Long Distance Footsie

I personally think our feet look better together but sometimes it's nice to do and see things on our own. We are both so lucky to reside in such amazing cities (Chicago, me & DC, Nick) that keep us on our toes.
it was a really hard transition for me to live literally 2-blocks away from Nick for two years before Nick moved to DC. We spent almost everysingleday together. We would take our early morning/afternoon walks together on the weekends, wander new neighborhoods together for the best sushi and hit-up the best Kareoke bar in the city! Yes, we are Kareoke champs.

Nowadays things are much different. I see him 1 -2 weekends a month and it was really difficult at first. I felt like I was loosing precious moments and experiences with Nick which made me feel like we were as close -- like we were drifting. After some huge adjusting I started to realize that I have been given the best of both worlds; I have an amazing, wonderful and supportive relationship while having an inspiring, busy and passionate independent lifestyle.

It's pretty fabulous but takes a lot of hard work, trust and confidence. I hated goign to movies or eating dinner alone but now I don't mind it at all. It's nice to just observe and mull over my own thoughts while enjoying a delicious meal.

To this day I haven't seen Nick in 33 days -- our longest yet! -- but I will see him in DC on the 17th! I can't flipping wait! His heart & soul is


His heart is my home, and there's no place like it!


xox

When it's March I do the Shamrock Shake

My love-bud Rommy (we have been BFF for 12 years) and I took the train all the way downtown for "dinner" on Wednesday and by dinner I mean we went to the Rock N Roll McD for Shamrock SHAKES! There is something so magical about this drink I can't even describe. Yum yum yum.

I found a recipe for it online and I'm going to make it with non-fat ice cream and all natural food dye! Updates next week on it! nom nom nom.

Copy Cat Shamrock Shake
from RecipezaarSeriously ladies and gents go grab one today -- they are only avail til March 25th!

But One season a year ain't so bad, right?

You custom bloggin? Damn, we aren't either.

Do you ever look at your blog and thing "wow, i really wish i knew that css and html coding stuff?" Yah, story of my life. I've got custom thoughts but my blogs are a little lame. It's tough enough out there to stand out, can't a girl in a long-distance relationship get a custom designed blog? Yes we can!

Win a chance at a gorgeous custom blog designed by @shatterboxx ladies @jamievaron & @nicoleisbetter. Contest details here: http://bit.ly/9jaRmO

My Best Friend's Interview: in DC

One of my dearest friends Lauren Kirsch has a job interview in DC today -- GO LAUREN! Whoohoo! I know she will knock their socks off just by being her fun, amazing, vibrant self. This girl can sell sand to the beach and grapes to a vineyard. She is outstanding!

With that, she took the Bolt Bus from NYC to DC last night and stayed with Nick. It was so fun to Skype with them last night and to see their funny dynamic. See you have to meet Lauren to understand what I mean but to put it into words i'd say this: She's wild, creative, colorful and LOUD! Nick, the more reserved type, seemed to be having a great time with her and it made my heart melt. I love seeing my favorite people have fun together (even without me!).

So far Lauren has made Nick order from two different "carry out" places on the same night: one place for pizza and the other for salad, drive around town to find a certain "ranch" dressing and forced him to take her to Target (not CVS or Walgreens which are right by his place) so she could purchase a certain shower cap. Yah, she's picky as hell! We call her the "Jew Review" ( you too Stein, don't worry!) because she has an opinion on everything and is very HONEST. She has consulted us on restaurants, foods and beauty products on MANY occasions.

So here are some screen shots from our Skype Date last night! Rommy and I were in DC while Lauren and Nick were in DC!

ps.. look how GREAT Lauren looks in her interview outfit (you know us girls, we always need 2nd opinions!)

Don't be Tart-y for the Party

dish: breakfast tarte
tunes: Castledoor The Birds and The Flies

A Breakfast Tart: Our style!

Nick was in town for our anniversary 2-weeks ago and we made some delicious breakfast tarts! I love being cozy inside with my slippers on and food in the oven. (Oh, and coffee in my hand!) It's hard to be in a long-distance relationship but keeping your day-to-day routines the same is CRUCIAL. Nick and I love cooking together but when we were first long-distance we wanted to celebrate at restaurants all the time. We almost tried to make it feel like a vacation together. It was fun but it wasn't as intimate and with only 2-3 days at a time to spend together, we needed to spend more time together being "us".

Breakfast Spork: An Egg Tart from The Spork Project on Vimeo.

The only B.S I'll put up with: Brussel Sprouts

dish: Pancetta Brussel Sprouts
tunes: half mast by Empire of the Sun

I love my greens. Broccoli, green peppers, spinach -- give it to me. Nick on the other hand has a hard time eating fresh greens so we had to do a little research in finding the perfect and most delicious brussel sprout recipe for him. Of course the one Nick found had Italian bacon in it. Oh, men.

