Good Read... and Soup Night Results

For those of you who are interested, we had a great Soup Night on Sunday. You can read all about it on the Burp! blog.  Hope more of you can make it out to the next one, which will be on Sunday, March 28th!

Also -- Peef sent me an article this morning that I think it worth a read. Jeffrey Tang from The Art of Great Things writes about The Case for the Low-Risk Start  -- which talks about some alternative to the infamous "leap of faith" most people think of when someone says "do what you love."  Some really great thoughts here about taking it slow and being deliberate about your choices.

Let me know what you think!

More Soup... and Schaum Torte?

Did you miss our January Soup Night?
If so, you missed a great time.  We had over twenty people show up to last month's event. The soups were hot and the company was fabulous. And you can read all about it HERE.

Of course, there's no use living in the past.  We'll be having our second SOUP NIGHT gathering this weekend -- Sunday, February 28, 2010.  And we're cooking up another triad of great soups.  We don't normally reveal the soups that we'll be making ahead of time.  But, today I'll give you a hint.  This month we'll be featuring some of the good old classics.  A couple of meaty varieties, and one good old fashioned vegetarian classic.

Soup night runs from 4:30-7:30pm on Sunday night.  Of course, if you're in the mood for a little bit of dessert afterwards, you could always take a trip over to Il Mito Trattoria on 69th and North Avenue.  They'll be featuring our Chocolate Hazelnut Schaum Torte on their dessert menu from Sunday, February 28 through Saturday, March 6.

All of the net proceeds from the sale of our dessert will benefit the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee!     Read all the ooey gooey details on the Burp! blog.

Knitters Versus Crocheters: Which One Am I?

So, I've been contemplating the fiber arts. Knitting. Crocheting. Needlework. After all, it's about time I found myself a hobby to keep me occupied in my old age.

Plus, I've been thinking as I sit, catching up on cooking shows and idly passing the time, that I could really use a more USEFUL hobby.

"But you already cook!" I hear a few of you saying. And I get where you're coming from.  After all, cooking is probably a hobby. And a useful one at that.  But, maybe it's more that I'm feeling a little bit CRAFTY.  I'd like to make some stuff. Useful stuff. Stuff that's not, well... consumable.

I want to make socks (especially socks).
And hats.
And cute little mittens.
Blankets, even. Maybe scarves. And purses... I might like to make a purse.

I want to spend hours poring over the hand-dyed yarn at the farmer's market (it's so very gorgeous -- and just seeing it makes me want to buy it and use it for SOMETHING).  I want to learn something new. Muse about my next project. Gee Whiz, I'd like to CREATE something.

A new friend of mine (R. from over at CakeWalk) has inspired me to check out the classes that are offered at Loop Yarn Shop in Bay View Riverwest.  And I'm excited -- because they offer all sorts of classes, at all sorts of levels. But, I'm finding myself a bit on the uncertain side when it comes to deciding exactly WHAT I should learn.

Most people seem to have some familial connection to their art. They know someone who taught them what they know, and they were inspired to learn from that person -- often from an early age.  By that token, I should be a knitter.  After all, my Grandma Grace taught me to purl when I was 7 years old. And I might still have the turquoise scarf I started with my very first set of knitting needles way back in 1981.  But, the truth of the matter is, that "scarf" only grew to be about 2 feet long before I gave up the art of knitting and took up embroidery (thanks to Grandma Gladys, who loved to sew).  I embroidered for an entire summer before deciding it was silly and I didn't really care about being able to put French knots on pillowcases (they hurt your face) or towels.

The knitters (R. and Jess and probably my dear grandmother, rest her soul) are all convinced I'd LOVE knitting...that circular needles make the whole process easier... that the stitch lies "flatter"... but I'm not sure that I'm a "counter".

The crocheters (my sister, my aunt) have rallied to convince me that crocheting is the way to go... that one needle is easier than two, and that I'll love the versatility of the stitches... but I'm not sure about any of it.

The knitters have cool books (Stitch 'N Bitch, anyone?)
But so do the crocheters (The Happy Hooker... who can resist?)
How to decide??

I can't imagine that this decision is nearly as complicated as I'm making it out to be. Nor can I imagine that choosing the WRONG yarnly hobby would cause anyone irreparable damage. But, I'm not sure I really know the answer. Do I flip a coin?

How did YOU figure out which one you were?  Is there any useful information out there to help a sista out?

Reasons we love Zoe: #1

Mmm. Comfy.

Kitchen Stuff

I'd say that 2010 has been pretty good to us so far.

