Restaurant Widow

I'm Getting Ready to Send Out My New Year's Cards...

If you would like an RW New Year's Card, please feel free to email me your address.  I promise not to stalk you.  It is a very pretty postcard.  You won't receive any junk mail or anything; you might receive another postcard next New Year.

Ideas for New Year's Eve & New Year's Day

I just wanted to let you in on two interesting options.

Alana is going to do an Early Bird bistro dinner for New Year's Eve - 3 courses will be offered for a mere, and I mean mere, $20.  Reservations for this dinner can be made at 4:30 through 5.  Alana assures me it will be a full dinner and of course, we know if it's Alana's it will be tasty and interesting.  A great option if you are looking to beat the crowds or if you have a late party to attend.  Call Alana's for more info 614.294.6783.

If you are looking for someplace to eat on New Year's Day, since it can be hard to find places that are open, think about heading to Katzinger's in German Village.  I even have the menu:

Katzinger's homemade Corned Beef hash with two eggs over easy and rye toast  $8.25 Eric's Crème Brulee French Toast with pecan maple syrup and fresh fruit or Applewood Smoked Bacon  $8.25 Two eggs any style with grilled roasted red skins, rye, whole wheat or pumpernickel toast  $5.95 add fresh fruit or Applewood smoked bacon  $8.25 And our homage to tradition - 3 homemade sauerkraut balls with spicy mustard or Russian dressing  $2.50

Our New Year's Day hours: 10AM-5PM

Of course, if I didn't have to work nonstop, I think I would choose to be completely boring and spend New Year's Eve with Husband and the kitties, camped out on the sofa with a nice bottle of bubbly.  But that's just me!

New Year's Resolutions

I know it's trendy to declare oneself anti New Year's Resolutions, but the truth is, I think it's a great tradition.  There's something about the idea of rebirth, of starting over, setting goals - I love it.  I've talked about New Year's Resolutions before, but just in case you weren't reading me 100 years ago, in the past I have made Resolutions to quit smoking (still successful, by the way, after all these years-i have the extra girth to prove it, MOM), to quit my desk job which I hated passionately (still no desk job), to start writing on a regular basis (obviously still doing that), get some things published (accomplished, although I don't really try to do it anymore like I probably should), and lose weight (accomplished, failed, accomplished, failed - currently on fail).  One year I resolved not to eat any fast food for a year.  Once I stopped saying "I'm Sorry" all the time.

I've had mixed success, and I suppose my triumphs are more memorable than my failures, but I love making resolutions.  I'm one of those people who will meander aimlessly without direction if I don't have a set goal, so it's good to set some and give myself accountability.

When I was giving away Garlic & Sapphires the other day, I was amazed by everyone's candidness with their resolutions, and how many of our resolutions are similar.  I thought maybe we could share our resolutions and have a monthly update to see how everyone is doing.  Or, if no one wants to, I'll do it myself.

They don't have to be food related, but of course I'm sure there will be some food related ones in the mix.  I know I have a few.

Here's my list:

1. Start using all the things which are "too nice" to use.  Pens, stationary, plates, blank books - you name it: I am a hoarder.  When I get something really nice, I don't use it.  I have sweaters I've only worn once because they're too nice.  I have socks I've never taken from their packaging.  I have tons of cards and paper, tablecloths and napkins, all going unused because they are too nice.  This one has been on my list for a few years, and since I have a tendency to be self-indulgent, it seems funny that it's one which is hard to overcome.  If I don't start using my "too nice" things, next year I'm going to start giving them away. 
2. The first one gives way to the second: start writing people notes on real paper, to be sent with a real stamp, via snail mail.  I love getting mail.  I absolutely love paper and paper products, yet I cannot remember the last time I sent a note.  I wrote a few thank you notes recently, but I don't do it nearly enough.  Chances are if I know you, I owe you a thank you note.  I'm really bad at it.  I received some really great notes this year, and I should return the favor.  
3. Those of you who follow me on Twitter already know that this year, I am going to stop apologizing to chefs when I haven't done anything wrong.  I'm not going to start fights, but if I didn't do anything wrong, you are only going to get an apology for your perception. 
4. *sigh* lose weight.  I know it's everyone's resolution, and I'm not going to make excuses, okay, maybe a few - this year my thyroid went kaput and I ate way too much late-night Hounddog's.  I also consumed far too many post-work beers with way too many empty calories.   
5. Get rid of all of my clutter.  Because I worked for a clothing retailer for so many years, I have tons and tons of clothing.  This might come as a surprise for my friends who have never seen me in anything but ill-fitting jeans, baggy tees, and cardigan sweaters, but once upon a time, I had to look reasonably cute on a daily basis.  Owing to #4 in this list, these clothes range from single to double-digit sizes, and I need to get rid of the things I'm never going to wear again.  I can never find anything to wear because it's covered by all the things I don't wear.  This is probably more than you wanted to know.    
6. Confront my fear of pie dough.  
7. Find my library card and start using the library.  Also, clean out my book collection. 
8. Record my radio spots in a timely manner  
9. Edit my podcasts and put them up in a timely manner. 
10. Answer emails in a timely manner!!!! 
11. Frame and hang the artwork I've been collecting, for the love of crumb cake! 
12. Continue to support local artists while finally decorating my house which I've lived in for 4 1/2 years without hanging more than 3 pictures up.  It's really pathetic. 
13. Get everything in my kitchen to fit in the cabinets.  I'm sure a lot of you out there can feel me here. 
14. Learn to draw. I'm sure my mom will think that's funny, because I used to draw, but I really want to write a comic book.  I might be terrible at it, but I've had this idea since I was 17, and I'd like to flesh it out. at least on paper   

So, what are your resolutions?  Would you like me to update them monthly? Would you be interested in having a newsletter sent out at the beginning of each month to remind you about your resolution? If so, just say "yes" or "no" in your comment, and I will add you to the list!  

Merry Christmas!!

Be nice to someone today!!

Happy Christmas!

A friend of mine pointed out the other day that I've been slacking off.  Thanks, Mikey!  I am currently in Lima, gorging myself on these amazing Krema Nut Company Chocolate Covered Pretzels (yum).  I've been snuggling with kitties at Husband's grandparents' house.  There's a good chance I'm going to try to smuggle their newest kitten, Mouse, back in my overnight bag.

There will be more later!

4th Giveaway::Garlic & Sapphires

Congratulations to Sarah, who craves Goat cheese from Lake Erie Creamery!! (Me too!) Sara won the Food You Crave giveaway! 

Congratulations also to Cara, whose mom first taught her to make French toast!  Cara wins the Fine Cooking Annual.

I love Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise.  I am a huge Ruth Reichl fan.  Her writing is so un-pretentious, she's so down-to-earth, even though she held one of the most powerful positions in food writing.  I love how she turned reviewing on its head by dressing up as a tacky tourist to see if her dining experience would be any different.

If you have ever thought about reviewing, this book is a must-have.  It's one of my favorites ever.  This is a hardcover edition.

For this giveaway, let's do New Year's Resolutions!

I'll start; if you have ever emailed me and awaited a response, I would caution you to not be drinking coffee if you don't want to do an incredulous spit-take on your keyboard.

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to answer all of my emails in a TIMELY MANNER!!!

You can feel free to guilt me into accountability.

Can You Help?

If you have a little extra to give, I know a family who could use it.  Someone in the Columbus community who worked very hard for local foods recently lost her fight to cancer.  I never even met this person in the flesh, but I talked to her a lot through emails.  I was surprised to realize that her last email to me arrived fewer than 2 weeks before her untimely death.  There's nothing that can replace her, but she still has a family which could use our help throughout this season.

Please leave a comment and I will send the address to send your donations.

