Eyre Affairs

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Wednesday, July 05, 2006

"Mix your freshest, finest, clearest tints..." Jane Eyre

Mixing and matching can be exciting at times. While I am usually a woman who wears solid colors and tend to enjoy aspects in life that are uniform, I still love a good mix-up. This evening I am thinking about all things I love that are mixed and matched.

Pasta: There is nothing I love more than having almost-empty boxes of pasta in my pantry and combining the various shapes to form one big pasta dish for dinner. It adds texture and excitement to the pasta bowl, and eating it is fun because of the way the various shapes roll around in your mouth. It is also a novelty because its something you usually prepare in your own kitchen on a night of leftovers. I have yet to eat in an Italian restaurant that serves pasta combined! My favorite combination in my kitchen? Rotelli and linguini: curly cue pasta balances out flat linguini.

Red and Pink: I think many fashionistas say that pink and red together are a no-no on pre and post Valentine's Day, but on occasion I love this mix of colors on days that are not February 14th. The two-piece I bought for swimming this summer is a brown base with a burberryesque plaid pattern of white, brown, red, and pink. The colors work for me, people.

James Carville and Mary Matalin: I absolutely love that these two are married with children. I don't understand how they are married, but I love that they are. I can see a Republican and Democrat together under normal circumstances, but these two are not normal. They are both strong figures in D.C., and their book All's Fair In Love, War, and Running for President kept me in awe after each page. They were literally against each other in the Clinton/Bush campaigns. Personally, I have quite the crush on the bleeding heart liberal, Carville. Serpenthead or not, that man has charisma and a sweet southern drawl. I never miss a chance to see him on television. Some of his quotes are for the books: In the Clinton administration we worried the president would open his zipper. In the Bush administration, they worry the president will open his mouth.

Soaps: I have a bowl of soaps in my bathroom that contains a mix and match of soaps. It smells so good, and its enjoyable having a collection of soaps that I picked up from various vacations. I remember that J.Sarah had an amazing mix of little soaps growing up, and she inspired me back then to purchase a mix of different-shaped soaps. They were sold in Cederhurst Paper, of all places. They were all different colors and had shapes like butterflies and flowers and frogs. I still have my chocolate soap in my bowl from the Hershey Spa trip this past January. I need to go back there and get more. I really do.

Wine: Lately there is a trend of mixing various grape varieties into one wine, and I have enjoyed the ones I have tasted. Sometimes blends are looked down upon, but I tend to find a mixture of cabernet and merlot delicious with a nice body.

The All-Star Game: I always look forward to the all-star game in baseball; this year it is 7/11. I cheer for the American League, of course (there is an eight year winning streak at the moment). I am never surprised that there is at least one of my Yankees starting the game. This year it is A-Rod and Derek Jeter. Rivera was chosen to help relief, and Cano is in the reserves. I admit that it is extremely odd to see Ortiz and Jeter out on the same field, but I can deal with it for one evening.

Sushi: The best part about eating sushi is the freedom you get as you order. Anything you want, any combination. I tend to order a mix of a roll and then some sushi pieces. My favorite rolls are eel and avocado, yellowtail and scallion, and, ironically, a Boston roll. My favorite pieces include salmon, tuna, and yellowtail. Yellowtail is my favorite, chopsticks down. There is something about the buttery texture and mellow taste that is just delectable. I could write more, but sushi deserves its own post. As does sake. When I drink sake, I tend to feel just a little mixed-up...but in a good way.

18 Comments:

Blogger Marty said...

"When I drink sake, I tend to feel a little mixed up...but in a good way."

;)

Future Plans for when I visit NY again:
Buy sake.
Meet Thursday for 'drinks'
Videotape the whole encounter because, Thursday is hilarious when ripped and so am I.
Write long rambling post about it later, to which Ms. Next replies: "You are a complete nutso. Case closed."

haaha
I am kidding.
But seriously: I generally can't stand for things to be..out of order. But Therapist says I need to try and accept chaos in order to treat myself. So I let people mess up my cute Star Wars lego men on my desk at work (the Darth Vader with removable helmet is the cutest thing ever, BTW). I try not to break fingers as people move them all around, and do not put them back in a neat line like I had them. But it's ok! Chaos is what we have to expect out of life.
It CAN be a great thing. Anyhow, nice post. Save some mixed pasta and mixed wine for me, will ya?
:)

10:29 PM  
Blogger ThursdayNext said...

Marty ~ Not only are we drinking sake on your next visit, but sake-tinis! Miss Marty, I have to agree with Therapist. I wouldnt keep 'em in a straight line. I would have the Han and Leia legos making out, Darth Vader lego in mid-swing pre-hand chopping of the Luke lego, and Lando Calrissian lego drinking a COLT 45! :)

11:01 PM  
Blogger Barry said...

American League - hah! Yeah they have won 8 straight. As far as raw fish thing - I just can't handle it.

11:24 PM  
Blogger xoxoalk said...

Ooooh, how about mixing sweet and savory? There is nothing I like better than a sangwich of Jalapeno-Jack cheese with raspberry or blueberry jam on thick brown bread. Or pancakes with scrambled eggs. Or that Epicurious recipe for chocolate cookies with sea salt. MIXY!!

2:08 AM  
Blogger Marty said...

