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The Grub: Asian Five Spice is Rad

This weekend was a blast. We had tons of family time chilaxing. Sam and I had another date night (wow, we're spoiled!), and we scurried about town running errands.

Saw some friends, had some playdates.

Snuggled and played dress up.

And, mostly, we ate. After a trip to the notoriously insane H Mart, our fridge has become stocked with Asian delicacies, such as 500 tiny spicy peppers, ginger, curry leaves, seaweed pasta, and noodles and oils galore. We pulled out our wok and whipped up a yummy (if I do say so myself) vege 5 spice stir-fry. Added extra hot peppers to the mix, and I definitely think it helped clear out the last of our snot gunk. It was super good, and felt like a nice, light change of pace from our holiday binge eating.

Note: the drink in the background is Sam's wonderful G&T, featuring a superb Fever-Tree tonic water. It makes all the difference in the world, in my opinion! 

 Asian 5-Spice StirFry

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup snow peas

1 cup cabbage

1 cup broccoli

1/2 cup carrot

brick of tofu

1 tablespoon ginger root

rice noodles

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon hot chili oil

2 teaspoons five spice powder

1/2 cup broth

red pepper flakes

green onions for dressing

1. boil water and cook rice noodles. Drain and set aside

2. stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, and five spice powder.

3. Get wok hot, add in oil, and put in onion. Cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add in garlic. Cook for 1 more minute. Add rest of veges, broth, and dressing. Let cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes, stirring. 

4. Add in chunks of tofu and carefully stir, covering chunks with simmering sauce.

5. Add in noodles, scallions, and red pepper flakes. Toss in a bowl, grab some chopsticks, and enjoy

Gus Modern, You're My Hero

Back in August, we bought a home that fit our expanding family. After months (and months and months) of searching for a job in Denver, we succumbed to the reality of staying put in DC for awhile longer yet. We were at first crushed. And then, when we wrapped our heads around a new future, we realized life was pretty good. And it got better. When we started earnestly looking at real estate in DC (well, in Takoma Park), we were elated to find a place for sale merely two blocks from our current house. And it was, channeling Borat, very nice!

(Oh, that reminds me. One year Sam dressed as Borat, I think?? ). Anyway, he costumed himself in the following way):

Wait, now that I think of it, maybe he was going as Tom Sellek. But everyone just thought he was the dead dude from Weekend at Bernie's. Convincing, right? But I digress. Back to the house. 

The very nice house-for-sale soon turned into our very own nice house. So so wonderful!

Happy family entering our home for the first time, coming prepared with toilet paper. Giddiness and fresh coats of paint can make one have to urinate!

In a moment of weakness, I did it. I bought the GusModern Jane Bi-Sectional Sofa. I'd been coveting this sexy beast for a few years now, inspired in part by this amazing space that had been featured on Design*Sponge awhile back:

So when GusModern announced they were having a big boom sale, we jumped on it. Our one true big new home splurge. And it has been worth every penny. I've got a thing for sectionals, and this slim fella is perfect for our slim house. 

Apparently, the kids like it too. 

The couch lasted a good twenty minutes
before we started messing it up with dog hair and cereal bars and crushed cheerios.

It fits our space so well...

 ...now, six months later, I love it just as much. Stains and all.

NY love...and influenza

I woke up Thursday with a serious case of the yucks. Sinus pressure. Cough. Throat and ear pain. I should have known it was coming. Emme's preschool had the day before sent a(nother) notifying email to the parents: "strep confirmed in the purple room."Argh--such a memo inevitably means that the illness of choice (in this case, strep) bounces off my three year old and directly into my ear, nose, and throat. And hunkers down like a festering zit. But I was in denial, and so I ignored my worsening condition. Not just because of what happens to the house when I'm sick (and by that I mean those who inhabit the home--don't even get me started on the mounds of laundry, old toddler underwear wadded in the corners of inappropriate rooms, dog whines begging for walks, meals, teethbrushing!). But because we were taking a trip, to NY.  


Two days later  and here we are, zooming up I-95 to grandmother's house we go.


Yes, we like to rock it Bowie style. That's just how we roll. (Like my sultry cigarette-puffing voice here)

We spent the day in NJ, me hacking and flopped on the couch, the kids swirling around their grandparents happy as can be. 


The next morning we left the kids with my mom and headed into the city for a day/night trip. For those of you without small children, you just read that sentence and thought nothing of it. Great, you're headed into Manhattan. Whatevs. For those of you with small children, however, I know what you're thinking. You're jealous and thinking--no way!! Freaking awesome! And it was. We did stuff like this:

(P.S. the High Line is SOOO cool, and what a transformation in the area from when we lived in NY!)

When we were chilly enough to finally cry UNCLE we traveled over to our favorite place for hot chocolate, City Bakery, where you get a free 70 pound brick of marshmallowy goodness with even the teensiest little cup of hot choco in existence (as was mine,on the left):



































Followed by some nutritional enrichment at the fabulous Zum Schneider

And then off to a quiet dinner. Well, or not so much. You see, remember that "strep in purple room" warning that I ignored? It was still in full effect, and I was rallying as best I could, but I was dog sick. And still, I pushed through. Because right around the corner was SAMUELO'S SURPRISE BIRTHDAY DINNER. And it was worth the make-it-work mentality I had to embrace. Because A) our NY friends are awesome B) Freemans did a superb job hosting us in their wine room C) And most importantly, my hubby deserved this birthday surprise. And surprised was he. 

A few hours--and Tiki drinks later--and we found our way back to the hotel, where we both proceeded to cough and moan and whine all night about our sickness, which Sam had since developed as well. No funny business happening on our ONE NIGHT OF FREEDOM. Damn you, preschool!!!! 


And still, even with (I've since come to realize) a sinus infection, ear infection, bronchitis and strep throat, it was glorious. Date nights rule. 


P.S. My name is Kaysie Brown, and I was thinking of giving this blogging thing a whirl.