Weather was chilly earlier in the month, so we're fully aware that it's winter, but God has held the snow at bay for some reason.  I like to think that it's because Paul no longer works at Hal Leonard (thank goodness!!)...  Every year in mid-January, he always packed up to fly out to Southern California for the NAMM convention.  And every year, during NAMM week, Wisconsin would get pounded with snow.  I know this because I shoveled it.

This was the first year in a while that Paul didn't attend NAMM.  And wouldn't you know it? It didn't snow during NAMM week.  Coincidence?? I think NOT.

We also have some good news to report in the kitchen!  EVERY SINGLE cleaver, santoku, paring,  tomato, bread, carving, and chef's knife in the Burp! kitchen is officially razor sharp -- thanks to the Chef's Choice sharpener we were able to purchase with the gift card we got from Peef's parents for Christmas.

Using our lovely new tools, which were apparently exceedingly dull before we ran them through the Chef's Choice, took a bit of getting used to... as can be verified by the slice I took out of my left index finger with the first chef's knife I picked up.  Thank goodness sharp knives make clean cuts that heal quickly!

We were also very excited to receive meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachments for our KitchenAid stand mixer from Lo's parents.

It goes without saying that we're excited about the prospect of making our own sausage... in fact, my brain is busily thinking about all the possibilities even as I type. But I'm also pretty stoked about the idea of grinding my own meat in general.

Despite all the vegetables we eat around our house, we both love a great burger... and making meatballs is one of those therapeutic weekend activities that just makes the world a little bit better.

Unfortunately, most grocery store ground meat isn't worth the styrofoam tray it's sitting on. Having control over what goes into our ground meat is a huge advantage... and it gives us the opportunity to exercise all sorts of exciting quality control measures, right in our own kitchen.

Of course, we haven't used the meat grinder yet.  Gotta set aside some time one of these weekends for that.  And gather up some nice sausage recipes.

Anyone know of a good place in Milwaukee to get natural sausage casings?

Soup.

It's been forever since we blogged, and we're not in denial about it.We've obviously been eating, since we've had quite a lot to say over at Burp! But, we haven't been writing much about all the other stuff that makes us who we are. Not sure why that is. Maybe that just means we haven't experienced many "bloggable moments".  Or maybe we just haven't felt much like writing lately.

Either way, I'm hoping that 2010 will bring on a little bit more in the way of news from the Peef & Lo blog. The reality is, we're bound to set our sails for new adventures. And it would be a shame if we didn't stop to tell you about it.

In the meantime, we'd like you all to know that we're dredging up one of our old community concepts.  And you're invited.

Remember Soup Nights?
The idea came out of a notion that I'd like to create more community within our families and among our friends & neighbors -- to unify some of the disparate groups that make up our circle of acquaintances. So, we've invited just about everyone we know to come over once a month (January through March) for a "soup night".

2010 SOUP NIGHTS will be held on the last Sunday of the month:

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sunday, March 28, 2010

The BURP! Kitchen will be open from 4:30pm−7:30pm

The concept is easy. We provide the soup. And maybe a bit of wine.You provide bread, crackers, chips, cheese, dessert, or … even nothing at all. We hang out, chat, meet some new people. And everyone has a good time. Stop by for a bit -- or stay for a while. You decide. You can even bring a friend.



Anyhow -- we'll be having our first soup night on Sunday, January 31, 2010.  We'll be featuring three different soups.  And we'd love it if you'd join us.

The Miracle of a New Year.

So, here we sit, in the last few days of a year that's been fraught with plenty of good -- but enough bad that I can't imagine wanting to hit "replay". And yet, I'm feeling very peaceful.

It's remarkable to think about the hope, the potential, and the joyful mystery of the new year.  I'm certainly not delusional, but I've always somehow believed in the hope that springs new upon the eve of the new year.  And, as I sit here contemplating what's to come -- I feel that hope.

Tomorrow we will wake up early. If we get up early enough, there will be coffee. And a bit of kranzkuchen. Steph will arrive and we'll drive off to gather our wares for another New Year's feast.  This year, we're exploring Asian cuisine.  We'll make up a bit of sushi, maybe some Chinese dumplings, a few eggrolls, some tempura, and whatever else we feel inspired to create. We'll cook all day, and nibble as we go. We'll laugh. Play games. Drink wine. And enjoy one another's company.  At midnight, we'll crack open a bottle of champagne and toast the new year.

And when it's all over, we'll drift off to sleep with smiling faces and full bellies. And we'll wake up to a blank slate. A new calendar. And the hope that, somehow, an exciting stretch of days just waiting to be shaped into something new, lay before us.

