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Return to the wondrous and the tangible: The Artist Date

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For the creative ones in our midst, who, like me, working hard to vulnerably put good things into the world, this is a good article. It is a great reminder of a healthy practice that I participate in regularly, Artist Dates, or as I call them Author Dates.

Writing for the Social Good

Grace Pointner 

When did play dates turn into dates? As children, other people coordinated spaces for us to gather with friends either for a specific event or just to play. My mother was usually this person, calling other moms to plan tea parties, a game of tag or a walk to the local playground. Now, I wait for someone to ask me on a date or I myself do the asking. Either way, “dates” are no longer organized by a third party, rather, they are planned by two autonomous individuals for a particular purpose.

Similarly, the word “play” has been removed from the concept. The traditional definition of the word play is “to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than serious or practical purposes”. A playdate was time specifically set aside for this. Now, dates have ulterior motives; they are not for child’s play anymore. But what if they…

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“Stay at Home” Get-Away

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Here it is, early August. We are still under a “stay at home” order. Summer is winding down. Did you get out of town for vacation? Some of us did. Some of us did not.

We had reservations at the Blue Lantern Inn, Dana Point, California, to celebrate a milestone birthday with an ocean view. We made the reservations back in January this year, when life was simpler. I didn’t want to cancel until closer to the weekend, hoping for things to improve regarding the pandemic. They did. Briefly, at least.

As the weekend approached, I debated back and forth if it would be a good idea to go or not. It did seem to be a low risk activity. I spoke to the inn personnel. I consulted my doctor. I researched online. We had until seven days prior to cancel for a full refund. So on that day, we decided we’d go. The commitment was made. I totally overthought it, but I wanted to be safe, not sorry.

We had a lovely time. We did practice social distancing by simply relaxing in the room or sitting out on the balcony, except to go pick-up food. We followed the requirement to wear a mask when we were outside our room. We washed our hands. And hoped for the best.

Basically, we went “glamping” – the term for glamorous camping. Not knowing what to quite expect, and basically quarantining ourselves to the room, we packed extra supplies. The inn was not doing housekeeping once guests checked in. There was no food service. Here are some some things we did to make this work.

Our lovely room. It was cleaned prior to our arrival, and left empty for 24-hours before our check-in, according to protocol.
We picked up Friday night dinner at a local restaurant and ate on the balcony of the room. We brought dishes, napkins, and tableware which came in handy.
The view was delightful. If you choose to stay in your room, having a view is a good idea.
We brought our own breakfast buffet: sourdough coffee cake that Glen had made, and slices of cheese. We ate this both Saturday and Sunday with coffee.
Since there was no housekeeping, and we’d brought plates and utensils from home, I did the dishes in the bathroom sink with dish soap, dish cloth, and a drying towel brought from home.
Our drying rack was a place mat from home.
We brought a jar and some tea bags and made sun tea for the afternoon.
We really enjoyed the change of scenery from our home.
Random snacks from home.
Happy hour on the balcony.
We got take-out for dinner, too. It was too cold to eat outside, so we moved the balcony table and chairs in by the little fireplace. The restaurant did no include napkins or tableware, so I was glad we had brought some.

We cancelled our vacation plans for May. We cancelled our vacation plans for this month. With our current uncertain circumstances, it seemed to be the wisest thing for us. I’m glad we did get one weekend away. It wasn’t the get-away we’d had in mind when we made the reservation last January, but we had a good time.

Blue Lantern Inn, Dana Point; Photo Credit: Trip Advisor

Where did you get away to this summer? What did you give up?

Stay charming, my friends.

Weekends Are for New Recipes

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Sometimes a slow Saturday is perfect for slow cooking. And fall is always a good time for a hearty stew. Weekends sometimes bring a break in busy schedules affording time to prep, cook, clean-up, and the energy to do it. So I took the time and had some fun on a recent Saturday afternoon chopping, measuring, and prepping our dinner to try a new stew recipe.

The new recipe I wanted to try was Hearty Pork & Ale Stew, from Midwest Living magazine. It’s described as “This main-dish stew celebrates autumn with assorted root vegetables, apples, and tomatoes simmered with melt-in-your-mouth pork sirloin.”

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Hearty Pork & Ale Stew Recipe

Slow cooking can be so relaxing. It’s definitely rewarding. I love combining ingredients, smelling the aroma while cooking, and then tasting the result. All that work to feed people you love good food brings a feeling of satisfaction. Not to mention the fun suspense of trying a new recipe. Would it come out right? Would we both like it?

The challenge was this. After sitting around for three months during broken ankle and surgery recovery, would I have the stamina? I did. It went well. I had a good time. We enjoyed a delicious stew for dinner on a lovely fall (91 degrees) evening, while watching Purdue University (I’m a graduate and fan) surprise undefeated Ohio State (I’m a Buckeye fan by birth) with an upset.

Back to the stew…I found the recipe in the book Seasons of the Heartland. I’ve provided the link to the online recipe in the beginning of the blog. (Just click on Hearty Pork & Ale Stew above.)

 

Pork & Ale Stew Dijon Mustard 10-20-18

I typically overlook one ingredient when checking to make sure I have everything. This time it was Dijon mustard. I discovered we were out as I was browning the meat. I was sure we had it, but didn’t check in advance. My husband to the rescue! He dashed to the store and was back just in time for me to add it in. Practical love.

One of the interesting things about this recipe for me was the inclusion of Granny Smith apples and tomatoes. Tomatoes are common in soups, but tomatoes and tart apples seemed unusual to me. Plus, I’d never had apples in a stew. It was interesting and delicious.

A fun afternoon. Lots to clean up because, as usual, I dirty plenty of bowls, cutting boards, spoons, knives, and measuring spoons and fill the entire counter. My husband, who cleans as he goes (he’s a good cook!), hasn’t been able to break me of this habit. That’s why when I cook, I clean. When he cooks, he cleans. Marriage rule from the early days.

The stew was delicious and offered a variety of interesting flavors and textures. I plan to make it again. Looki leftovers – another gift of slow cooking.

Pork & Ale Stew 1 10-20-18

Stay charming, my friends! And eat well in this season.