recycleg's Profile

I wish we had a washer and dryer in the building. For some 20+ years, I've done laundry by hauling to the laundromat a block away. It's fine on dry warm days, but when it's cold and/or rainy, it's not fun to drag heavy laundry OUT of your building, down the street on my cart to get it done. I also live in a second floor walk up.

One day soon.

I like putting out an Italian deli spread and providing some soft french bread and sliced bread. I usually do two salads-a green salad and a more starchy one like potato or bulgar wheat salad with tomatoes. For dessert, watermelon slices and cupcakes with frosting on the side.

I'm getting hungry again.

One of my favorite kitchen memories is of my dad making a Chinese dessert dish for Chinese New Year, nian gao, a slightly sweet, rubbery dessert topped with dates and sesame seeds steamed in an aluminum pan. I use to help him pour the ingredients in-flour, rock sugar syrup and oil and he'd use his hands to mix all of it in a big tub and grab a handful of mix and spell my name.

I hope one day soon I can replicate the recipe and memory with one of my nieces and nephews.

I like bedrooms to be light and cool colored. I have Pratt and Lambert's Honeydew on my bedroom walls and honestly, it's soothing and refreshing to wake up to every morning. It's a very pale blue with hints of green. Just lovely. Good luck!

Don't miss: the annoying car alarm which would play several, incredibly loud instrumental songs if the car was affected in anyway. It became so commonplace that you'd realize cars weren't being broken into but affected by people bumping into them, the wind, a fast car driving by, etc. My ex had one and it drove me nuts.

Miss: The sound of an old telephone ringing

I live in an apartment building owned by my dad and grandpa, so I have great memories growing up here and of them. I have a number of items from my grandpa- a beloved broken wingback chair I had redone, a carved side table, a silk picture, and pottery. I am also starting to collect a few things from my dad-an old filing box, some of his cooking tools. And pictures of them both and other lost loved ones.

Initially, it was painful to look at them but over time as things mellow, they've become sweet reminders of good people who graced the earth.

I read about this in the Secret Life of Bees which takes place in South Carolina. It sounds interesting although I don't drink soda.

My dad taught me to cook when I was little. I learned how to cook more elaborate meals, including Thanksgiving and Christmas meals, in the last 5 years when my dad became sick. Although his recent passing is still difficult, I cherish an important skill that I'll carry with me and the time we spent together doing something we love. My family and friends are awestruck and thankful for the meals and treats I create. Thanks, Dad.

Love: Filling up the dishwasher, Doing the laundry, dancing while vacuuming. Putting things in the trash/recycling bins.

Hate: Putting dishes away. Washing floors, Mexican style. Taking out the trash/recycling/composting. Paying bills. Shredding documents.

I wouldn't call them show stoppers but they are some of the most popular (and easy to make desserts): chocolate chip cookies + lemon squares. Both are gone soon after it's out on the table.