I like to think of this blog as a mellow little space where we can gather to chat about food and cooking, cheese and vegetables, tofu and chocolate. It’s the closest I can get to having you all gathered round my kitchen table, with mugs of coffee and a platter of cookies in front of you. I really like this space we share, and because it is like a part of my home, there isn’t much in the way of advertisements or commercials. If I had you over for tea, I certainly wouldn’t be trying to sell you things. It’s just not my style. But tonight, I had an opportunity that I just could not pass up, and it involves one teeny tiny little ad. So here we go:
There! That wasn’t so bad, right? And if you click on the link, you’ll see that “stool” does not refer to the kind of stool that you make, unless you are a carpenter. It’s a furniture ad! And the furniture on allbarstools.com is really quite nice, the kind of thing that would look right at home underneath my kitchen bar. But tonight, I’d like to focus on your kitchens because I’ve got something really amazing to offer one lucky reader: your choice of merchandise from cookware.com, one item, up to $70 in value. The generous folks at CSN stores (the family of stores to which allbarstools.com belongs and the sponsor of that little ad up there) contacted me about hosting a contest for them, and on your behalf, I accepted. One peek at cookware.com told me I couldn’t turn down a chance for one of you to win something fun, useful, pretty, or groovy from that site. Take a look and you’ll see what I mean. I love these pretty loaf pans from Le Creuset or these adorable soup bowls. (Oh, how I love soup. One can never have too much soup or too many bowls.) Or how about this intriguing skillet from EarthPan whose nonstick coating is made from sand? (Anyone know how the SandFlow coating compares to ceramic nonstick coatings?) I like this lovely bowl from Culinary Herbs or, because many salads appear on my dinner table, this nice salad bowl set, with its big mama bowl and four baby bowls. I’m actually a little bummed now that I can’t enter my own contest! (I have only myself to blame, because I’m making up the rules for this contest.)
Here’s the deal: leave me a comment on this post and tell me something lovely about your weekend. What will you eat? Where will you go? Which book or magazine will you read? Who will be with you? One entry per person, please. The contest will be open until midnight on Friday, February 6, a week from today. I’ll announce the randomly chosen winner on Saturday, February 7 and ask that the winner send me an e-mail address so that the prize can be chosen and delivered.
I can’t wait to read your entries. Good luck! I’ll see you back here in the morning.
PS The contest is open to US and Canadian residents. My apologies to anyone who is excluded. I’m still glad you are here with me!
17 comments:
I'm going to India town with Amanda and Erin (she got good news from UIC, if you haven't heard). When you come back to Chicago, you have to go to Uru Swati. The ambiance leaves much to be desired, but the food there is heavenly. They also have the best Bhindi masala (okra) that I've ever eaten.
I'm actually glad that you put up that advertisement. I'm not in the market for any bar stools right now, but they do have a sugar bowl that I will probably order. I have distinct conceptions of products I'd like to own, but then spend years searching in vain for what I'd like (a square glass pitcher, for example). They almost have what I was imagining for a sugar bowl. It's probably worth buying, since the exact thing I'm envisioning probably doesn't exist.
Daine, your comment made me so happy! India town! UIC! Okra! So much good stuff. Tell Erin I said congratulations if you have a chance. I'm excited for both of you.
And you even made me feel better about putting an ad on this site. I wonder if you should be a cookware designer as well as a doctor! You have an intriguing sense of aesthetics--I like it. Which sugar bowl did you like?
something good about the weeekend?? umm, i'm working... but i am watching amreeka as i run my samples on the facs machine. tonight might bring a bit of relief, albeit for a brief outing at a friend's housewarming!
I think my favorite one is this one:
http://www.cookware.com/Mikasa-5048989-MIK1167.html
but I also really liked this one:
http://www.cookware.com/Blomus-63130-RY1157.html
There were two others that I'd consider getting as well, but they're about the same price, and I really only need one.
I'm sorry I didn't read your comment until after we were already back from hanging out with Erin, but I think you should shoot her an e-mail. I've been reconnecting with everybody I've ever been friends with since my good news, and it's lovely to use happy news as an excuse to catch up.
By the way, the Bhindi masala was even better than I'd remembered it. I bought myself 2 pounds of okra from the store across the street from the restaurant and might just have to devote my life to learning how to reproduce the taste and textures of that dish.
Shannon, working?!? Gah! I hope your results make it worth the weekend hours. Science can be such a time hog. But a housewarming party sounds like fun! I hope you find some time to relax today.