We had a blast cooking this tasty treat. It's so simple and we ate the entire dish in 1 setting; it serves 8-10. We don't mess around.

Pancetta Brussel Sprouts
by @TylerFlorence

(Serves 8-10)

2 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
¼ lb. pancetta, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp chicken broth
½ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1 Heat oven to 425°F. In large bowl toss brussels sprouts with pancetta, garlic and olive oil. 2 Spread vegetables in single layer in 15" x 10" x 2" baking dish. Roast for 25 minutes or until brussels sprouts are fork-tender. 3 Stir in balsamic vinegar and chicken broth. Sprinkle with panko. Return to oven for 5 minutes. 4 Remove from oven and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

A Pizza Party: 400 miles apart

Nick and I took the Domino's Turnaround Challenge. If you aren't familiar here is a basic rundown : Domino's finally started listening to the public and changed their recipes to taste like pizza and not cardboard and add super fresh ingredients that are grown locally & not frozen.

I was intrigued after I saw their heartfelt commercial (hey it takes a lot to admit your faults on national TV; especially when it comes to flavor!) so Nick and I decided to take the challenge on together and have an iPizzaparty!



We were both super excited because their new crust has a garlic butter seasoning on it and we both LOVE garlic and BUTTER! However, neither of us liked Domino's and it's probably been 8-10 years since we've had it. We also prefer supporting our local pizzerias. however, the challenge is on!

We ordered at the same time via their online ordering, which was impressive. Simple, efficient and easy to customize your order. I ordered a Handtossed veggie: tomatoes, olives, green pepper and onions. Nick ordered the Handtossed peperoni, green peepers and sausage.




The best part of their online ordering is the tracking system once your order is processed. Wow! It shows you where your pizza is at all times! Super cool! (My order came about 8 mins before Nicks, Chicago wins!)


So to the taste.. YUM! Wow we were super impressed with everything: freshness, taste, PRICE and delivery time. The sauce is zestier and the crust is delicious. We highly recommend it to everyone! Great job Domino's!

Grown Up Pop Tart!

If you were a child in the 80's like Nick and I then you most definately know and LOVE Pop Tarts. I distinctively remember grocery shopping with my mom back in '89 (the only reason why I remember the years is because it was when we moved from Texas to Detroit -ha I was just 4.) and begging my mom to by me Pop Tarts (Strawberry frosted, duh!) and she said NO! Ha!

My mother is an amazingly smart woman who raised my brother and I on all natural foods -- we weren't even allowed to eat food coloring! Love her for it now but at the time I found it so frustrating! However, I knew which friends parent's allowed these amazingly delicious pastry pies in their home. And I made sure to eat them whenever I could. I liked them super hott; burnt around the edges and piping hot in the inside.

Well, fast forward 20 years and Nick and I found ourselves brunching at Southport Grocery & Cafe and found spotted the Grown Up Pop Tart on the menu. YUM YUM YUM. Fluffy pastry dough filled with warm berry preserves, marsapone cheese and roasted vanilla walnuts. Simply heaven.

I could eat this everyday. It's almost worth the 75 extra pounds.

Valentine's day surprise: Nick!

Nick and I had a planned to have a long distance Skype date on Saturday for Valentine's day. While I was waiting for him to sign online, I got a knock on my front door and it was, whatdayaknow, NICK!

My heart skipped a few beats, I started to tear up and then I jumped right on top of him. I was sooooo happy!

It's really crazy how much you miss someone after 3-4 weeks go by. Like clockwork I start to get cranky, emotional and insecure about the whole long distance thing. Luckily, I have such an amazing man to go through this with. Honestly, I couldn't imagine this working with anyone else. it's that tough people.

If your honey is near you, give them a HUGEE huge and kiss. You are so lucky to have them near!

We spent the weekend in Chinatown celebrating the Chinese New Year!

xox

oldie but goodie

I found this film strip from this past Christmas in Detroit. It made me smile! There is something so adorable about film strip photos and the grainy, vintage look they have. It reminds me of the photos my parents have of their early love.

Do you love photobooths?

Long-distance iArgument

long distance relationships have iArguments too!

I usually talk about the good in our relationship but having arguments is a reality in any relationship-- and it's a bit trickier when you are in a long distance relationship. If you are in one, keep reading, you will find comfort in my story. If you don't feel like reading about a lovers tiff, simply skip this post :) I understand.

I owe Nick a big apology.

