DIY: Marbles and Tea Lights

This past Saturday, my roommates and I had a summer kick-off party at our apartment. I put marbles in old glass milk jugs and placed a tea light on top to make candle-holders. I think they're such fun centerpieces for summer!

That's Not My Name

The summer after I graduated from high school, I noticed that I had a speech problem. Although it seems strange to develop a speech impediment at the age of eighteen, that's what happened to me. When I went to camp that summer, I noticed that people kept misunderstanding one word that I said--that word being my own name. This had never happened to me before, but it's happened regularly since.

"Madison." Or, as I say it, "Maaaaadison."

The problem stems from an improper pronunciation of the "a." Although I generally don't have a Southern twang, despite my Carolinian origins, I use the long Southern "a" when saying my name. I just can't seem to fix it.

Last week, I was at a babysitting interview with my friend Corinne. We both introduced ourselves to the mother, who then introduced us to her two-year-old twins.

"Come meet Corinne and Allison," Maura said.

For an entire hour, I didn't correct her. At this point, the Madison-Allison mistake is such a part of my daily life that I get tired of correcting it. At the end of the interview, Corinne referred to me by my actual name and Maura realized that she'd been calling me by the wrong name.

Allison is the most common mistake, but there have been many others. I've had Starbucks cups ranging from Mallison to Monica to Maxine to Motza to my personal favorite, Mabison.

"What an interesting name," the barista said.

"It's not that interesting,'" I thought.

Then, she handed me a cardboard cup with Mabison scrawled across the top. Indeed, Mabison is an interesting name.

The most peculiar name-confusion situation I've experienced, perhaps, was on a random date.

January before last, I went on a quick weekend trip home to see my newborn nephew. I flew out of JFK for the first time, and I was not exactly sure how to get there on the train. Because I'm not the savviest of travelers (I once sat in the middle of an airport bawling because my flight was canceled, and I've missed two buses going out of town in the past week), I asked the mid-twenties man standing next to me if I was on the right train.

"Yes," he said.

When the train reached our stop, he showed me how to get on the AirTran and even paid for me to go through. We chatted for a few minutes on the AirTran, until he reached his stop. As he was getting off the AirTran, he asked me if I'd like to get coffee sometime, so I gave him my number.

He put his hand out.

"I'm Matt, by the way," he said.

"I'm Maaaaadison," I said.

He looked puzzled as he stepped onto the platform, and I knew that he had misunderstood my name.

A few days later, I met Matt (Disclaimer: I do not usually go on dates with random men) for coffee at one of my favorite coffee spots in the city--Stumptown in Ace Hotel. Generally, you order coffee at the little coffee bar at the front of the hotel and then sit in the swanky lobby.

This particular evening, however, the hotel was having some kind of mixer in the lobby, and people were everywhere. Matt and I both ordered Americanos and then unsuccessfully attempted to find seats. We kept bumping into people, and, after I spilled half my Americano on myself, we went back to the coffee bar to stand and chat--for three hours.

He assured me that he was not a creep and that he had never before asked anyone from a train out on a date. As the coffee date progressed, however, I noticed that he had not called me by name. He left to use the restroom.

"Now, I have to ask you a question," he said when he came back. "How do you spell your name?"

"Whatever you think my name is is not my name," I said (which, looking back, is a creepy response). "What do you think my name is?"

He hesitated. "Is it...Maxim?" he said. "M-A-X-I-M?"

I laughed, shook my head, and, of course, told him my name.

A few days later, Matt asked me to go to dinner. I declined. You should never trust a man who thinks your name is "Maxim."

How To...Make Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

For dinner tonight, Avery and I made easy and delicious stuffed portabello mushrooms.

Ingredients:

-portabello mushrooms

-fresh spinach

-bread crumbs

-sliced red onion

-vinaigrette dressing of choice (We used Trader Joe's Tuscan Italian with Balsamic Vinegar)

-crumbled feta cheese (We used Trader Joe's Mediterranean blend)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°.

Step 2: Cut stems off mushrooms and gut them.

Step 3: Layer feta cheese, spinach, and red onion slices. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and drizzle dressing.

Step 4: Place on an aluminum foil-covered pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes (or until soft).

Pair with some hearty bread and a side salad. Yum!

Oh-Snap: Central Park Conservatory Garden

Last spring, I stumbled upon the Conservatory Garden at the north end of Central Park (105th Street and 5th Ave). I love it--love, love, love, love it! It opened in 1937 and features six acres of seasonal plants, arranged in English, French, and Italian styles.

Today, I returned to the blooming garden with my lovely friend Ariana. Oh-snap, I hope you enjoy these photos!

Things I Like: Emack and Bolio's

Emack and Bolio's is a Boston-based, homemade ice-cream shop with a rock-n-roll vibe.

There happens to be a location very close to my apartment, at 81st Street and First Avenue, and I can already tell that E&B ice cream is going to be a daily temptation for me (and my roommate Avery) this summer.

It's just so good! Tonight I tried Bleeding Hearts--vanilla ice-cream with raspberry swirls and dark and white chocolate truffles. Yum!

There are also locations at 73 West Houston Street and at Amsterdam Avenue (between 78th and 79th Streets).

S'mores Cake in a Jar

My friend Charlotte sent me the link to this recipe for s'mores cake in a jar a few months ago. I've been dying to try it! Summer will be the perfect time to try these treats out (maybe in smaller jars), since campfires are few and far between in the city.

Yum!

Mad Eye Mads is back!

Although it's pouring down rain in New York City and still a bit chilly outside, summer vacation has begun.

With summer comes the time to blog!

Check back here regularly for new posts. Over the next three months, I'll be posting about etiquette, craft and decorating projects (My roommate Avery and I are in the middle of an apartment overhaul!), cooking, and things I like. I'll also have a few special photo projects and some lengthier pieces of writing.

I'm very excited to be spending the summer in the city, working at a florist on the Upper West Side (81st and Columbus!). It's a tiny, family-owned florist, and I should be doing a lot of arrangements, which will be splendid. The photo below is of an arrangement I did for a formal event back in April.