In-Flight Writing Part 1: Memphis

It's been six weeks and eight airplanes since last we met in the kitchen. In the depths of Chicago's annual abyss, I've made grand escapes. If not toward much warmer weather than certainly toward warm plates, extended arms and hearths both familiar and brand new. If you follow along on Twitter or even Flickr, Tumblr or Foursquare, you're well aware of my manic skipping about the continental US. And if you thought that was an excuse for skipping out on the longform I love so much, you'd be right. And I'd be making an appointment to see an optometrist about the obvious side effects of my Blackberry addiction.

I can at least find solace in the fact that I've always wanted glasses because the smartphone isn't going anywhere. It's an office I can fit in my coat pocket and it was used accordingly in the following places in the past few winter months...the beginning is as good a place to start as any.

Memphis

Brother and I, in a coup orchestrated by our mother, flew into Memphis at the end of January to surprise Dad at his retirement party. It was in the middle of the week so it took a little calendar manipulation to leave our desks but I've never been so glad I did. We got in without a hitch, even managing to get the hotel courtesy van to drive us to Chick fil a for a late lunch (that's exactly how charming dear Brother is, in case you were wondering).

When it came time to hit the reception, we listened at the door to the hall as people said really amazing things about our father. I feel lucky that I never doubted he was good at his job or that he cared about producing meaningful work or being a mentor. That said, I didn't really start understanding exactly how interesting a figure he was until I also was living in the professional world. All the things I'd started suspecting in the years since college were being said out loud by people who'd worked with him for years.

I think I'll remember that hour, standing at the door with my brother for a long time. Ears pressed against the hinges like we were five and six rather than those numbers with a couple decades tacked on. All children should get to hear people call their fathers excellent and know it in their guts to be true.

So after 20-odd years of Dad surprising us (he is a master of having things "up his sleeve"), we finally surprised him. I wish I could show you a picture of his face. I can't. But I have one in my memory that I'll hold onto for a very long time to come. All four Langsens stood up and we were so proud of each other, so excited for the next set of adventures.

That night Memphis had winter weather fairly unique to that belt of southern states where it's not warm enough to rain and not cold enough to snow. Our phones rang throughout the evening as one flight after another was canceled. And we were re-booked only to be canceled again. By the time I woke up Friday morning, the ground outside crunched and slid with about 2 inches of solid snow cone, hold the blue raspberry syrup.

My family left one by one, but I remained grounded and very thankful for a job based on little beyond the presence of a wireless network and hungry people. As a perpetually hungry person addicted to a mobile device, I am my own job security but convenient nonetheless. At one point I waddled to Owen Brennan's to get some gumbo but, beyond that, cranked away in a quiet hotel room in a city Langsens don't live in anymore.

Having relented to staying another night in town, the ice felt a little nicer. I was no worse for wear. My two oldest friends from Memphis are incidentally both smart-mouthed red headed boys I've know since I was about seven. They are both getting married this June to lovely girls and I saw both of them during my extended trip. My neighborhood grandparents trekked to the airport for hellos and hugs. Kim braved the streets so I even got gravy with biscuits and grits for breakfast on the day I left. I'm not obligated to go back to Memphis anymore but that's made it easier for me to see that I want to.

Dear Universe: Home Edition

Backyard (1994-ish)

I just got off the phone with my mom. The event first discussed over a year ago has finally come to pass. The house I grew up in outside of Memphis has sold. 21 years of thinking of it as home and there will not be a Langsen living there anymore. Instead a young Canadian doctor from St Jude and his wife. I feel good about that. I like Canadians.

And it will still be home in a lot of ways because our family is there. Not blood relations, per se, but koumbara. That would be the Greek word for the family you're not related to, the ones you choose. Six degrees stronger than "community" implies, equally crazy and loved unconditionally. It was a great place to grow up. I'm surprised that I'm still surprised, even with plenty of time to get my head around it, if not every tendril. My parents have already divided themselves between Florida and the Cape, Dad officially retires in January. Times they are a-changing, etc.

Funny that today would be the day. Dear Universe, you may not be subtle but I kinda like it that way. Jaimeson is getting on a plane at LAX in an hour, bound for Chicago. With several boxes and suitcases because.....

Jaimeson is moving into Wicked Park with me (and HC, of course).

