is 16 months old. I need to breathe a bit. I am already thinking about what to bring them back from NY. They aren't really into souvenier type things. I think the best thing for me to do is go to Target tommorow and get Ezra Pokemon stuff and Gila Dora stuff. Yeah, that is what I'll do. One less thing to worry about while in NY.
I can't believe I am going somewhere to sleep and I don't have to worry about bringing diapers and a pack and play. I might even be able to go to Shul. What a novelty!
BTW, if anyone is still reading this on Wednesday night, check O.A.R. out on Conan tonight- NBC 12 AM.
I hate this time of day Monday-Friday. It is 3:35. The calm before the storm. All Hell will be breaking loose in about 15-20 minutes. That is when Ezra and Gila get home.
I hate that I have a pit in my stomach every day at this time. It is because as hard as I try to keep things calm after school, inevitably; my children loose all sense of calm and rationalism the minute they get home from school and walk through the door. It is probably a good sign that they loose it after school and not during school; however, it doesn't make things any easier for their mother.
OK, time to do the customary pre-after school yoga breathing. 1, 2, 3....Help!!!!!!!!!!!
I know my posts lately have been on the inane side lately and this post will be no exception. Sorry, I guess.
Anyway, my latest iPod observation. This actually isn't about my iPod or the awesome chartreuse case that Greg bought me as a get well present when I was sick, or the fact that my hearing is significantly diminished since October 19 (when I got the wonderful piece of equipment). Rather, it is about an iconic singer who is currently gracing my playlist.
Barbra Streisand.
I am going to get lambasted for this and I can't wait. Maybe it is because I am not a gay male. Maybe because I was born in the mid-seventies. Maybe I am not really Jewish (I actually am, just look at my nose). Maybe it is because I can't stand Rosie O'Donnel. I don't know. I just don't see what all the fuss about Barbra Streisand is. Granted, she has a nice voice. But that is it.
I never got the whole SNL Linda Richman "like butter" thing. I just don't think Babs is all that (or a bag of chips- in fact, I'd rather eat a bag of chips than listen to Barbra sing). Yentl never did anything for me (BTW, piece of trivia, that was the first movie my family rented when we got a Beta VCR in the early 80's), I didn't see Funny Girl or The Way We Were. Like I mentioned before, I have enough nose that I don't appreciate Barbra's extra extremity.
I don't think Barbra Streisand is the best singer or actress that ever was. I am sorry. I feel like a traitor to my people.