It's been quite awhile.

I decided, at the end of 2013, that one of my resolutions was to make more - to schedule time to sew and knit and to learn to weave. I bought a new work dress on one of the last days of the year, but my next new dress will be one I make.

My options, based on patterns I already own, are as follows:

A Kay Unger pattern for another work dress.

A Rachel Comey pattern for a non-work dress.

A Lisette pattern for a non-work dress (view B).

Another of my resolutions was to train for another marathon, so I may find myself in the same spot at the beginning of January 2015 that I find myself in today...

Clearly, BA's photo of this soup is better in all objective ways than my own, but I've made the egg drop soup recipe in the current issue twice this weekend and enjoyed it both times and something needs to be said for that. So, I recommend taking something resembling the Bon Appetit recipe to the local grocer. Low stakes. High return.

My sister is allergic to grapes, so oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies were out. But, I dig dried fruit, so I substituted apricots for raisins, added chocolate chips to the mix, and there you go, Joy of Cooking cookies, 2.0.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix:

1 3/4 c flour;
3/4 tsp baking soda;
3/4 tsp baking powder;
1/2 tsp salt;
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Beat in a large bowl:

1 c softened butter;
1/4 c granulated sugar;
1 1/2 c packed brown sugar;
2 eggs;
2 1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir in flour mixture, then add:

1 c dried fruit (raisins, apricots, cranberries);
3 1/2 c rolled oats;
3/4 c chocolate chips

Shape dough into balls and place 2 inches apart on lined baking sheets. Flatten balls to 1/2 inch thick. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let stand for two minutes, then cook on rack.

To be shared with friends and neighbours.

{happy valentine's}

Knitting is slow-going these days, but I finished the Brooklyn Tweed Irving toque this past weekend. It's a belated Christmas gift for my dad.

{I asked Greg to wear it for the photo. He gave two thumbs up for the Kathmandu tweed I found at Romni Wools to use as a substitute for BT Shelter.}

I've been busy lately with work and with running and visiting with my family and with not much else.

{...the scene on Sunday morning at the Sunnyside swimming pool, two days after a major winter storm...}

My first trip to New York City in twenty years was a three day walking tour (from W 101st to Broome Street and back on the first day alone) and search for the perfect New York Style pizza.

My top three were the Highline, an off-Broadway show, and running in Central Park:

I am a big fan of public spaces, parks in particular, so the Highline was a major major highlight for me.

{To be sure, so was Central Park. But I didn't bring my camera on my run and I was too busy eating a Magnolia cupcake when we went back for our last hour in the city.}

Theresa and I also visited MoMA, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge on our way to Williamsburg (buck a shuck oysters from Long Island!), and checked out the shops in the East Village.

NYC, I heart you!