To the degree that he lives anywhere, this will be home for both of us now. We had a massive Craigslist/Garage Sale "happening" in LA last weekend and he has been going nonstop ever since to get here by Christmas. Like he hasn't had a big enough holiday season already (you can find his record HERE). We've talked about it loosely and gently for awhile and now it is happening. We've come a long way, most of it documented here.

I don't know how much will change because he'll still be on the road a lot and back to LA as much as he needs to be but it still feels like something. Something very good that smells like roast chicken and fresh lemons and some combination of lavender, rosemary and sandalwood.

Home is where the heart is, n'est ce pas?

In lieu of Jaimeson's traditional welcome back pie, I went a little over the top with Dorie Greenspan's Rosy Poached Pear and Pistachio Tart. Special, seasonal and involving pistachio pastry cream with a honey wine syrup. Welcome home, my dear.

*Note: Now that I live with a Greek, I will drop Greek words into posts at will. In tandem with the odd French words and phrases that help me up the "intellect" quotient of my writing about frosting, feline love triangles and being hungry. I could feel embarrassed for myself but I don't. I live with one. I am LEGIT.

**Note: Also, you're welcome for photographic evidence of why I have not capitalized on the "bangs" trend.

Airport VLOG

Can't guarantee it's interesting, but here is your live coverage from Memphis International Airport. Pop's latest blog is still more interesting but I haven't been on tape in a awhile.


Airport VLOG from ToKissTheCook on Vimeo.

A Tale of Two Turkeys (Photo Essay)

Like most of us, I've done a bit of thinking this week about being thankful- as in how to communicate exactly what I'm thankful for or get near communicating even a small percentage of that list.

Then I started looking at pictures from the last week and, keeping in theme, the story unfolds in kitchens.

I have a family I love who support me, humor me and make every place we are feel like home. And by family, I mean the kinds both born and made, as showcased by my two Thanksgivings this week- one on Sunday in Chicago and hosted by Jaimeson and I then one in Memphis hosted by my parents. I present "A Tale of Two Turkeys:"

Starters

Wicked Park: Beef and Chicken Empanadas with chimichurri sauce from Tango Sur presented by Mols and Jai. If you live in Chicago, you really need to have been to Tango Sur by now. Mols lives absurdly close by so it's a little easier for her but it's quite possibly the best deal meal in town. BYOB, incredible Argentine everything. I can't even tell you how thrilled I was to see these little guys. YUM- and try the spinach when you go. Also a curried cheese ball with Triscuits. Cause I'm classy like that and it's mom's recipe (see below).Shady Creek: My neighbors the G's make this famous crab dip. Even though Mrs. G claims to have used all light products to make it this year, look at that. Nothing about that says light. It only says " Shove as much of me in your mouth as you can and think about it tomorrow." Also we have some Momma TKTC creations. Namely a log of goat cheese covered in both red pepper and raspberry preserves and served with rosemary crackers. Also- biggest piece of Gruyere I've ever seen.

Obviously wine is served in both instances. In large, seemingly self-reproductive quantities.

Ambiance

Wicked Park: Said wine and lovely flowers from Lex. What you can't see but what definitely fits here is my apartment. I'm not a clean freak. I make stacks. I have dust bunnies. I have piles. Jaimeson? While entirely too patient with my chaos, turns out he's a clean machine. I know this because in the hours leading up to company coming over I caught him vacuuming under the couch cushions and bleaching out the shower. The place looked amazing. I can guarantee that it's not had that kind of thorough loving in just over a year. So yes, we had beautiful flowers and candles and a tablecloth but tidiness was the defining factor.

Shady Creek: My mom's tablescapes (as Sandra Lee would call them) put me to shame. The end.

The Girls

Wicked Park: Molly was taking this picture but is included in this mix. Lisa, Lex and Me. Me in my new favorite dress even though it doesn't photograph all that well. Hard to tell the level of awesome from here when it comes to the dress..not the girls. They are very obviously awesome. The dress was found at Store B Vintage on Milwaukee, I have worn it no less than four times this week.

Shady Creek: These three plus a few others do Happy Hour at Betty and RJ's every weeknight. They are a little adorable and Betty (center) gave Momma TKTC (right) and Mrs. G (left) the sweaters they're wearing for their birthdays last week. Girlfriends are always a necessity.