Although it's virtually impossible to simply place all of our burdens down at 11:59 p.m. on the eve of the new year, and wake up to an utterly clean slate on the first of the year, it's certainly a contemplation worth having. 

Our hopes and goals for 2010

Stress less, and pray more.

Love freely and deeply. 
Judge less, and be generous with our grace cards. 

Open up, and reach out. 
Stretch our boundaries.
Do more creating, and less tearing down. 
Eat well, and share meals often. 
Explore the boundaries of new cooking worlds. 
Focus on the immense possibility of possibility.

As you reflect on 2009 and step over the threshold of the new year, may only good await. And may your 2010 hold nothing less than miracles.

-- Peef and Lo                       

Beware Present Face

Too Busy to Blog, But These Girls Rock

Halloween Weekend with Peef & Lo

October has been a complete blur.

Birthdays... weddings... Oktoberfest in Dallas, WI... a weekend in Minnesota with Paul's peeps... this was the first weekend we've spent at home in a looooong time.  So, of course we had to rustle up some good old fashioned autumn fun.

First, we played in the leaves...  and then we raked them all up into piles like good little homeowners should.

Then we brewed up a nice batch of creepy crawlie "shrunken head" autumn apple rum punch.

Mighty tasty -- and the shrunken heads (which were made of carved & dried Granny Smith apples -- thanks Martha!), were pretty kewl.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Sneering dude.

Askeered dude.

Vampire dude.

And scary skeleton dude.

Steph came over and enjoyed our punch with us. And we feasted on delicious sweet potato gnocchi with sage browned butter, and bacon-cider mustard greens (sorry, no pix!).

This afternoon, we whipped up a batch of Root Vegetable Stew with Beef... which we enjoyed while watching Nightmare Before Christmas (for the 47bazillionth time... I think it keeps getting better).

Sing along with us, won't you?

Windows 7 now available

And apparently you should throw a party?

For reals?

Wow.
What happened to that cute little girl that was on their commercials? I think she is a better spokesperson than this crazy bunch...

Ode to Mix Tapes -- ah! the memories

RebeccaL sent me something this morning over email that I just had to share.



Ode to Mix Tapes
Srsly. You've got to read this one.


Do you remember the process?

Collecting those emotions.
Listening to the lyrics.
Making sure the mood was perfect.
Saying things we weren't brave enough to say ourselves.
Pausing, rewinding, playing... making sure the transitions "work".
It was all part of the process. And it was fantastic.

Makes me wonder about all the generations that will never experience that sort of "blue collar labor"...

Photo credit: Erica Marshall of muddyboots.org (via flickr)

My Birthday Poem

Got this poem today from my friend, Caitie. Couldn't be more perfect.

Poem in October

by Dylan Thomas

It was my thirtieth year to heaven

Woke to my hearing from harbour and neighbour wood

And the mussel pooled and the heron

Priested shore

The morning beckon

With water praying and call of seagull and rook

And the knock of sailing boats on the net webbed wall

Myself to set foot

That second

In the still sleeping town and set forth.

My birthday began with the water-

Birds and the birds of the winged trees flying my name

Above the farms and the white horses

And I rose

In rainy autumn

And walked abroad in a shower of all my days.

High tide and the heron dived when I took the road

Over the border

And the gates

Of the town closed as the town awoke.

A springful of larks in a rolling

Cloud and the roadside bushes brimming with whistling

Blackbirds and the sun of October

Summery

On the hill’s shoulder,

Here were fond climates and sweet singers suddenly

Come in the morning where I wandered and listened

To the rain wringing

Wind blow cold

In the wood faraway under me.

Pale rain over the dwindling harbour

And over the sea wet church the size of a snail

With its horns through mist and the castle

Brown as owls

But all the gardens

Of spring and summer were blooming in the tall tales

Beyond the border and under the lark full cloud.

There could I marvel

My birthday

Away but the weather turned around.

It turned away from the blithe country

And down the other air and the blue altered sky

Streamed again a wonder of summer

With apples

Pears and red currants

And I saw in the turning so clearly a child’s

Forgotten mornings when he walked with his mother

Through the parables

Of sun light

And the legends of the green chapels

And the twice told fields of infancy

That his tears burned my cheeks and his heart moved in mine.

These were the woods the river and sea

Where a boy

In the listening

Summertime of the dead whispered the truth of his joy

To the trees and the stones and the fish in the tide.

And the mystery

Sang alive

Still in the water and singingbirds.

And there could I marvel my birthday

Away but the weather turned around. And the true

Joy of the long dead child sang burning

In the sun.

It was my thirtieth

Year to heaven stood there then in the summer noon

Though the town below lay leaved with October blood.

