Confession: I Hate Halloween, Here's Why:

1. It's overrated... the New Years Eve of fall. Everyone talks about it for weeks and I've never once had an awesome time.

2. When I was little, my friend Teri's Dad used to scare the crap out of me every Halloween. The house that I'd play at 364 days a year became extra scary on Halloween. There was a little courtyard area you had to enter if you wanted to get candy. It was dark and Mr. Taylor would sit in there dressed scary with some spooky voice machine every year. I knew it was him. I would rationalize every year that I knew it was him... it was all fake... still scared. Once I got home, I would lay in bed trying to go to sleep and I could hear his spooky voice echoing down the street. So, I blame Jim Taylor for my early hatred of Halloween.

3. I don't really remember *lovin* any costume I have ever had. I think this is because I have always had a hard time suspending imagination. I didn't want to look like an 8 year old Indian princess in a homemade costume, I wanted to BE an Indian princess. Halfway was never good enough... I could always tell it wasn't REAL enough.

4. Three words: Disney's Haunted Mansion

[Note: I mainly don't like scary things, people, movies, books and, well holidays...]

Poll: White Jeans in Fall?

I have a GREAT pair of white jeans, but as a Southerner I avoid white after Labor Day (or is it Memorial?) This is kind of cool... what do you think? Can an American Florida Girl in DC pull off this Parisian style highlighted today on Sartorialist.com?

(Retail) Patience is a Virtue...

Back in July, I blogged about unattainable birthday wishes...

Temperatures may be dropping by the day, but I'm so fired up that I just scored the Elizabeth & James sundress I've been obsessed with all summer HALF OFF. Thanks ShopBop!



I've convinced myself that this is a fabulous recessionista idea (despite that it is still expensive) because...
1) it's HALF OFF
2) i waited until it was HALF OFF (patience = virtue) and there was still one left in my size
3) despite that it's a sleeveless sundress... i believe firmly I can style this into a fall piece with skinny jeans, a fitted jacket or scarf and boots. I'll let ya know how that goes...

[UPDATE: Found it half off and got it - and love it!]

Confession

I always wait to get gas until the empty light comes on. Always have.

(But when you have ---- miles til empty *may* be a bit extreme.)

VOTE for Arianna in GAP Casting Call

VOTE here for my friend Monica's cutie, Arianna.

Pumpkin Challenge

Ok, it's only Tuesday... and my farmers market is on Thursday. But, I'm already OBSESSED with the next challenge. PUMPKIN! Not canned, but fresh from the farm.

I'm going to start sharing the incredible ideas people are sending me here to keep track and narrow down what I should make:

Pumpkin Lasagne (via @BeckyHammer)

Maple Pumpkin Pasta with Blue Cheese & Sage from Fresh365

Pumpkin Seed Brittle from the James Beard Foundation

Spicy Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce from Martha Stewart (H/T @stackatl)

Spicy Pumpkin Bread via @elle_dubya

What's your fave??? Leave 'em in the comments section or tweet me them @floridagirlindc and I'll share the ones that make me drool.

Cruisin'

Source: www.sartorialist.com

I'm slightly obsessed with cruiser bikes these days. And, I get how impractical they are in the DC area (read: hills). I had a boyfriend who told me I could have one if I could pedal it up a driveway at a bike store. I couldn't. But I still want one.

I'd love a vintage vibe like the one above and have been perusing the used bike market at the Arlington Antique Market... but also, want to try out the funky Electras that come in 7 speed... what... *maybe* I could get it up the hill...

Market Challenge: Butternut Squash Risotto

I'll admit, I've been a market challenge failure recently. Buying that okra, staring at it for weeks and tossing it, all because I was scared to fry in bacon... or more directly scared to clean up the mess of frying in bacon. But the butternut squash challenge was ON. And it wasn't going bad anytime soon. It started like this here. Calling to me from the Arlington, VA Farmers Market last weekend.



I like to live tweet my farmers market visits because by the time I get home, my Twitter pals have already sent me recipes and ideas... as well as moral support for the challenge ahead. After sifting through how tos, soups and baked recipes, I settled on attempting Giada DeLaurentis' Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto recipe, but I made a few tweaks when Giant and Trader Joe's didn't have whole vanilla bean.

I'll admit, I was intimidated. I didn't even know how hard it would be to cut that bad boy open. Much less, how difficult it would be to attempt a Giada on my first try with this [vegetable? fruit?]...

I got the biggest chef's knife nearby and stood it up on the cutting board. I pulled the knife down slicing it in half. It wasn't easy.... kind of like cutting a pumpkin. Smelled similar and had similar seeds too, which I scooped out and threw in the trash. 30 seconds later, I re-read the recipe and realized the seeds and pulp were all supposed to be cooked together... so that's where Giada and I started parting ways.