Cute Co-Chef Moment

Wicked Park: Not only was Jaimeson the resident voice of clean reason, he also commandeered the taking out of trash, the carving of the turkey AND pie. That's why he gets the big wing back chair at the dinner table. That and he was willing to lift it, a heavily weighted qualifier.

Shady Creek: My Dad is in charge of the turkey and the stuffing. Oh and my dad's stuffing is one of the top 5 best-tasting things I get to have every year. Not exaggerating. It's insane. The smell of the stuffing has lured people out of comas. If you are sweet and don't get in the way too much, he will grace you with a bite from the bird at midday and then give you and your damn cat a small bite of turkey after it's just been carved. My mom is in charge of all other feast coordination. She earns her bites this way as well as for just being so darn cute.

The aforementioned two turkeys. I didn't get to the one I made until it had already been harvested but I have to say...pretty happy with my efforts and seriously impressed with my "little oven that could." Most of the credit goes to the wine, butter and fleur de sel though. And beautiful carving and turkey lifting by Jaimeson, of course.

Turkey-Masters/ Cat Ruiners

Wicked Park: Jaimeson went to town on that bird so that I could have a clean carcass as a soup-starter. In the process he also completely ruined HoneyCat. I mean, seriously, was life that bad before she knew what turkey was? I was watching you two, J. "One for me, one for you, two for guests..." She now sits in front of the fridge expecting gravy on her kibble. I'm hoping we can teach her to like carrots like Winston (click through...trust me).

Shady Creek: My dad tries to ruin Gracie (family cat) but instead just ruins us because Gracie is overly discerning. The stuffing sticking to the bottom of the pan once the bird comes out of the oven? Manna from Yahweh.

The Spread

Shady Creek: That's Mom and RJ (the prime minister of neighborhood happy hour and an adopted grandparent). The spread for Memphis was a beautiful set of basics like turkey, stuffing, mashed Yukons and sweet potatoes (Yes, those sweet potatoes) and then came the plus-ups. Like jello salad- a personal favorite of mine with strawberry jello and cream cheese and strawberries and bananas.

There are some that don't understand the role jello salad at the feast and I'm here to tell you that people who ask too many questions are missing out on more than just delicious fruit salad. Mrs. G also brought green bean bundles (green beans in a sweet sauce and wrapped in bacon) while Betty made crescent rolls from scratch. I think my mom blames Betty for my compulsion to make as much as humanly possible from scratch, pie crusts in particular. She's probably right.

Wicked Park: We also took on the standards. I had my Dad on the line at 7:30 AM to make sure I hadn't missed any steps with stuffing or turkey and based on the response, I don't think we did. We had the basics- again with the sweet potatoes- and our own upgrades.
Molly and Jai, in addition to those ridiculously good empanadas, came bearing green bean casserole and Jaimeson made Greek salad with his homemade dressing (diced tomatoes, olives, cucumbers red onion and FETA). It is stupid good, as things containing that much FETAstic Greek goodness are wont to be.

The Feast

Wicked Park: Role Call! Mols, Jai, D (J's brother), Dave, Elle Michelle (post-Twilight), Lex, Jaimeson and myself.

Shady Creek: Role Call! Mom, Dad, Brother, TKTC, Kari G, Mr. G, Mrs. G, Danny G, Betty and RJ. Although if you look back to Wicked Park, Elle was raised alongside Danny G and myself and would have been in for at least wine had Cleveland not STOLEN them.

Pie People

Wicked Park: There's Dave (EpiChem from his blogging days) at work over his whipped cream. That pumpkin pie was merciless. D (J's brother) finished his piece standing up. He did not so much as sit down before returning for a second piece. I think Dave may have used Smitten's recipe but I'll need to confirm that prior to linking. I can confirm that it was made from a pumpkin that was roasted and then scooped. Wow.

We also conned people into finishing Jaimeson's birthday cake from Friday. Barefoot Contessa Chocolate Cake (my absolute favorite cake to make) paired with the cream cheese frosting I've usually reserved for Molly's cake. It was a sugar debacle. People running around with mountains of homemade whipped cream on wide wedges of pumpkin pie along with slabs of cake and frosting stuck to their chins. Crazy times.