O may my heart’s truth

Still be sung

On this high hill in a year’s turning.

Things That Amuse Us: Freak Revolution

Freak, (n). Alternative. Misfit. Outcast. Visionary. World-changer.
Revolution, (n). A drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving.
~~*~*~*~**~*~*~~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*

So, Peef emailed me today and told me to head on over to Freak Revolution.

"Read their manifesto," he wrote, "You'll love it."

And wouldn't you know it? He was absolutely right.
This is exactly the sort of organization that Peef and I would dream up some night while we're sitting there on the couch drinking glasses of wine and wondering what to do next. It's brilliant. And, best of all, it's absolutely true.

Let me read you just a little bit -- just to give you a taste.

We are living in a mass hallucination.

We think it’s normal to work all day every day at a dead-end job. It’s normal to fight with our spouses and our children. It’s normal to eat and drink and drug ourselves to escape, to veg out and stare at a screen for hours a day just to dull the pain. It’s normal to hate our lives and be miserable, it’s normal to be lonely, it’s normal to feel hollow.

The control paradigm tells us that we are tiny insignificant cogs in a big whirring machine where no one cares and no one will ever notice us. That is a terrible lie. We are brightly shining stars caught in a murky fog. All we need is the courage to shine and the knowledge that we can.

Gandhi had it half right when he said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” The second half is “connect with others.” If you go off and live on a mountaintop and never talk to anyone - even if you’re being the change you want to see in the world - you’re not changing the world. But if you come down from time to time and connect with people so they know you’re living your perfect life on a mountaintop, and if you tell them that they can follow their own dreams and live their own perfect lives, too? That’s revolutionary.

[...]All you need to do is be your authentic self and connect with others. That’s the kind of revolution we can get behind, the kind of revolution we’re building.
-- Pace & Kyeli Smith &/or Martin Whitmore, Freak Revolution

I guess I'm probably a freak -- cuz that message resonates with me pretty well. And I think I probably have a new blog to follow.


Fly your freak flag higher, people.
It's gonna change the world.

Download the manifesto yourself.
Read it. Love it. Live it.

New Cure for What Ails You: Pictures of You

You've never seen the Cure performed quite like this before... AWESOME!

Things That Amuse Us: Olive the Octopus

Olive, the Accidental Octopus
from greenkayak73

Why I love the Fair

The 158th annual Wisconsin State Fair opened yesterday. And boy-oh-boy. It's a dandy this year. And we're not the only ones who think so. Karen wrote all about it on her Between the Bars blog.

We've actually got plans to make a trip out to the fair next week -- when all the excitement has has a chance to die down. I find that the fair is best after all the pigs have been judged, the contests have been adjudicated, and the overall "newness" factor has dissipated.

I do love me some of the fair. And so, I'm posting a little homage.

I love going to the WI State Fair because:

1. WI SF has a micro-brew beer tent that most certainly puts other fairs to shame
2. there's chocolate covered bacon
3. there's beer
4. who can resist the cheese curds?
5. and don't forget the deep fried oreos
   
6. there's always more beer
7. you can always find silly city folk that seem to think all animals belong behind bars
8. seeing washed up bands play is like watching a train wreck
9. people watching is always at its prime
   
10. there are pig races!

If that isn't enough to make you get up off your couch and go buy tickets to the fair, then you should check your pulse. Really. Just think of all the fun we had LAST YEAR!

AND if your heading out there, look for me. I'll be the one wearing the Skynard shirt and the trucker cap spilling my beer down your back. I'll probably even bring Lo along -- since her new hill-billy look is seriously stylin'.

You think I'm kidding? Heck, I don't want to look like no fool. I need to blend in so that I don't draw too much attention to myself. After all, I'm one of those silly city folk. And, now that I'm half famous from being in the Journal Sentinel, I don't need nobody recognizing me either.

Have fun at the fair y'all...

And the Diaper Bag Diva Winner Is...

Thanks to everyone for participating in the Diaper Bag Diva Giveaway!

The winner, as selected by the Random.org integer generator, IS:

#88:
Erma, who said:

I love the JP Lizzy Strawberry Truffle Classic Tote Set cause it is so cute.

July 30, 2009 6:39 AM

Well, Erma -- I'll be emailing you in just a few moments to let you know that you're the lucky winner.

Party 'til Your Teeth Fall Out

This past weekend, I felt like the universe was sending us a message.
Like "Don't have any more crazy parties."

Truthfully, it's probably more like:
"Don't eat carrots from the relish tray at your crazy parties!!!"
Yeah, it was pretty horrific. But, I tried to be a good sport. I even posed for a picture. Nice, huh?

