Tuscan Citrus Grilled Chicken

This weekend we went to visit NBH's Mom and let Emma run about and enjoy the sunshine. While it wasn't exactly warm, we did get a few hours outside before a crazy random thunder storm rolled through.

Thunder storms *don't* happen here so it was really bizarre. Emma attempted to run around, bark and chase the thunder away, but when we realized it was to no avail decided to cuddle up with us inside instead.

We did make some amazing grilled chicken, corn-on-the-cob and baked potatoes on the grill. Unfortunately NBH had to stand out there with a golf umbrella to get it done!

Here is my amended recipe, it is really light and fresh and great for upcoming spring/summer. You can find the original Bon Appétit recipe here.



Tuscan Grilled Citrus Chicken

Juice of one fresh orange

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano (if dry use 1/2 tbsp)

3 teaspoons salt, divided

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (if dry use 1/2 tsp)

1 garlic clove, chopped

4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

1-3 lemons



Whisk juices, olive oil, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and garlic in glass baking dish. Add chicken to marinade. Turn to coat; chill 2 hours, turning occasionally. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Mix remaining 2 teaspoons salt, paprika, and pepper in small bowl. Prepare barbecue (medium heat.

Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Rub paprika mixture over both sides of chicken. Place chicken on grill and cook until done.

Meanwhile, place whole lemons on grill and cook until slightly charred, turning often, about 1 minute. Cut into wedges and serve alongside for squeezing over chicken.

I ♥ Makeup

I went a bit nuts at Benefit today:

Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in "Birthday Suit"


Talent Shadow/Liner Brush





That Gal Brightening Face Primer




Some Kind of Gorgeous Foundation Faker


...and I got B Spot Perfume to free!

The girl did half my face and I did the other, so I know I can use the products, but I'm still having a hardcore case of buyer's remorse. I never splurge on myself like this. If anyone can praise these products and convince me not to return them, please do!

Lemonlimealicious

Yesterday for NBH's birthday I made him a cake, icing and all from scratch. Two of his favorite flavours in general are lemon and lime, so I thought I attempt to make a lemon-lime cake. I'd never made something like this before, but I made a hybrid of recipes I found at Bakerella and Modern Renaissance.

I followed Bakerella's cake recipe exactly, except I used lemon extract instead of butter flavoring and two 22cm pans, rather than three. I also didn't have Saranwrap/ClingFilm so I put the cakes in giant Ziplocks.

I also added grated lime zest to my cooled sugar syrup which I later strained off.

For the icing I followed the recipe and used very little milk. I added some green food dye and lime juice to about 1/3 of the icing for a surprise in the center in honor of NBH's favorite football team Celtic, who play in green in white hoops/stripes.

All and all it was a very tasty cake and NBH had a great birthday! Even more exciting is we actually got a good photo of the two of us!

Oh and Emma got to sit up in the window and yell at 3 year old boys for pooping in the street and their mothers for leaving both the poo and wet wipes on the ground (yes, that's a story for another day).

Happy Birthday Betsy!

Happy Birthday to my Cousin Betsy!

I miss her and her gorgeous bebes: Luka, Liam & Molly.

I hope you have a great day Bets!

Happy Birthday NBH!

Happy first married birthday!

I ♥ you!!!!

Bad Blogger, Bad Wife

So not only am I a terrible, lazy blogger, but I'm a bad wife. We were at my mother-in-law's last weekend and while washing dishes I took of my rings and put them on her window sill. Well that is where they still sit, hanging from the beak of a small ceramic swan.

Whoops. I've been ringless for 4 days and it's kinda of strange. No one has tried to pick me up yet, mistaking me for a single lassie, though. Hmm.....perhaps I should put more effort into getting dressed for work?

Marat Safin

For those who don't know, my house is a sports house. That is if there is a sport on being broadcast, chances are it's on my tv. Football, soccer, tennis, baseball, rugby, darts, snooker, basketball, you name it, we are probably watching it.

So yesterday we were watching some sort of tennis and I see this guy who looks dead on McSteamy. He does, right?



Marat Safin is a Russian tennis player apparently known for his fiery temper. I'd never heard of him or his sexiness; NBH says he used be really good, but he had some sort of mental break and is either really good or really crap now.

Dude totally split his racket in two after getting his serve broken and you know me, I love a bad boy.

