Just a Little Liver Pate

This being my second to last day of vacation before heading back to work (insert a big BOO HOO here), I thought it might be nice to meet up with my parents for lunch. We decided to meet at one of my dad's favorite spots, DZ Akins. This deli has been around for over 20 years and boasts their 'oversized, abundant menu is filled with ethnic favorites: Cheese Blintzes, Lox, Borscht, Bread Pudding, Chopped Liver, Potato Knishes…as well as having over 134 sandwiches (including awesome Triple-Deckers) piled sky-high with fine Deli Meats as well as complete Dinner Entrees such as: Corned Beef and Cabbage, Roast Brisket of Beef, Stuffed Cabbage Rolls'. I'm guessing you can see why it is my dad's favorite as well as a fun spot for celebrities to drop by when in the neighborhood (keep your pants on, I'll tell you about my celebrity siting in a moment).

So you ask yourself...what kind of delectable treat did the Becker Trio enjoy for lunch. Well, see for yourself.

My mom had the steamed veggie platter (I know, she's eating so well these days)

I had the Chicken Breast with Avocado & Jack Cheese & Fruit

(sorry you are getting a partially dissected look at my lunch, I tend to pick apart my meals!)

And my dad had a liver pate sandwich (wish I had smell-o-vision because the stench, er, aroma is not to be missed with this sandwhich.) Oh, and what you see is only half of the sandwhich, that sucker was huge!

Oh and not to forget the homemade pickles they have on every table. These are actually quite good, crunchy and salty goodness. Can't have just one.

Onto the celebrity siting: During lunch, or rather almost as soon as I sat down, I looked over across the way and saw a guy who looked very familiar animatedly talking to an older guy taking notes. Dang, he looked familiar but I couldn't figure out where I knew him from before I realized he was an actor. Now, don't ask me right away his name as neither my mom nor I could figure it out with all our staring and what not we did over lunch (by the way, my dad was totally oblivious to my mom and my gawking...men are just like that I guess...hehehe). But have no fear, my shameless mother (who I secretly thank for being nosey) went up to the hostess on our way out to ask who the actor was. It was Mark Feuerstein! Oh of course, right? Well, the name may not sound familiar but after looking him up on IMDB, you might change your mind and go ah ha...that guy!

Anywhoo...after our brief but delicious lunch, we packed things up (basically rolled ourselves out to our cars) and headed on our blissful ways, with a full tummy and our celebrity siting quota for the year!

It's 2009?

Can you believe we are in 2009?! What happened to 2008? Oh wait, I remember, births and birthdays, workouts & triathlons, Iron Chefs & GNOs, games & nonsense and well frankly just great times spent with family and friends.

So as we officially mark our start into 2009, Grace (my cat's first appearance on the blog...holla) and I wish you a year filled with fun, friendship, love and adventure. And here's to more timely blogs in 2009. As you can see I am so not on top of it already! Oh, and I hope the rest of you bloggers out there continue to blog away because I love to read about everyone's lives...like I said in my first posting oh so long ago it's like being a one-sided pen pal. I have such creative, busy, funny people in my life and love reading about you. And for those of you who aren't part of the 'bloggin' world yet...come join us...so we can peek into your lives as well! It's so much fun (thanks Moira & Beth for getting me into this!)

I know...no words necessary...we make a cute pair!

New Years Day (A Brief Recounting)

Since I was so thorough during my recollection and retelling of Becker Christmas 2008, I will just provide you with the highlights of highlights of Beckers New Years Day Dinner 2008. I know...I'm a giver (of your time back, so you aren't spending it all reading about my life...ha!).

So in the sense of time....

The perfect table setting (notice the English Cracker mentioned in the Christmas blog pre-cracking)...pretty huh?