Since the whole fiasco happened on a Saturday, I had to get it on with my big bad hill-billy self for the remainder of the weekend. Fortunately, I wasn't in pain. I was just... well... ugly.

I tried to paste the crown back into my mouth with some dental adhesive. But, that didn't work so well. The tooth would stay in for about 2 hours and then fall out again. So, eventually, I gave up.

When I went to the dentist on Monday, they pulled my tooth and provided me with a handy-dandy temporary bridge.

At this point, you can hardly tell that I'm a hill-billy. But, we all have our secrets, right?

The Diaper Bag Diva: Interview and Giveaway

*** This Giveaway is now CLOSED ***

Even though we don't have children ourselves, we're surrounded by friends and family who have great little broods. And we're always on the look-out for snazzy gifts to give them.

A couple of weeks ago, we came across a great new Web site called The Diaper Bag Diva -- which carries designer diaper bags and baby gear that definitely won't break the bank. I exchanged a few emails with the "Diaper Bag Diva" herself, Ms. Kaydee Ivers, and I found out that she's a really cool lady -- with a great vision for both her life and business. She has three ADORABLE children. And she creates the best bags (honestly -- I'm tempted to buy one for myself!)

We love it when we can give a little boost to great little independent businesses who seem to be carrying a superior product for a fair price. So, we decided to give you a little more information about Kaydee's business. AND Kaydee has generously offered to host a giveaway. One LUCKY READER will receive an item(s) worth up to $40 from Kaydee's site absolutely free.

How do you enter? You MUST do three things (incomplete entries will NOT be chosen).

1. Read our interview with Kaydee below to find more about her business.
   
2. Visit her Web site, The Diaper Bag Diva. Check out the products and find your favorite bag or accessory (under $40).
3. Come back to this blog post and leave a comment telling us about the product you chose and why you think it's the best thing ever! If you do not have a blog with an email address listed (or we do not know you personally), please include your email address with your comment/entry so that we can contact you if you are a winner.

Extra Entries:

1. Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to link back to this post. After you've tweeted, come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.
2. Announce the giveaway on your blog; be sure to include a link back to this post. Then leave a separate comment (with a link to your blog) letting me know that you posted!
   
3. Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow "News From Peef & Lo" through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

We'll accept entries for the giveaway until Friday (7/31) at 10pm CST. The winner will be chosen by random drawing and announced on or before Sunday, August 2nd.

Lo : How long have you been in business?

Kaydee: I started this business around the first part of June, this year.

Lo: What inspired you to start your own business?

Kaydee: I have always wanted to stay at home with my kids; but during this economic climate, I felt that it would be great to contribute to the family finances. So I figured starting my own business presented a great option which allowed me the freedom to do the two things I love at the same time!

Lo: What makes your products special/different from the competition?

Kaydee: It seems to me that diaper bags range from one end of the spectrum to another in everything from price to style. My goal is to offer stylish diaper bags that you won't be afraid to spill a little milk on :).

Lo: What IS a “Diaper Bag Diva”?

Kaydee: Ha ha, this question makes me chuckle. To be honest, I am probably the farthest thing from a "diva" even a diaper bag one. Forgive me for my honesty, but I chose the name because it is catchy, but I think that it is important for moms to maintain a sense of style and not lose themselves in the middle of motherhood. Motherhood is hard. It's truly rewarding, but difficult. So, if you can have one fun piece that makes you feel a little bit more "stylish," then life may get a little softer around the edges. On the other hand, if you are one of those "already hip mammas," these bags will accent your already fabulous style

Lo: What did you do before YOU became the Diaper Bag Diva?

Kaydee: Pretty much the same thing I still do, with a little less time on the computer. I have three beautiful, high energy children (need I say more)? Well, since this is an interview, I guess I will, I do laundry, dishes, sweeping, mopping, diaper changing, etc. . . Prior to that, I graduated Utah State University with a B.A. in Elementary Education, and my husband and I have owned several of our own businesses including a couple pizza restaurants and a home flipping business.

Lo: What is the next step for your business?

Kaydee: I would love to increase my product line, but I want to keep the business end of it personal. I love hearing what women want, the products they like, and what they don't like, after all, am in the same boat most of my customers are in, and I never want to alienate myself from that.

Lo: What are your secrets to balancing work/home life?

Kaydee: I am still working on that! For me, work always comes second. I don't know if that is the best thing to say in an interview about my business, but I have to put my family first. They are who I am doing this for, and if it means that I can't take the time to meet their needs, it isn't worth doing. My balance comes between 1:00-4:00, NAP-TIME!