fancy

I got distracted and didn't write the NYE post I had originally planned. Changing blog names can do that.

So, Happy 2012!

I'm not a huge fan of New Years as a celebration. I always feel a bit letdown after the countdown, a bit of an "oh, that's all there is to it?" kind of feeling. Of course, I still enjoy the funny "I haven't changed my underwear since last year!" and "I'm so hungry, I haven't eaten since last year!" jokes. Haha. So clever, no? But really, the holiday/celebration itself doesn't do much for me. I had considered just bypassing the whole thing this year, but was saved by great friends (thank you, great friends, you are awesome).

In honor of the coming year, or maybe just because I was on vacation and searching for sewing projects, I sewed a new tablecloth:

I wasn't intending to make a super retro table cloth, but then I walked into Les Fabriques (quickly becoming a weekly habit, uh oh!) and this fabric was sitting in front of my face. How could I say no?? Not only is it a print of forks, spoons and knives, it also has so many of my favorite colors going on. Look how well it goes with my favorite plates!! I feel like it brings the whole dining room together. Since we are renting I can't paint the walls, and all the colors in the dining room just make it feel alive! (the fabric even compliments some of the same colors in the chairs I recently re-upholstered)

Since the fabric was much narrower than my table I sewed in a solid "runner", let me just say that as a "beginner sewer" sewing lonnng straight lines is terrifying. I was certain that I would end up making zigzags, but it turned out fine. I just kept constant easy tension on the fabric that had gone through. The tablecloth cost less than $15 to make, and only about an hour to cut, pin, and sew (most of that hour was spent with me standing with scissors in my hands, terrified to cut the fabric in a non-straight line). So not only was it completely budget friendly (even the tablecloths at Marshall's run around $40-50), it also is completely unique and suited to our home!

Back to NYE. Dinner was "pot-luck", but way classier/fancier than any actual pot-luck I've ever been too, and not only because of the several bottles of wine and champagne that were emptied. I love doing get together dinners with other people who also love good food, it's bound to be delicious:

One of the dishes we contributed was a favorite of ours from Spain: Patatas Bravas. Now, we've never made them at home before, and were a bit concerned that they wouldn't taste just right, but they were awesome. One of our guests enjoyed the allioli (yes, allioli is the right spelling for the catalan version of aioli) dipping sauce that came with them sooo much, that he resorted to dipping crackers in it once the potatoes ran out. Score one for team alina! Also score on the fact that we baked the potatoes instead of the traditional deep fry, but they were still delicious.

Patatas Bravas

Cut potatoes into approx inch cubes. Boil them for a short time, but drain them (stop cooking them) before they are fully cooked, such that they are not yet completely soft. Spread them out on a tray and generously sprinkle with paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper, add a drizzle of olive oil and mix potatoes so that all pieces are coated. Bake them for about 15 min, then take out, flip all the pieces over and add more paprika and cayenne, and return to the oven until full baked

(when the exterior is slightly crunchy, and the interior is like a bake potato)

For the sauce (I cheated because we were out of eggs...) I used mayonnaise, finely grated (on a microplane) garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Whisk together all the ingredients except the oil. Once everything is combined evenly, continue whisking while slowly pouring in a small amount of oil (there should be about a 3:1 ration of mayo to oil).

Note that I haven't given any amounts here because we were making this up as we went along. It also depends on how many people you are serving, but I would err on the side of making more, because as I said, they were a hit (and reminded us of Barcelona, which is ALWAYS a good thing).

Eating awesome food and drinking great wine with friends is just about the ideal evening for me, so as far as I'm concerned it was perfect, and much more fun that getting all sequined up for the ball drop.

How did you spend your NYE? partying? or low-key?

Stay tuned for my new years "resolutions"

alina