Note to self: Must pose lego men provocatively. But not so much so as to draw the ire of supervisors.

ahaha

Colt 45. :)

7:59 AM  
Blogger ThursdayNext said...

Barry ~ Well, I know your Astros are National, but I shall always cheer for the American! As for sushi...have you tried the cook rolls at all? ;)

Madfoot ~ You are right: I missed a good one! I LOVE sweet and savory. Mmmm. I think my favorite sweet/savory sinful snack is a *MCGRIDDLE* from McDonalds. I eat one ONCE a year! In 2005 it was the morning that Jack came home - kind of celebratory! I have yet to have one in 2006!

Marty ~ Tell the supervisors that they are in the middle of light saber battles - anything goes in one! Just dont pose Boba Fett provocatively. Yech!

9:06 AM  
Blogger Clearlykels said...

Sushi is amazing. Ha ha, I love that you love that James Carville and Mary matalin are married too. I just think it is amazing. Two people passionate about different views living together, loving one another and raising children. And how I could go on about mixing wine grapes... it is pretty common and adds such an amazing body.... Glad you are back!

9:50 AM  
Blogger Connie said...

When I was a young lass, my best friend and I loved pink and purple so much that we couldn't actually SAY Pink or Purple. Screaming would result if we did. We had to call them PI and PU. I have no problem whatsoever with mixing the two. I think mixing Red and PI or Red and PU should be avoided.

Also, I love Derek Jeter. When I say love, I mean LOVE. A-Rod is okay, since he left my precious but craptastic Mariners, I still have a slightly bitter taste in my mouth.

Thanks for the mixing blog and if you can get it, there is an awesome wine called Fife Redhead, a fine fine fine blend of several wines that is so delicious, you won't mind the headache the next day.

Hope you had a blissful fourth of July.

10:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love the Republican/Democrat match up as well and often wonder how it works. As for the pasta bowl mix up, I will have to try that one for myself...

2:56 PM  
Blogger Slim said...

Once upon a time someone mixed chocolate and peanut butter. Hooray for mixing!!!!

Comfortable yet attractive dress shoes...there's a combo that I rarely find but truly enjoy.

I used to have baskets of soap in the bathroom but they'd get dusty and I wouldn't know what to do with them. So, I switched to baskets of colorful sea glass collected on the beaches of Maine. I've lost them somewhere along the line...forgot all about them. Guess I have to make a trip to Maine soon!

3:10 PM  
Blogger ThursdayNext said...

Kels ~ What are your favorite sushi rolls and pieces? I was thinking of you when I wrote about the wine. I hope your new place still has the winery around the corner?!?

Auto ~ I admit I am not head over heels for A-Rod. Besides Jeter, the only Yank I ever loved was Andy Boy. :)

Lynn~ I wonder if their kids will be dems or republicans! :)

WIP ~ Oooo. I love chocolate on anything salty, like peanut butter, pretzels, or...chicken! I love chicken mole. Mmmmm. I think you should head to Maine to replace the glass. And while you are there, eat tons of lobster, too!

3:47 PM  
Blogger J Cosmo Newbery said...

Pasta, yes; there always seems to be bits left over.
Red & Pink: no, they clash with my eyes.
James & Mary: Not known this side of the Pacific
Soaps: No preference as long as they do not smell like Aunty Vera.
Baseball: See James & Mary.
Sushi: Worth eating but not worth making.
Wine: Ahhh! Now there's a thing. If there is no Cabernet Merlot in heaven, I am not going.

7:08 PM  
Blogger David said...

I think the Linkin Park/Jaz-Z mash-ups are better than anything they've done seperately. I also like the Gorillaz for mixing weird styles of pop music.
I too, am strangely pleased at the odd coupling of James Carville and Mary Matalin. I think that we should institutionalize this practice of left/right love matches. Effective immediately, Ann Coulter and Michael Moore must mate.

11:11 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My two favorites--apples and smoked cheddar, crab and avocado.

12:31 AM  
Blogger ThursdayNext said...

J. Cos. ~ If there is no CabMerlot in heaven, I am not going either! I promise not to wear pink and red when I blog so it doesnt bother your eyes. ;)

David ~ Love Gorillaz. Ann Coulter and Michael Moore would have some explosive wedding! It would be the kind of reception that made the news because intoxicated guests would fight. Why do I feel like Ann would be the alpha male in that relationship?

Jessica ~ I *love* your food style. :)

3:20 AM  
Blogger Slim said...

Warning: A comment totally unrelated to your post below:

Amy, I just read a book that you must read. Its titled "Dancing in a Distant Place" The author is Isla Dewar.

I just finished it, went back and read the first chapter, shed a tear, and for some reason thought of you.

So, I'm pausing before taking a shower and highly recommending this book to an English teacher whom I think would love the story.

10:00 AM  
Blogger Paul said...

What of the more classical mixes? They may be commonplace, and yet 'tis for a reason. Think, for example, upon a shake with fries...

9:42 PM  
Blogger ThursdayNext said...

WIP ~ I am heading to the library this weekend (must get picture books for my kindergartners!) and I will get the book then. Thank you SO much for the recommendation. Once I am done reading, you and I will have a book talk via email!

Percival ~ I like your style. Classical mixes are not to be overlooked!

9:53 PM  

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