If you work at a local camera shop, please, please consider emailing me.

Thank you.

3rd Giveaway!! The Food You Crave

This is my first ever time blogging from work!  Now I know how everyone else feels!  Today's giveaway is The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life .  This book is based upon a show on the Food Network called Healthy Appetite, which offers quick and easy healthy recipes.  The author, Ellie Krieger, is a registered dietitian.

This book has lots of pictures and would be great for someone who is looking to add some healthy recipes into the repertoire.  (Isn't that practically everyone, after the New Year?)

First of all, did you know that there are websites who list all current giveaways with links to websites?  I don't know if it's right of me, but I don't really like that idea.  I love to give things away, and like to feel as though I'm giving them away to friends, even if I've never met you.  Does that make sense?  I get quite a few free books for review and I love to share them with my readers, not just people who enter every giveaway on the Internets.

Okay, diatribe over.

For today's giveaway, let's talk about the food we crave.  Obviously, it doesn't have to be healthy.  I'll start - I'll start off with an embarrassing craving: instant Indonesian noodles.  Seriously.  I had to stop having those in the house because I am powerless to resist their siren song.  They just about fly in the face of my eating principles, but man are they tasty.  Throw a fried egg on top, and I'm in MSG heaven.  And too puffy to wear shoes or remove rings for 48 hours!!

Congrats!

My first winner is Susan, who loves Snowville Creamery, and thanks them for being available in mainstream grocery stores!

I love them, too!

If you've never tried Snowville, you don't know what you're missing - the milk is so sweet and delicious, and it makes the best butter!!  Snowville is available locally at Clintonville Co-op, both Whole Foods locations (and Whole Foods in Cleveland and Cincinnati), Kroger, Weiland's, and the Greener Grocer in the North Market, just to name a few.  Their milk is reasonably price, especially when compared to the national organic brand which is shipped from across the country (yuck). 

Things to do in Columbus::December 17th Edition

Wow.  Is it cold out there or what?  I hope this means we're going to have a warm and early Spring...

Who can believe we are so close to Christmas?  Husband and I were sitting around this past Sunday and I refused to believe it was a week from Thursday.  Yikes.  This caused a whirlwind of shopping which I think is now (thankfully) over.  Now, for the wrapping.  Thank goodness for Husband, who is a whiz at wrapping (thanks, Mother in Law!)

I hope everyone out there is having a great holiday season, or non-holiday, if you don't celebrate any holidays.  I hope everyone out there is able to celebrate in the way they wish.  In this economy, I know it can be rough.  My family had a few rough Christmasses when I was little, and I turned out perfectly fine (well, I suppose that's debatable) - so, don't worry if you can't give the kiddos every single video game on their list.  They'll be fine.

So, what is there to do in Columbus this week?  Read on...

As always, if you would like to add an event, please feel free to do so!  And, please read the comments because I will not have the time to update the listing!  Events are a little light this week, probably owing to the holidays...

• First of all, Grease is in town.  Those of you who know Husband might be surprised to learn that he knows every single word to Grease.
• The Columbus Children's Theatre presents Ebenezer throughout the weekend! 
• If you missed the Holiday Hop in the Short North, which you probably did because the weather was nearly unbearable, you have another chance this Saturday during the Holiday [s]Hop.  
• Yet another chance to buy from local crafters is Gifts From the Craftsman at the Ohio Craft Museum.  One more place in Ohio I haven't been and have always wanted to go. 
• Pretty places to see holiday lights and other great things: Franklin Park Conservatory, the Zoo, Alum Creek, Creekside Park.
• Shadowbox presents Holiday Hoopla! - has anyone else seen the billboard at 3rd & (Chestnut?) which says "it's like SNL, only funny?"  I love that sign, because I get so irritated watching SNL and how NOT FUNNY it is.  Shadowbox, however, = funny.  You should go.  
• The Arena Grand continues its Holiday movie series this week with the Polar Express.