My English Cracker Prize - a mini measuring tape and joke (Reader Beware: The Jokes are always bad...not like bad shame on you but like bad lame)

A small lay of the dinner land

A close up of my mom's famous Steak & Kidney Pie or is that Shephard's Pie?...either way, good puff pastry, good meat & vegetables & love the blackbird (a tradition must)

Mark & my sister, Moira muggin for the camera. Pssst...if you really squint and concentrate you can see some of my parents' kitchen remodel...I'm so jealous but so happy for them...it's a great entertaining kitchen and they love it!

My brother, Ian, and dad both caught off guard (but still rockin the paper crowns)

Me and our close family friend, Lenore, muggin. Lenore also brought us a decorated OREO shaped cake for dessert...on of her signature cakes and mighty yummy. Lenore is also the family friend who lives in Russia part time and in San Diego the part of the year. Our family has benefited from her travels as all of the Becker kids have stayed at her house while she was gone (Ian is the current resident)

Jon, my sisters Sheona & Moira and my mom slinking in the background (guess Moira was sneaking into pictures again!)So here's to 2009! Cheers...and here's to me actually giving highlights next time I say highlights!

P.S. After dinner we played Wii (family favorite) for a few then Moira and I stayed and played some more (Carnival Wii) and then a couple games of Farkle (my new favorite) with our parents. See I just can't help give more detail!!!!

Fiesta Cake

Today I made a Sombrero/Fiesta Cake for a friend of mine's two year old. Last year I made a rock n roll Silver Record Cake that was a hit, so this year she asked if I could make a Sombrero Cake for their Fiesta Themed Birthday Party.

Being it was the holiday season and all, I must say I hadn't put much thought into the cake until, well yesterday. But to my surprise I was very happy with my results. I decided to use my airbrush kit that my friend, Becs, gave me for Christmas a few years ago as well as decided to branch out and make some fondant little trinkets to put around the cake.

As I said, I was really happy with the results and the cake was almost completely devoured by the time we left the party.

So, Feliz Cumpleanos to all you December birthdays!

Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas! Another Christmas has come and gone and another wonderful day spent with family.

As tradition has dictated in the Becker household as long as I have been around, all the Becker children (and their respective others) gather at our Parents house in the early morning (though as the years go by early = 9:00am instead of the 6:30-7:00am it used to) to have some breakfast and then hunker down for some stocking and gift giving galore.

Here's a couple of pics of the Hosts (aka Dad and Mom) and notice how Moira my sister managed to squeeze into both pictures.

This year my dad made some kick ass waffles using his favorite waffle maker, and we also partook in some meat & cheese platters that my brother has brought over for the past few years. All the Becker kids are loving the breakfast as it is a welcome improvement from our years gone by when we used have to eat OATMEAL before opening gifts...oh the torture.

After breakfast we sat down in the living room to begin with the stockings. Our family tradition is for everyone to open stockings first, then Santa gifts (noting that we all still get Santa gifts even though we are all in our late 20's/30's but hey we are never too old for Santa right?), then one by one we open gifts from under the tree. Needless to say, this together time takes close to 3 hours to get through all the awesome loot we give and receive.

My sister, Sheona, in her pimped out hat her boyfriend's mom gave her on Christmas Eve and my brother, Ian, both anxiously awaiting the stockings.

And my other sister Moira, in all her Santa Hat glory.

My sister's boyfriend, Jon, was totally into the Holiday spirit by donning the Santa Hat while passing out gifts (he had the last shift). Also, check out the totally cool Raptor he got from Santa. It moves off of sensors and has a remote control. Jon may be 32 but has a heart of a 13 year old, plus he thought the Raptor could be used to antagonize his and Sheona's two cats, Orange & Grey (also known as Max and Jake).

After we finished opening gifts at almost 12pm (after starting around 9:30am), we all scattered to different locations (my sisters had their significant other's families to visit, my brother hung with my parents and played Wii, while I had a date with the couch at my house for a few hours since my boyfriend, Gabe, was working on Christmas Day...boohoo) with understanding we would all be reconvening around 5pm for traditional Christmas Dinner of Prime Rib, Salad, Potatoes and Veggies (yum yum).