It's nights like this when being in a long distance relationship really, really (I can't stress REALLY enough) stinks. I have a fever, I have cramps, my head hurts, I'm anxious and I'm extremely lonely. poo. Poo.poo. I am literally having a pity party for myself and I'm so embarrassed of myself! But it happens...

So this is where I screwed up: I called Nick to complain about feeling sick & I basically blamed him for it. I said things like "Why are you so far away?" & "I hate that you are so far, I need you right now!" How ridiculous and selfish am I? It's not HIS fault we live so far. But when I'm emotional... oh boy!

When everything seems to be falling on my shoulders, while having a fever, I sometimes snap, just like anyone else. This is especially hard when you live so far away from your boyfriend. All I needed was a hug and no text, email, video chat or phone call could give me the comfort I needed. I'm so sorry Nick. I was being a poop head.

I decided to write a 3 step long distance ice-breaker instructional.

After LD (long distance) tiff:

1. Take a breather. Inhale slowly.
2. call your boyfriend/girlfriend and start the conversation with this "I love you, I want to be with you & I need to apologize for saying/doing this ___. Will you forgive me for being stink?"
3. take funny photos of each other and move forward.

All better!

Sweet DreamS!

Weekend!

Have a sweet Weekend!

Get cute. have a little fun. eat some yummy grub & tell someone you love them.


xox,

Lisa & nick

Meet the Sporkers! Ya! from The Spork Project on Vimeo.

My birthday celebration!

I had the best birthday ever!
karaoke
amazing laughs
smiles
songs

1.30.10

& some
Long distance love
1. Nick flew in from DC to celebrate
2. Lauren Kirsch flew in from NY
3. Rommy landed at 11:50 at ORD and got t my party by 12:45!

ahhh, so so wonderful!
I feel so blessed from the big guy upstairs :)

my bday! from Lisa Frame on Vimeo.

Mug Shot Monday

@YvonneKristin This Detroit beauty loves her java with International Delights Sweet Cream. She loves Jesus, her hubby and her babygirl Ella!

@LindsayDewald Brooklyn, NY Montessori teacher and blogger can't start her day without her coffee + Irish Creamer + kissing her puppy Clyde. Coffee in the Classroom, baby!

@AndreaMarvel is a Chicago advertising lady who loves Venti coffees in the AM. She can also put together a Powerpoint like you've never seen. This girl puts the EY! in Keynote.

@philcoextra is a Chicago coffee/web aficionado (think caffeinated nerds.)! he owns coffee shops in Chicago and also has a web startup company Doejo. Sorry ladies, I don't know if he is single or not. You should ask him!

Past Mugshot Mondays
and Here

Skype Baking: Cake in a Jar

Skype Baking from Lisa Frame on Vimeo.

Check out the adorable photos from Angry Chicken.


I love love love my weekly Skype dates with my girlfriend @AliPaul who lives in Indiana. We eat, talk, laugh and this time we baked! Ali was sharing a fun recipe "Cake in a Jar" that she found online and has shipped to her boyfriend Steve in Afghanistan.

Ali + Internet + Baking = love


Chocolate Cake in a Jar
by All Recipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Sterilize 2 (1 pint) straight sided wide mouth canning jars, lids and rings by boiling for 10 minutes. Keep the lids and rings in the hot water until needed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)
2. In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water and cocoa powder. Heat and stir until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Pour into a large bowl.
4. Stir in Flour mixture and blend. Add buttermilk, egg and vanilla and beat by hand until smooth. Stir in nuts.
5. Distribute evenly into the 2 prepared canning jars. Place the jars on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted deep into center of cake comes out clean.
6. Using heavy oven mitts, remove cakes from oven one at a time. Place a lid, then a ring onto the jars and screw them down tightly. Place the jars on the counter and listen for them to "ping" as they seal. If you miss the "ping", wait until they are completely cool and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at all, it's sealed.

Seeing Eye to Eye: Lilith Fair vs. DEMF

It's no question that being long-distance totally stinks. I could talk for hours about the things I hate about it, however, there is one huge benefit. The surround sound is yours baby! Yes, that's right, you can listen to that Hot Chip song Over and Over and Over again, literally, without anyone getting annoyed. (unless you have thin walls in your apt. complex.)

Nick and I love going to concerts together because we share a love for a huge amount artists: Passion Pit, MGMT, Empire of the Sun, Postal Service, Jamie Lidell, Kings of Leon and Chromeo. But we both have our personal playlists that the other would rather not hear on repeat.

our current favorite: "Lost Love" by Temper Trap

enter: Lilith Fair vs. DEMF (Detroit Electronic Music Festival)

Female vocalists are my favorite. Nick can only deal with about an hour of it before he starts to get .... annoyed.

