I got my first comment!

Hi family, friends, strangers, bloggers...and Simon-  I just got my first comment today (that didn't come from my sister, bless your little heart, sis).

This is very exciting for many reasons:

1. Someone who is not genetically obligated to read my blog (a small crew to begin with, further whittled down by, er, technological fluency) read my blog

2. The aforementioned chap, who is also a runner (!) somehow came across my little blog out of the gazillions floating around and left me a comment

Simon, this one's for you- that made my day.  Keep on running yourself!

Jasper and friends...real or fake???

Jasper and his nemesis.  None of us are sure which is which, but one of them is much lower maintenance

Before and after...

It's January!  Time to tame the unruly curls...

My stylist Melody cuts, styles, and straightens my hair...and makes me feel fabulous, as usual

Paris in the springtime

I'm running the Paris Marathon on April 5th.  Normally, that would be 26.2 miles, but since this is my first international marathon, we'll call it 42 kilometers instead.  

I'm still getting my exact training schedule together, which I'll post later.  My goal is 3:35.  After Philly half-marathon (1:37:35, or 7:27 per mile pace) I feel great about this goal!

This morning I ran an easy 12 miles (2 big loops around the park), which is my first "official" marathon training run.  I ran both loops in 51 minutes each, exactly 8:30 per mile pace.  Had anyone asked me my pace while running, I would have thought about 9:30 or slower based on effort, and I wasn't really even paying attention to even splits.  

Paris, here I come (Paris, j'arrive!)

Ralph- this one's for you!

Zabars sells this great milk frother.  On Thanksgiving, I took the 'rents for a post-parade bowl of matzo-ball soup, and we came across this little guy who remained an in-store un-purchased orphan for the rest of the year.  

However, I'm now happy to report he'll soon be en-route to his new home in Colorado with Ralph, where he can spend his days frolicking and frothing milk and enabling frou-frou coffee drinks galore.  

Happy birthday Ralph!

And 2008, in pictures, is now a wrap

My big, first, Jewish Orthodox wedding

Serge feeds the pig a quarter for good luck at Redding Market, Philadelphia

May be cold, but it is always sunny in Philadelphia

And then 2008 lived happily ever after

I have a sluggish C# key

One of my piano keys is sticking.  The technical term, according to a google search for the appropriate remedy, is that the key is either "sluggish" or "swollen".

I propose we stop beating around the bush and just admit that the lazy little bugger is likely suffering from apartment humidifier-induced "exhaustion."

 On that note, (Ha!! No pun intended!!!) my sister (the band teacher named Mrs. Horn) told me a great joke: So, a C, an E flat, and a G walks into a bar.  The bartender looks them over and says, "Sorry fellas, but we don't serve minors here."  The E flat leaves and C & G split a fifth.

Part II, the year in pictures

Memorial day in Pittsburgh to re-live my mom's college days and celebrate a cousins' med-school graduation

I think I would also have more fun in my apartment if I were small enough to crawl under the chairs, like my cousin Melony's lil' guys, Frasher and Cason 

The sisters at Becca's wedding

Beautiful even on a rainy afternoon during a Chataqua hike (that would be Boulder, if the flatiron wasn't obvious enough)

Picture version of 2008 (Part I)

Suz and Bryan on the infamous walking tour

His name is Flat Stanley.  The one who is flat.

Spring in Central Park

A few trips to Madison, CT

Smith Reunion... 3 years out!

Herring in a Fur Coat

First of all, anything that combines sweet and salty tastes works for me.  Second, I'm easily distracted by colorful foods and fully supportive of any cooking experience that combines arts & crafts and cooking.  Third, can we take a look at the name again, "Herring in a Fur Coat?"  In Russian you can call it "Shuba."    

This is a traditional Russian salad served as a New Year's staple.  I haven't made this dish yet (recipe courtesy of all-fish-seafood-recipes) but I concur that it is darn pretty and tasty.  See comments below included in the recipe. 

Russian Salad - Herring in Shuba Recipe

Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients:

• 2 thick salted herrings
• 5 potatoes
• 4 carrots
• 3 beets
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 4 eggs, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• Parsley and dill

How to cook:

• Boil vegetables until they are ready (you can boil vegetables in 1 pan). Boil eggs hard.
• Peel skin from herrings, cut them along the spine. Take all bones away. Cut herring meat into very little pieces and always check for bones.
• Grind potatoes, carrots, eggs, and beets. Take a large dish.
• Place a layer of potatoes whole portion. Then spread mayonnaise evenly (thin layer). Use a fork to plane the layers. Then layer of beets 1/2 of portion, then layer of carrots 1/2 of portion, then chopped onion 1/2 of portion and finally - herring meat.
• Then 2 layers backwards: onion, carrots. Place a layer of 3 chopped eggs, and then beets.
• On top pour remaining mayonnaise.
• Add 1 more layer of 1 chopped egg to make the dish beautiful and decorate with chopped parsley and dill.
• Let it soaked at least overnight.
• This herring salad must look like a cake.
• It is a very colorful and tasty appetizer...

Comments:

The Russian name is "Selyodka pod Shouboy", that means "Herring under fur coat". It is a traditional national dish for any events. You can call it, for example, Dressed Herring. Dressed Herring is loved and considered one of the most delicious salads by Russians everywhere. Different variations just will show your artistical skills, because of colorful slices