In simmering vegetable broth, I cooked the cubed butternut squash for about 5 minutes. I scooped it out and put in the bowl to the side. Giada had ordered me to keep the broth to use with the risotto... and I actually read that line immediately before I was about to pour it out through a colander. Win!

In another sauce pan, I cooked the onions in butter until they were translucent. Then I poured in the arborio rice and stirred until they were all mixed together. Then the best part... add vino. To the risotto and my glass... cheers!



I sipped my vino as the risotto cooked down and every two minutes, I added a cup of the squash broth and stirred. Once all of the broth was incorporated, I added the squash, a little more butter and the parmesan cheese and stirred it all up. At this point, my stomach was growling and the house smelled like heaven. Here was the finished product before I inhaled two bowls of it. Even the man pronounced it "good"...

Why???

Why do I want a Burberry snood?

Best Bets: Restaurants

In honor of all of the "Best Bets" guides that come out each year... thought I'd offer up my own take.

Best Bar Food: Bourbon Steak
Best BBQ: Kenny's Smokehouse
Best Burgers: Good Stuff Eatery
Best Cheap Eats: Tacqueria Nacionale
Best Cheese Plates: Cheesetique
Best Cupcakes: Buzz Bakery
Best Desserts: Co Co Sala (they had me at chocolate covered bacon.)
Best for Groups: Surfside for super casual or Zaytinya
Best Ice Cream: Dolcezza (although I usually get it at the Penn Quarter Farmers Market on Thursdays)
Best Italian: Dino
Best Outdoor Seating: Tabard Inn
Best Pizza: 2 Amys
Best Pre-Theater Dining: Rasika for Woolley or Shakespeare, West End Bistro for Kennedy Center
Best Restaurant for a Quiet Meal: Corduroy
Best Romantic Restaurant: J&G Steakhouse
Best Seafood: Hanks Oyster Bar
Best Steak: Rays The Steaks
Best Sushi: SEI
Best Takeout: Greek Deli
Best Vegetarians whose friends aren't Vegetarian: Tonic for casual or Founding Farmers
Best View: POV

Next up, the Bars edition...

NOTE: I haven't eaten at EVERY spot in town... feel free to tell me in the comments section what I'm missing out on. Happy to try out your fave spot and blog about it if it knocks off one of my faves!

Weird DC

Always freaky to see a stranger looking in your window... Even weirder when you are 9 stories up. And he has a drill instead of some Windex.

PS. Also scared he's gonna fall. His toes are WAY too close to the edge for my liking. #scaredofheights

Fall Fashion I Can Get Fired Up About

As previously posted, I'm not a fan of cold weather. Anything below 50 degrees has the potential to send me into a jeans rut. But I am LOOOOVING the new ShopBop.com Fall Ultimate Closet. The best part is I already own a lot of the components.


To complete this look, I just need a plaid shirt and boyfriend blazer, both of which I've been hunting for anyone. Anyone have recommendations for affordable, well fitting options on the plaid shirt? Almost all that I have tried on are too boxy. Considering hitting the boys section of Abercrombie or American Eagle...


And, on this look, I just need a cute/hot pair of black booties.

PS. Notice, no tights were involved in these fall looks. Hate em.

Things Floridians Love: Wrestling

Growing up in our house, dinnertime was always accompanied by three things: the local Channel 13 news (back when it was CBS), Three's Company and wrestling.

I'm not sure why wrestling found a welcome home in sunny Tampa, Florida, but Championship Wrestling Florida operated from 1961-1987. Before the WWF or the WWE, there was Gordon Solie on the play-by-play, an audience of about 100 locals and my personal fave, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes (pictured below).



To this day, I still have a pretty good recollection of the heroes, villians... sometimes heroes turned villians and vice versa.

In memory of Captain Lou Albano. See Idolator's highlights of Capt. Lou's life and energy here.

Things Floridians Hate: Hosiery

I tweeted the other day about the ridiculousness of CVS carrying 432 kinds of hosiery when no one wears hose anymore. Immediately, readers shot back that they still sometimes carry a torch for these stretchy torture chambers.

I hate them. Loathe them. It's 53 degrees today and I'm still refusing them. Oh, winter will eventually beat me into tights submission, but I'll be craving flip flops each day until spring.

FLORIDIAN RULE: If I ran the world, if it's below 50 degrees you can wear jeans to any occasion.

Things Floridians Love: Wearing Sunglasses. A Lot.

I just got called out for wearing sunglasses instead of closing the blinds. Indoors. While watching football and Twittering from my Blackberry.

He says that 99 percent of non-Floridians would just close the blinds.

I think at least 87 percent of Floridians would just put on sunglasses and enjoy the rays. Especially in October when they are fleeting.

Just sayin...