A Fine Frenzy, Cat Power, Fiona Apple, Emiliana Torrini, Bjork and Brazillian Girls are my favorite tunes EVER.

Nick on the other hand: Tiesto, Armin Van Bruen, Paul Van Dyke, Michael Jackson, Timberland and Rage Against Machine.

So I've been listening to some great estrogen-packed playlists all week on REPEAT! Ahh, feels pretty darn beautiful.



love love love

Will you be my Vegantine?

Dear boys and girls,
You have 10 more days to plan your Valentine's day gifts. While you are thinking about what to get, chew on this: most commercial candies, desserts and chocolates have hundreds of unnatural, processed chemicals inside. Can you pronounce polydmethysloxane? No? Then don't unknowingly give it as a gift!


This year give love, organically.

No artificial sweeteners, colors or textures. Pure, natural love.

Nicobella Organic Vegan Chocolate Truffles

nicobella chocolate review from Lisa Frame on Vimeo.

Purely Elizabeth's Gluten Free Muffin Mix

And if you bake these with your lover send me a video!! I love reader videos.

Purely Elizabeth review from Lisa Frame on Vimeo.

Karama Organic's Non-Toxic, Organic nail polish remover

Karma Organics Review from Lisa Frame on Vimeo.

From my kitchen to yours!

Love, prayers and full bellies!

lisa


buy all natural goodies at Abe's Market

He's back in DC & the memories in Chicago are still colorful

Nick flew back to DC dark and early this morning, 6am, yikes! I was really bummed but our weekend in Chicago was one of our best. It was beautiful, colorful and delicious. Love love.

Mug Shot Monday

Happy Mug shot Monday!!
my favorite day of the week

@alipaul: rad PR chic in Indianapolis. She prefers tea to coffee but drank coffee for us! Thanks for sharing the joy girlfriend.
@contexcollapse: South Side Chicago dude with coffee tude! love it.
@habibtisarah Another PR reader who loves coffee from diners the most, and can finish a cup in 3 mins. Wowza!
@nick_king_ my DC sporker on his way to work with his reusable mug!

have a beautiful weekend

It's my birthday on 1-30-2010

Nick just got on flight and is heading my way!!
Karaoke, karaoke, karaoke!

three years ago while celebrating my birthday I remember how nervous I was to see Nick that night. We had been dating for just 4 weeks but I knew I loved him already...

xox

Mug Shot Monday

click to enlarge

I received a bunch of GREAT photos from friends and readers in response to my blog post "Show me Your Mug" about my sick addiction to coffee. Please enjoy this fun photos/bios and please share your mug shot with me!

@Jsutevan Chicago, IL. 2 cups a day. International Delight Irish cream.

@themidwasteland Chicago Blogger/Editor. 2-3 cups a day. Cream & sugar, baby.

@las_estrellas DC foodie. Favorite coffee spot TRYST in Adams Morgan.

@theindoprojects Linsey hearts coffee & window displays.

@JohnFlood & @catherine are in a LD relationship, too (hence the skype photo)! He in Chi her in Korea. both love java!

Love in Transit

one thing i love about visiting Nick in DC is testing out their transit (Metro) system. & I'm impressed with how clean and comfy their seats are! However, non of the DC trains can take you to the Division Blueline stop (my favorite in Chicago). But that's just me!

Nick's town: DC


my town: Chicago

A Cheesy Night in

Last night Nick and I both made a carby and cheesy dish. Nick made Mac & Cheese and I madea Grilled Cheese on wheat sandwhich. (with grilled onions and fresh tomatoes!)

It was a fun lil' dinner.

Ps. Nick is obsessed with this Perfect Pear dip -- he can't put it down!

Twitter Chose My Glasses: when no friend is near you

The power of technology never ceases to amaze me. It is especially awe-inspiring when you find yourself needing to buy glasses but not having a clue as to what style to purchase. This is actually why I haven't bought glasses sooner and I've had a prescription for the past 2 years! Wowza.

I love fashion, I love accessories, I love hair styling but I don't like buying anything permanent. It's strange that I view glasses as perm but I don't have tons of money to throw around so I wanted to buy that "perfect" pair that would last me a few seasons. Well, I finally did it! Thanks to all my friends and family who participated in my "Help! 4-eyes alert!" tweet.

(yes, option 2 was horrible ! Apparently that is a hip style. Gosh, that makes me feel old saying that...)

I took about 10 photos with my camera phone & edited them into Picasa.

Micheal from See Eyewear was so nice and picked out about 10 pairs for me to try on. I told him "Today is the day i'm getting glasses, give me options". A few dozen tweets later, option 3 was chosen. Good choice friends! Thanks for being there for me, even hundreds of miles away! Yay!

And Now I look like Nick.