Shady Creek: Betty, the High Priestess of Shady Creek Happy Hour, made TWO pies. Apple and Pumpkin both with crusts from scratch. Betty's to the point where she makes crust without even needing to think about it. I'm there with some things (sweet potatoes) but still get a little jittery before rolling pie dough. I'll get there though- she assures me of that. And I'm assured because when Betty left people had claimed to be too full for pie and after some rather athletic board games, there was not so much as a shred in either pie dish.

After-Party in the Hotel Lobby/ Game Faces

Wicked Park: Scratch the lobby, let's just move everyone to the living room. All guests were compelled to bring wine and let me tell you now that we got through the bulk of it. People arrived at 5pm and the last guests did not head home till close tot 12:30am. I love that- when people lose track of time at a party...it's a good sign.

Although, then I start thinking about how we entertained them for that long. We watched the Palin Turkey Debacle at the dinner table. We showed guests Jaimeson's "favorite photo" and then played everyone a particular voicemail from J's phone...

It seems I have a new problem of calling Jaimeson in my sleep (totally sober, about an hour before I really wake up). A minute and a half of singing and growling with no real words. I sound like Nell. I was red-faced at the end of it and buried myself in pie to avoid. It was a very very fun night though and Lex even manage to do dishes, something she is very sneaky about that I fight her on but then later really really appreciate. We also became obsessed with the leftover whipped cream. That would be Dave with a mouthful above and Elle Michelle "helping."

Shady Creek: The first thing we did after feasting was turn on Hellboy II: The Golden Army. So consistent with the kinds of things we're all into and a nice "quiet" way to digest. Then the quiet leaves. Seriously- it left and it did not return till 3am. "WHY" you must be thinking. Well Trivial Pursuit + Pictionary + Molly, Jai & Mols' brother Alec+ long-standing competitive streaks= MELEE.

Danny and I have been going against each other over cardboard surfaces since early college. He and my brother are not a team you really want to face when it comes to trivia and I was wishing I could add a particularly worldly Greek to Kari and I's roster. Alright, so I missed him a lot many times this week but particularly when my honor was at stake. We lost Trivially but upon adding Michael G, a resident artist and 4th quarter entrant, to our Pictionary Team...we MORE than held our own. Alec and Danny are loud. Molly and I laugh a LOT. Thank God for ear plugs upstairs.

Thanks all around, actually.

Molly and Danny disputing the ref (Jai) while Brother and Mike look on and Alec prepares for our next move. This is serious, people.

Home is where....

My mom just told me that they are putting our house in Memphis on the market come spring. (Loud exhale)

I knew this was coming, it makes total sense for them and for where their lives are right now. And yet I still feel shell-shocked.

And I have no right to feel this way, having only been back twice in the last year. And twice the year before that. I'm never at home anymore...but that doesn't change the fact that home is ever-present for me. The fact that I know I have the same bedroom waiting for me in the same place it has for the last 20 years is part of the quiet you find while exhausting worst case scenarios.

If I'm ever on the run from the law, I will be able to run to the room with a perriwinkle window seat that unfortunately mismatches sage green walls. I can hide out in the same closet I used to lock Brother in. Or nap under the ceiling fan still dotted with (faded) glow-in-the-dark stars that look like a galaxy when the fan is on high. It is my room.

And the kitchen. I learned to cook between that kitchen and the one across the street. I think we can gather exactly the kind of role that's played in my life.There have been mutinously raucous games of Pictionary played at the kitchen table. I have stood at the kitchen counter with a massive glass of milk enough times to account for both my height and lack of broken bones.

I could really go through every room. And my rose garden in the back yard. And the "railroad" our dog Toby dug by wearing down the grass along our fence (R.I.P.). Let's save me some mistiness and you some whiny extra minutes in your day.

My point is that I recognize almost everyone has to say goodbye to their childhood home at some point. And I recognize that just because some very important milestones happened in that house doesn't mean they cease to have happened when my family no longer lives there.
(Much as though that might be convenient.)

No. In a prescient moment earlier in the week, I talked about "having my real home in my physical home." I was raised in Memphis. I live in Chicago now. Chicago is where I (allegedly) exist as an adult. Is this the point when "home" for me becomes where I physically live? Interesting.

Mazeltov!