Daine, groovy sugar bowls! I like them! I'm partial to the second one, which reminds me of a space ship. I would love it if it made some sort of eerie electronic sound every time you opened it, like Zzzzhhhooop!
E-mail to Erin: done! Thanks for the nudge :-) And I share your feelings about Bindhi masala--it's one of my favorite Indian dishes. I have a Bindhi masala maker, and his name is Matt. I'm adding this item to the list of things you and Matt have in common.
Wow, a contest. Well, today I went to a vegan bake sale raising profits for Haiti, so that was probably this weekend's highlight. And yesterday we watched David Lynch's Dune. Hope you are having a good weekend too.
Hi, Yasmin! It's so nice of you to say hello and enter the contest. A vegan bake sale--how fun! Hopefully the event had a good turnout. I made vegan cookie bars this afternoon and I'm very tempted to eat another one right now...
Well, who could resist that? Even though my cabinets are jam-packed full of cookware, I certainly never turn down the opportunity for more.
Also, May=Rose-Anne. Yay!
Oooh, ooh! Pick me, pick me! :-)
I had tickets with a friend to the Elton John and Billy Joel concert in Seattle this past November. Unfortunately, Elton John landed in the hospital with Swine Flu and E. coli poisoning (and that's definitely some serious misfortune). He's all better now and we're going to the make-up concert this Saturday night. I can't wait!
Oh, and I totally didn't read the instructions fully, although finding out you're visiting was indeed a good part of my weekend. But the best part was that i was in Tucson with two of my best friends, and we had the BEST Guatemalan food while listening to a semi-spontaneous-seeming performance by a local Peruvian band. I had a rice dish that included sour cream, white cheese, and corn, and it was absolutely fantastic.
Ammie, you are hilarious. I can't wait to see you in that city by the lake! And ooh, your weekend anecdotes about Tucson sound awesome. Guatemalan food! A Peruvian band! How fun :-)
Hillary! Hello again! Elton had swine flu AND E. coli poisoning?!? Egad, that is bad luck. But I'm glad to hear the concert is back on and wish you a groovy evening of music and fun. Will both Elton and Billy be there?
I'm so glad you asked! I've been wanting to tell someone about my weekend. On Saturday, hubby was attending a running workshop in Nanaimo, and I went along for the ride. While he toiled, I had a day to myself with no plans or responsibilities. Those days don't happen often enough. I was so excited about the possibilities that I didn't know what to do first. I started with a bookstore, then coffee then more bookstore. I followed that with lunch at a quirky little vegetarian restaurant. I had the soup of the day (spinach lentil) and let the waitress choose a salad to go with it. (rice and black beans and spices I didn't even try to identify just enjoyed)I browsed a few shops, and when I ran out of energy and money I took my journal and went to the library for some writing. Before I knew it it was time to pick up hubby. Dinner out, drive home. Bliss.
The next day we attended a gardening workshop. I'm determined to grow some of my own veggies this year. Of course, if I don't succeed, I can always count on L from Sleeping Cougar Acres. Dinner on Sunday was pasta topped with squash pesto made from a beautiful butternut squash from her farm and a green, green, green salad with a few walnuts toasted and tossed on top for crunch.
A lovely, lovely, lovely weekend. What a week for you to ask about my weekend. Normally its cleaning and laundry and exciting stuff like that. I love your timing.
Laurie, what a glorious weekend! I love the idea of taking a little road trip and then having hours to peruse bookstores, sip coffee, and eat whatever the waitress thinks is the tastiest salad on the menu. Your comment was most appreciated on a dreary Wednesday morning :-)
RA,
Now that it's Wednesday and we're over the figurative hump, I'll tell you about the upcoming weekend. The Piwowarskis are coming to visit! We'll be playing board games and eating cherry pie with homemade pie filling I froze last summer (an experiment . . . the freezing-for-later, I mean).
AMPD
Ha! Happy Hump Day, everyone. Somehow saying that always makes me feel better about Wednesday. Yay for Piwowarskis and board games and homemade cherry pie! Now THAT sounds like a blissful weekend, AMPD. If I weren't a thousand miles away, I'd be tempted to crash your party ;-) "Hey, did anyone see where the rest of the pie went?" Heh heh heh!
This weekend, I have to go to the airport to see somebody off; I haven't been to one in a very long time, so who knows what will await. Thanks for hosting this fun giveaway!
Mastering Public Health, this may sound totally bizarre, but I secretly love the airport. I hope your airport visit is a good one!
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