Some days I just feel fancy.  Sometimes I wake up and make pancakes for breakfast, even though I’m the only one at home.  Sometimes I wear a dress and heels to work, even though jeans and flats are allowed.  And sometimes, though I know I’d be satisfied with a quick batch of tried-and-true muffins, I just feel like making a cake that I’ve never tried before… and whipping up some lemon curd while I’m at it. Lemon curd.  What an awful name for such a lovely food.  I hope you’ll forgive the off-putting moniker and give lemon curd a try,…

I’m going to let you in on a deep, dark secret.  When I was in grad school, in a program focused on nutrition, local food, good farming practices, and the like, I could not let any of my classmates know about this.  Maybe several of us shared this secret in common, but we couldn’t talk about it.  It was just too dangerous.  To admit this was to accept the risk of becoming an immediate pariah, viewed as a hypocrite and a traitor. Are you ready?  Here it is. I love junk food. I can’t help it.  Yes, I hate that…

  Conversation One “Thank you for calling [retail establishment] Men’s, this is Jesi.” “Yeah, I’m looking for a particular blouse in a size 4.  Can you tell me if you have it?” “Oh!  We’re actually a men’s store.  I can give you the number for women’s, if you like.” “But this is the number that was listed online.” “Yes, we’re two separate stores, but they only list the men’s number online.  I’m not sure why.  Would you like the number for women’s?” “Ughhh… I’ll just call back later.” “Ok… we’ll still be a men’s store.” Conversation Two “I once had…

Valentine’s Day was this week.  Were you aware?  If you have Facebook—and I find it highly unlikely that you’d have somehow found your way to my baby blog but not to Facebook—you probably found your news feed swarming with statuses berating V-Day for being a gimmick created by card companies to make money while also making people feel miserable. Truth be told, I kind of like Valentine’s Day.  Sure, it tends to be over-hyped and over-commercialized, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with setting aside a day in dull, drab February for a little silly sweetness. That being said,…

I lost my job recently.  I had been aware for a while that times were tough, that the economy was bad, that meaningful work was hard to come by… but there’s nothing quite like job loss to drive that point home. On the day I was let go, I came home, poured myself a glass of wine, drew a hot bath (and dropped in a Lush Butterball bath bomb), and sank in.  I’ve been at peace with my whole situation ever since that bath.  Naturally, it helps that I have parents who will not let me starve or end up…

According to Martha Stewart’s Cookies, “Children love these two-bite treats.”  Umm, what are you trying to say, Martha?  That there’s something childish about taking a perfectly good batch of cookies and sticking your thumb in each and every one of them?  That only kids would be interested in filling those thumb-holes with molten chocolate chips?  That, as an adult, I should skip these and bake your Raspberry Honey Financiers, Biscochitos, or Earl Grey Tea Cookies  instead?  (That, if I do make these kiddie cookies anyway, I should eat each of them in two separate bites?) Come to think of it,…