When dinner rolled around, we all donned our paper hats from our English Traditional Crackers, and shared a wonderful meal. Note the one fingered pose my dad and I do any chance we get (actually my entire family shares the affinity for this pose though my mom is none to fond of it).

Finally, after the delicious dinner, we all rolled (literally) back into the Living Room for a few games of Wii Bowling (my dad and brother both won) and a few sessions down the Wii slope with Downhill Skiing (it was so freaking funny and exhausting that my brother and I were dripping with sweat after the race was over you would have swore we had skied down a hill for real). After the physically exhausting Wii session, Moira, my parents and I settled down for two games of my favorite new dice game Farkle (my dad gave me it for Christmas and I love it!) and game which would appear to be of luck but somehow my dad won both games so I think he must know some way to cheat. HA.

Which brings us to the end of Christmas Day, when everyone packed up all their gifts, wished each other a Merry Christmas and headed on our merry ways! I just love Christmas and love spending it with Family. Hope everyone else had a great Christmas as well.

Merry Christmas!

Cookies, Cookies Everywhere

This Holiday Season since I have a couple weeks off, I decided to join my mom and sister, Moira, in making some Christmas Cookies.

I went to work in the morning for my last day in the office until Jan 12 (WHOOT WHOOT and a little whoot whoot!) and then headed to my mom's house for the Cookie Baking extravaganza. And oh what an extravaganza it was.

Moira in the midst of prepping her first set of cookies.

Me finishing my first set of cookies: Poor Man's Turtles

While Moira and I were the main Bakers of the day our mom did a bang up job as our Scullery Maid (aka the Prep Ingredients and clean dishes queen). The Scullery Maid was definitely key to us successfully making over 7 different types of cookies.

We had at least two types of cookies and three types of activities going on the kitchen at all times for about 6 hours straight.

At the end of the Baking-a-thon we had quite a spread to show off. We made:

Poor Man's Turtles


Cinnamon Toast Nuts

Chocolate dipped pretzels

Anise Flavored Italian Wedding Cookies

Buckeyes

Peppermint Bark



Fudge (using my ex-bosses recipe)

Sugar Cookies (from scratch)

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies (from scratch - tasted great but looked like flattened pooh)

The three happy yet exhausted bakers and the Quality Controller (my dad).

I had such a great time with my family and hope to continue with the cookie tradition next year (and hope my other sister, Sheona, can join us as well).

Happy Holidays!

Mother/Daughter Day at the Spa

Each year my best friends (Jen & Becs) and our moms (or in Becs case, sometimes her daughter Savannah) try to get together for a Mother/Daughter day in December to celebrate another year of friendship and the holidays. In the past we have gone to the Nutcracker and dinner. This year we decided to pamper ourselves with a much needed Spa Day and a movie.

Unfortunately Becs and Savannah were unable to attend because their family was traveling to Mammoth for a last minute family get together. While we missed them terribly, we were still able to buck up and enjoy the pampering all the same.

We went to our new favorite spa spot Coldcreek Spa (I have mentioned the spa before and will probably again in the future). In the reception area we had time to show off our matching Christmas sweaters.

Jen & her mom Irene

The 'old biddies' aka our moms (Irene & Fiona)

The 'babes' aka the Daughters (Jen & Gwen)

In the spa area we were treated to soothing foot baths, lavender scented neck wraps and tea while we waited for our treatments. My mom and Jen both got massages while Irene had an Ultimate Spa Pedicure/Manicure combo and I with an Anti-Aging (oh yes, I needed it) Facial.

Can you see the look of relaxation on our faces?

After the spa experience, we headed over to the movies and caught a showing of 'Nothing Like the Holidays'. While Jen and I enjoyed the flick (we could totally relate to some of the characters as those of people we know), our moms were less than thrilled, with my poor mom not getting a lot of the references and Irene just thinking the movie stunk. At least all of us got a good laugh out of discussing it on our way home.

I'm so happy not only to have my Best Friends in my life, but am really happy our mothers get along so famously. Heck, when Irene & Fiona get together, I don't know who giggle and laugh more, them or us!