Wedding weekend has come and gone for my beloved Elle Michelle and the Epicurious Alchemist. I can truthfully say it was one of the most beautiful ceremonies I've attended. Not because the entire Chicago skyline was visible from the ballroom on a perfectly clear fall day. Not because the flowers and the people seemed to have coordinated their look in rich shades of violet and fuschia. Not because every song lit up the room with some certain guests vivid memory of a time gone by. All of those things were true but that's not quite it.

It was just so them.

Elle came down the aisle to Incubus played by a pop symphony. Dave started cracking up halfway through the vows. They wrote their own...everything. It was perfectly them.

Which made it perfectly all of us too.

My entire family was in town for the festivities and I don't just mean my parents and Brother. My other family, the neighbors who I was raised with forming a closeknit circle of the family we chose- different "aunts" and "uncles" and "cousins" all drinking wine and whiskey and taking over the dancefloor. The bride and groom led by example:
Dave: Ha! Isn't this fun?!?
L: What did I tell you about the goddamn chairs?!
Dave: What???
L: If I fall, you're coming with me. You are now legally bound to hit the ground before I do.
(conversation imagined by TKTC)

This is Mike. Mike and I grew up together. As in he was the first child I babysat for when he was a terror at 2 and I was in over my head at 10. Both a little misunderstood but not entirely misunderstood. And by that I mean we'd earned our respective reputations (him for being a smart little monster, me for a fatally percocious streak). Now we're sitting next to each other at dinner, drinking wine and talking about Vonnegut. So he may still outsmart me from time to time...

They might be giants. To be fair, L had given up on shoes at this point. Still kinda funny.

Lex and I staging a dance floor takeover one glass of chardonnay at a time.

We couldn't possibly be related. You must be kidding. So serious and then so tickled with the Mom.

This is the picture of the four of us I have and even with Danny lurking in the background, I love it. However, the one in my head is the four of us earlier in the day, sitting in my living room having coffee and listening to "Saturday Morning Music." Having my real home in my physical home all together for the first time? I think that will stick with me. Hard to know these things for sure, but I've got a good feeling.

Well-Red

I have more stories from the weekend, the red dress and the long talks but didn't leave the office till 8, the gym till 9:30 and just ate a bowl of frozen broccoli for dinner. As Bri would say, I'm a Monday.

However, several of my regular reads did give me some nice things to look at as I sorted through my steamed greenery so I'll send you to them. Cause they're great, you are too and you'll probably be friends.

What a deliciously romantic tradition. From Orangette.

The Girl List from Angie. Funny and so so true. 3, 6, 10, 12, 18-21....all of them.

decor8 uses Fruit-Stripe Gum colors as an organic cure for seasonal blues/ slush syndrome.

Creature Comforts makes me think blue isn't so bad after all.

We Are Not Martha made a hot V-Day playlist. I'm gonna say ditto plus Sigur Rose, Jose Gonzalez and Thomas Dybdahl.

Whipped (& TKTC) are loving doctored frozen waffles for breakfast.

Big Time Fancy nailed it on a problem we all come to at some point...trying to like the good guy for once.
TKTC Note: In a totally random coincidence, I had Sunday brunch yesterday at the diner pictured in Fancy's header. She's never been there, I now have and will say you should all go to The Arcade when you're in Memphis. Sweet potato pancakes, bacon and grits: $7. Resting my case. And my head. Goodniiiight!

Sup G?

I am back at home in Germantown and it is a beautiful, sunny morning. Seriously- 9:30 am and already 50. I was fixin to shake the people I saw shivering yelling, "THIS? THIS IS COLD TO YOU?" to be followed by, "I walk 5 miles uphill both ways to work in blizzard conditions." Which is a lie but Chicago is a bit of a mystery down here sometimes so I might get away with it.

I just realized that the 5 people I'm down here visiting with the most have ALL been to visit me in Chicago. I'm so lucky!!! JB, Kimmy, Brian/Jen, and Dad have all been up at various times which is pretty awesome. Now we're working on scheduling round two's. Round Two is more fun because you can cut out the Hancock Building and add in a dive bar. Real city personality stuff.

Anyhow, I'm going to try to steal a camera to take to the ball tonight or at least hijack Brian's. For now a quick workout, getting the nails did, lunch with Kim & JB, Sephora, Brian's, the WEDDING! Happy Saturday y'all!