Ride night & Flo's

I just wanted to take the time to address something REALLY SUPER FUN that about eighteen to twenty of my friends and I do sometimes. It's is a fifteen mile bike ride along part of the south shore of Long Island, and it rules. Last summer this was a weekly occurrence, and this summer it hadn't been until Andrew organized a night for us all to ride together again. There's something really positive and powerful about riding through the streets and to the beach and in high traffic areas in a pack this big. Stephanie and I were talking about it, how not everyone hangs out all the time but when we come together and do this we're all pretty united and have light, happy conversations and leave with such a biker's high, it's wonderful. And hopefully happening again tomorrow night!
The first leg of the ride takes us to Corey Beach in Blue Point, and in order to get there you have to pass Flo's Famous Luncheonette. Which is basically a little shack that people serve delicious food out of that's been around forever. It's always packed when we roll up during the ride, and eating before riding another 12 or so miles isn't really appealing anyway. But recently, three of us went to eat lunch at Flo's (my first time!) and it was everything that I expected it to be, which is delicious.
I had been told that as a first timer I should try the Bates wrap, which is basically a cheeseburger, waffle fries, and some fancy barbeque sauce that tasted homemade. This. Was. Awesome. Not something I'd normally go for at this point in my nutrient-focused life, but it was totally fun and worth the splurge. Another thing you NEED to order, should you find yourself at Flo's, is the "summer blend". Half pink lemonade, half iced tea. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Flo's is open seasonally, so I'll definitely be making another trip before the summer ends. If you're ever in the area, definitely check it out.

Ridiculous

i would settle for "pretty much okay" this week. hello depression, i feel you trying to sneak up on me again but i'm telling on you this time and won't let you get the best of me (i've come too far for that!). the past few days have been pretty crummy. but i really think it might just be a combination of the hot, sticky, "feels like soup outside" weather combined with me not getting a job i interviewed for combined with the summer social drinking i've been doing and lack of additional exercise (aside from my very demanding, highly physical job). so today after work i took myself to the doctor and got myself a note and tomorrow i'll be taking a serious mental health day. and then i have two scheduled days off. giving me three days FREE for myself and my hobbies and my well being. i'm going to read and start crocheting christmas presents (in august. my hands aren't fast enough yet) and i'm going out to buy a new journal and fresh produce first thing tomorrow morning. if i'm not out of this funk by saturday, lock me in a padded room full of puppies where all i can listen to is talking heads singles. i'm going to make a strong effort to make every day ridiculously amazing so these little blips on my personal progress radar can become fewer and farther in between. look at that, world. i'm opening up to you.

New layout

Based on one of my favorite things,

(one day, this will be complete)

And because this post seems to be lacking substance, aside from my naked back,
here's my song of the day:

The Replacements - Bastards Of Young by WBRNewMedia

Creative types

“If you want to really hurt your parents, and you don’t have the nerve to be gay, the least you can do is go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.” - via this post on my friend Stephanie's blog. Which reminded me of this post from my tumblr.

That quote made my heart feel a little bit lighter, and made me hopeful that life can continue to be bearable when it seems not very bearable at all sometimes. I had no choice but to copy & paste. Let's appreciate creativity, and creative friends, and creative people generally.

Cake pops!

Recently, during her last visit, Andrew's sister Michelle told me about some cake pops that she made herself. I've seen these little treats popping up everywhere (no pun intended) and decided that it would be fun for us to make a batch together. Wanna try? This is what you'll need:

• Cake mix
• 3 eggs
• Vegetable oil
• Almond bark
• Lollipop sticks
• Wax paper
• Sprinkles!

First you go about baking regular cakes (we made two 8" cakes), but add 3 tbsp. more oil than the recipe calls for. This is important for making the cake more pliable and shaping it into pops. Let the cake cool, and then TEAR IT APART! and put all of your cake crumbs into a large bowl. Then take a handfull at a time and make cake balls, just like you'd make meat balls. Pop a stick in the center and freeze your halfway finished pops for an hour.
Then, break your almond bark into squares (almond bark is basically just a huge rectangle of meltable chocolate that you can buy at most craft stores or baking aisles) and melt it down using the double boiler method, or you could just stick it in the microwave. Once your almond bark is almost liquidy, take your frozen pops one by one and roll the cake around in the coating. Pour some sprinkles over them if you're feeling fancy. Have a wax paper lined cookie sheet handy for resting the pops on. Let them harden for about a half hour. And there you go!
These were so fun and easy to make, and also delicious! But the next time I make them, I'll be using styrofoam to hold the pops upright as the almond bark dries, so one side doesn't come out flat and I can put Starbucks' cake pops to shame.

It's been a pretty relaxing Sunday. Spent the morning on a hunt for an affordable juicer. Bought a new sweater instead (desperately waiting for fall, the season where I thrive most). Also today is a celebration! The 100th anniversary of Lucille Ball's birthday.
Happy birthday, Lucy!