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parasitegirlThe end of The Kitchen Cure has come and gone.
The Kitchen Cure Ends:
Day 10 was not, as I predicted, self-loving yourself in the middle of your newly cleaned space.
Day 10: Friday, October 11
Assignment: Plan a dinner party
That's not going to happen. Not in the numbers they want me to do it.
"My ideal number for your first dinner party to come from your cured kitchen is between four and eight. Less than four and you're not flexing your muscles and showing off enough; more than eight and it's just pure chaos."
I don't even have enough chairs for 4 people. Well, maybe if two get desk chairs and two get the IKEA-eque Muji loungers I re-upholsered. We could always eat on the floor in one of my rooms but THAT would mean buying more pillows.
So much of the entry speaks volumes of the class issues of The Kitchn:
"This dinner deserves any special touches you have for the table. Don't overdo it, but don't skimp on the little luxuries that elevate a meal; linens, flowers, candles, a centerpiece, nice platters and serving pieces. I'm all for mismatched and high quality over match-y and disposable, plastic or otherwise depressing cheap everyday tableware."
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE me some aesthetics. That's why I make stuff and enjoy fixing cheap finds up...to have a place where I like what is around me...but FUCK YOU you goddamned snobs.
The reason I don't have many people over is a because of where I live and our schedules. Many of my friends are an hour away. If people >do< come over I love feeding them. I take joy in it. It's not easy, because I only have two gas burners, a little slot for broiling fish, and a microwave that doubles as a so-so convection oven but I love doing it so I do do it.
It's also cultural. I don't know ANYONE here who has dinner parties. In 12 years I've been to ONE dinner party in an apartment here and we all brought food to pass...two parties if you count a gig I did. I'm been to a couple "everyone drinking and getting fucked up hippish parties" but even those are scarce. I've been to a big dinner with families before, but nothing like a "dinner party" of friends. It's much more common to reserve a whole room at a restaurant ahead of time for a certain time slot and have your party and social time there.
My Washing Machine Dies:
It's Sunday of a three-day weekend. My legs are TOAST from dance so I know I can't do much more than foam roll them and rest. It feels like I did hours of squats. Tomorrow (Monday...holiday) I fill in for one teacher's two dance classes. This week, with the NHK and the substitute classes, I'll teach 9 dance lessons and be working on the two upcoming WS. I think one of the WS is almost sold out.
I would have probably tried to go out and be social, legs be damned, but last night my washing machine decided it had given me 9 years of moaning but solid cleaning...and had been used to begin with...so it was time to stop spinning...cue soggy sheets and such. I knew my Sunday would have to start with getting a new-to-me-machine and arrange for delivery, installation, and proper removal of my dead one...(I got my fridge replaced last year, so I know one way to do that and I'm sticking to it) I figured Sunday would be best spent just getting that done, do some important cooking prep, and rest.
This morning I found one at a recycle shop that's only a year old and will fit in the space I have. They'll install and swap things next Sunday.
I'm currently making a large batch of soup-stock to freeze in batches of ice-cubes for the next few months of cooking. I THOUGHT about doing this in "restock your pantry" time of The Kitchen Cure but figured I should pace myself for all the hard work to come...not knowing that soon they'd just ask me to shop a bunch and do things I already do.
(veggies have been roasted...this is a shot from right before the simmering time starts)
100 days of 20 goodbyes:
I do get to count today as a decluttering day. I cleaned up much of the balcony garden and got rid of the plants that are no longer producing (and won't ever again) or have died. Much dead soil has been removed...unneeded plastic containers as well...and a few items replanted. I cut back many of my herbs and will think about what needs to come inside in a month.
I hope to have the "balcony" cleared enough that I can enjoy a few fall drinks and meals out there while the weather is still nice...and trying to make sure two people could sit and have a drink/coffee there before the winter.
The Kitchen Cure Ends:
Day 10 was not, as I predicted, self-loving yourself in the middle of your newly cleaned space.
Day 10: Friday, October 11
Assignment: Plan a dinner party
That's not going to happen. Not in the numbers they want me to do it.
"My ideal number for your first dinner party to come from your cured kitchen is between four and eight. Less than four and you're not flexing your muscles and showing off enough; more than eight and it's just pure chaos."
I don't even have enough chairs for 4 people. Well, maybe if two get desk chairs and two get the IKEA-eque Muji loungers I re-upholsered. We could always eat on the floor in one of my rooms but THAT would mean buying more pillows.
So much of the entry speaks volumes of the class issues of The Kitchn:
"This dinner deserves any special touches you have for the table. Don't overdo it, but don't skimp on the little luxuries that elevate a meal; linens, flowers, candles, a centerpiece, nice platters and serving pieces. I'm all for mismatched and high quality over match-y and disposable, plastic or otherwise depressing cheap everyday tableware."
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE me some aesthetics. That's why I make stuff and enjoy fixing cheap finds up...to have a place where I like what is around me...but FUCK YOU you goddamned snobs.
The reason I don't have many people over is a because of where I live and our schedules. Many of my friends are an hour away. If people >do< come over I love feeding them. I take joy in it. It's not easy, because I only have two gas burners, a little slot for broiling fish, and a microwave that doubles as a so-so convection oven but I love doing it so I do do it.
It's also cultural. I don't know ANYONE here who has dinner parties. In 12 years I've been to ONE dinner party in an apartment here and we all brought food to pass...two parties if you count a gig I did. I'm been to a couple "everyone drinking and getting fucked up hippish parties" but even those are scarce. I've been to a big dinner with families before, but nothing like a "dinner party" of friends. It's much more common to reserve a whole room at a restaurant ahead of time for a certain time slot and have your party and social time there.
My Washing Machine Dies:
It's Sunday of a three-day weekend. My legs are TOAST from dance so I know I can't do much more than foam roll them and rest. It feels like I did hours of squats. Tomorrow (Monday...holiday) I fill in for one teacher's two dance classes. This week, with the NHK and the substitute classes, I'll teach 9 dance lessons and be working on the two upcoming WS. I think one of the WS is almost sold out.
I would have probably tried to go out and be social, legs be damned, but last night my washing machine decided it had given me 9 years of moaning but solid cleaning...and had been used to begin with...so it was time to stop spinning...cue soggy sheets and such. I knew my Sunday would have to start with getting a new-to-me-machine and arrange for delivery, installation, and proper removal of my dead one...(I got my fridge replaced last year, so I know one way to do that and I'm sticking to it) I figured Sunday would be best spent just getting that done, do some important cooking prep, and rest.
This morning I found one at a recycle shop that's only a year old and will fit in the space I have. They'll install and swap things next Sunday.
I'm currently making a large batch of soup-stock to freeze in batches of ice-cubes for the next few months of cooking. I THOUGHT about doing this in "restock your pantry" time of The Kitchen Cure but figured I should pace myself for all the hard work to come...not knowing that soon they'd just ask me to shop a bunch and do things I already do.
(veggies have been roasted...this is a shot from right before the simmering time starts)
100 days of 20 goodbyes:
I do get to count today as a decluttering day. I cleaned up much of the balcony garden and got rid of the plants that are no longer producing (and won't ever again) or have died. Much dead soil has been removed...unneeded plastic containers as well...and a few items replanted. I cut back many of my herbs and will think about what needs to come inside in a month.
I hope to have the "balcony" cleared enough that I can enjoy a few fall drinks and meals out there while the weather is still nice...and trying to make sure two people could sit and have a drink/coffee there before the winter.
