sud-city.

I did a very grown-up thing today. when i realized that the only clean clothing left to wear was what my sister has dubbed the "amish skirt" it was time to come to terms with the idea of a laundromat. ive been doing my own laundry for an eternity, but this year is the first that my apartment is not equipped with its own machines.

so today i became acquainted with sud-city on chestnut street. it was a very slow and uncomfortable process (that ended with a few new bleach stains on my pattersons polo and two mysterious orange spots on my favorite shirt) but otherwise it was harmless.

i feel like it was a right of passage into adulthood. or perhaps into glamorous city life- i always have associated laundromats with

sex and the city

or my sisters san francisco flat. funny that i gained the right in the heart of midwest farmland- also known as oxford, ohio. where if you listen hard enough you can hear the corn grow.

rainy mondays.

i found the first fall leaf today while i walked to the library. it contrasted nicely with the drenched surrounding. its beauty didn't register until i was already three steps ahead, but it then required a turn around and quick documentation.

rainy days are not my favorite, but at least there was a bit of beauty on my walk.

happy monday, my loves!

vineyard ventures.

Before prohibition ceased all (public) wine production in the early 1900s, cincinnati was the largest grape growing city in the united states. Since then, production has certainly slowed in the region but picked up again in the 70s. my botany 244 class spent Saturday at valley vineyard on the most lovely fall day Cincinnati has seen. Located in morrow, ohio, we began the day early with a nine am bus call. An hour later we trekked up a mile long, two hundred foot hill to arrive at the vineyards where over 35 varieties of grapes have been grown for 3 generations. we ate grapes, toured the winery, tasted wines and purchased many! I left wishing to bacchus for my very own vineyard.

rookie mist/C/ake.

THE BACKGROUND:

- we have a small kitchen, so when i began the final practice cake for benjamin's big day (still hope hes not reading these posts! a white chocolate raspberry birthday perfect cheesecake) i had to utilize the entire area.

- now ive heard cheesecakes are difficult to bake.. thats why i had to practice.

- we do not have the proper baking utensils.. thus i improvised using the cereal bowl and metal cooling rack pictured above to melt white chocolate chips over simmering water.

the story:

The good news is, the smoke alarms at 111 east walnut work fantastically. the culprit is pictured above- the pot of simmering water on the back left burner RAN OUT OF WATER! as soon as i smelled burning, the alarm above the kitchen table (pictured to the right) went balistic. then the alarm in my room went CrAzY. then the alarm in tierneys room began the loudest beep of all. i panicked. I fanned, i flapped, i opened windows, to no avail! i tore the alarm off the ceiling .. but it just kept beeping in my hands! i ran into my bedroom and threw it under my bed covers. i slammed shut my bedroom door and FINALLY, four minutes later, all three alarms went quiet.

the results:

are thus.. a smoke filled apartment, a smoke alarm under my covers, an empty bottle of febreeze, and this... raspberry white chocolate cheesecake (that i cannot get off the cake pan) time to enjoy my pretty delicious rookie mist-cake.

practice cakes..

tis benjamin's birthday next week (hopefully he does not read this post!) and i have been trying to find the perfect cake to bake him. my first inkling already has its own post- the raspberry chocolate deliciousness ... it was good. my favorite definitely. there was chocolate upon chocolate upon chocolate. however, some people (ahem..one person) thought it tasted more like a dessert without a family. so it was nixed from the list.

thus today i made the second practice cake: white chocolate raspberry. the cake itself is infused with white chocolate and layered with homemade white chocolate cream cheese icing. 12 oz of white chocolate went into the cake.. unfortunately im not the biggest fan of white chocolate.

nevertheless, it is beautiful indeed.

anyway, the search for a birthday- perfect cake is still underway.. suggestions should be sent today!

and neighbors... tierney and i cannot eat this cake alone. stop by for a bite and conversation!