RECIPE: Fried Green "Eggplant Parm" from Willow

New to the Saturday Arlington Farmers Market is a great tasting tent from Willow Restaurant (4301 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA). The chef on duty makes little bites based on fresh ingredients at the market.

Today's was Roland Farms (Plains, VA) Fried Green "Eggplant Parmesan: with Smoked Tomato Butter and Fresh Basil. Yes, it was as good as it sounds. They were showcasing both the local farmer, their restaurant AND sharing the recipe (below).

Not sure that I will be breaking out a Fry Baby anytime soon at home, so luckily the chef said they are planning on adding these to their bar menu next week. I just learned that Willow has $5 "Willow Worthy" Bar Snacks each and every night. It's definitely the best restaurant in the Ballston neighborhood, so nice to see they have a bar menu that's easier on this recessionista's budget! ;)

ROLAND FARMS FRIED GREEN "EGGPLANT PARMESAN" WITH SMOKED TOMATO BUTTER AND FRESH BASIL

INGREDIENTS
2 green eggplant, sliced 1/8' thick
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 t. freshly picked thyme
3 cups buttermilk
1 egg
3 quarts canola oil
kosher salt, to taste

PROCEDURE
1. Slice the eggplant and lay it out on a paper towel lined sheet tray. Sprinkle each side with a small amount of salt. Allow the eggplant to stand for about 4 hours (this will allow the bitter liquid to be purged from the eggplant*)
2. Place the panko, parmesan, and thyme in a food processor and pulse until incorporated.
3. Place the buttermilk in a bowl and whisk the egg into it.
4. Blot the eggplant slices and place into the buttermilk. Allow the eggplant to marinate for about an hour and a half.
5. Dredge each piece of eggplant into the bread crumb mixture and coat evenly. Reserve.
6. Heat the canola oil. Drop the eggplant in batches and cook until golden brown.
7. Season with salt immediately and drain on paper towels.
8. Serve with smoked tomato butter and fresh basil. (they didn't give recipe for that, so guess we are 1) on our own 2) have a reason to go to Willow 3) need to flirt with the chef to get the recipe for this. I can tell you that they had it in a squeeze bottle to drizzle. It was an intense red color, so maybe was made with butter and a tomato paste? What do you think? How would you make it?)

* Um, I never knew that. No wonder eggplant prepared in restaurants is so much better than when I make it.

NEXT WEEK'S WILLOW TASTING: Roasted Fall Beets with Sherry Vinaigrette, Goat's Cheese & Candied Walnuts, October 17

Farmers Market Finds

Here's what I picked up today at the Arlington, VA Courthouse Farmers Market. Can't wait to decide what to make!

Arugula, Sweet Peppers, Zucchini & Eggplant from Wheatland Vegetable Farm
Butternut Squash from Twin Springs Farm
Squash Blossoms from Westmoreland Berry Farm
Grape Tomatoes from Laurel Grove Farm
Banana Bread AND Pumpkin Bread from Quail Creek Farms

Market Challenge: Butternut Squash

So, what should I make with these bad boys I picked up at today's Arlington Farmers Market?? I've eaten butternut squash in restaurants and even made some butternut squash ravioli last week (when I say made, I mean boiled - it was actually *made* by Copper Pot Food Company here in VA), but I've never bought one whole and taken a knife and some heat to it.

Recipe ideas that rolled in via Twitter while I was shopping include:

- Butternut squash ravoili (recipe coming soon) via @joelhousman
- a Wolfgang Puck butternut squash soup via @EssentialsToday
- a super easy and yummy butternut squash ravioli idea (use wonton wrappers instead of pasta!) from @jackisilvan
- and this slew of great recipe ideas from @BlairDC

Perhaps the most simple delicious idea came from @jlock who got her whole recipe in one 140 character tweet:

RT @jlock @floridagirlindc I LOVE butternut squash!U can peel,cut into cubes and bake at 350 for 45 min. I also add onions. Ravioli filling 2!

Keep the great ideas coming and I'll let ya know how it ends up.

Style Sisters: Shiloh & Z

I know I shouldn't care, but good Lord, I love me some Shiloh and Z!

I know hundreds of adults without that kind of individual attitude and style... I hope they keep it and don't turn into plastic Hollywood-bots.

Weird DC

DC gets it's fair share of bizarre protesters and personalities. No clue what this giant puppet is supposed to convey... But color me amused.

Farmers Market Challenge: Shitake Mushrooms

This meal was easy to make, delicious and all sourced to the Penn Quarter Farmers Market in Washington, DC.

Flash boiled Grilled Butternut Squash Tortellini from The Copper Pot Food Company of Ashburn, VA. Sauteed shitake mushrooms in olive oil, salt and pepper. Tossed with tortellini and topped with Piedmont cheese from Everona Dairy in Rapidan, VA.

Nom!