Happy Belated Birthday Bonnie!

Happy Birthday Bonnie!

So, I'm a bad friend yet again. I missed my good friend Bonnie's birthday. Bonnie and I lived together in Georgetown in 2004. Her really crappy roomates went abroad and sublet their room on Craigslist to me. Luckily for me, no one else sublet so it was just Bon and I!

I could tell many interesting stories about Sex and the City party centerpieces, but I won't. I'll just say she and her family generously introduced me to Congressional Mardi Gras and even upgraded me to amazing seats at the Chargers v Saints game in London.

Like many of my friends there is an ocean between us, but I know our friendship will never fade out. Miss you!!!!

Happy Easter!

Nothing says Easter Sunday like Easter baskets for and your little sister from your Jewish Grandma.

Happy Easter!

Give me a Leonard Cohen afterworld, so I can sigh eternally

Was it really 15 years ago that Kurt Cobain died? I can remember sitting on my Mom's bed and my best friend Dana calling me and telling me to turn on MTV. I had a cove of Rolling Stone with his picture on it on my ceiling about my bed. It seemed so sad and such a waste; it still does.

I'm still not entirely convinced he killed himself; I saw part of a documentary once about how a hit was put out on him. Every time the film maker got to a person for information that person suddenly died; certainly made it more plausible to me that it wasn't suicide.

What would music be like today if he hadn't died? Would Nirvana had stayed together or would Foo Fighters have happened eventually anyway? Either way I still love Nirvana to this day and "grunge rock" is still probably one of my favorite genres of music. It's so cathartic singing along. If I want to sleep on a plane I have one album that I will put on repeat and play on my I-pod over and over and that's Nirvana Unplugged.

I'm not even going to touch on the insanity that is Courtney Love. I used to vaguely like Hole, but wow she's got some issues. Poor Frances Bean. I feel old today.

I Love You Man

How appropriate was it that I went to see a free preview of "I Love You Man" on my main squeeze Paul Rudd's birthday? I've been crushing on Paul since 1995 and Clueless. If you are ever feeling down, just pop in Clueless and skip to the part where Cher realizes "I love Josh" and there is a montage and he looks over at her in the car and smiles...aaah. Okay but I digress.

"I Love You Man" is about Peter who after proposing to his girlfriend goes on a series of "man dates" to find a best man since he doesn't have any close male friends. Now I realize that sounds like the worst premise ever, but I swear it is not.



Firstly you have Paul Rudd who is hilarious and adorable all at the same time, Jason Seagal who is super funny and I have a mini-crush on, too (I actually vaguely remember thinking he was cute in Freaks and Geeks). Throw in Jaime Pressly, Jon Favreau, Lou Ferigno (yes, the Hulk) and a host of other players from some of the funniest tv shows (Flight of the Conchords, SNL, The Office, Reno 911 etc.) and you've got a great cast. It also has this guy:




Normally I'd share the trailer or some funny jokes, but I think the trailer sorta spoils some of the jokes. This is one of the first movies I've laughed out loud to in a while and it's not gross or degrading humor, it's just genuinely funny. We will definitely be getting this on DVD when it comes out.

The Boat that Rocked

Last night we went to see a free sneak preview of "The Boat that Rocked." The first thing you have to say is that it has an amazing soundtrack, but would really expect anything less from a movie about a pirate radio station in 1966?

The plot is pretty simple. Rock Radio is a pirate station which operates from a boat in the North Sea and the government wants to shut it and other pirate stations down. The main character is a young Carl who's mom ships him out to the boat which is run by his godfather.

It's pretty much what you'd expect, sex, drugs and rock n roll. That being said it is cute and funny. My favorite person being Angus, played by Rhys Darby who plays Murray on Flight of the Conchords.

Maybe it's the New Zealand accent, maybe it's because I love Murry, but I found him the funniest. If you don't know Murray, just watch this.

As always I won't give too much away, because I hate spoilers. I did find it interesting that fat, hairy men had women falling all over them just because they were radio DJs. I've never thought Rhys Ifans was attractive, but man his voice is sexy in this movie.

That being said there is some eyecandy for the ladies. I still haven't decided if Carl was cute or not, but Mark woa, yes!

I have a thing for leather pants, what can I say? Unfortunately for y'all in the states, it doesn't come out until August 28th! So that's quite a wait, but it's well worth it.