List 96

Love: Having the prospect of a dinner out at Oakland's brand-spanking new Ramen Shop to look forward to when I emerge from my January Clean Program.  It was started by some Chez Panisse vets and is apparently already racking up 90 minute wait times.

Like: The idea of getting an indoor fiddle leaf fig tree, maybe for a corner of our sunny, West-facing dining room.  I saw this example on  Pinterest and like its wide, green leaves.  Plus it would be nice to harvest plump figs later this year without the problem of birds getting to the ripe fruit first.

Discovery: Barrel-aging cocktails without the barrel. Negronis have been off the menu for me this month, which meant it was the perfect time to barrel age a couple in this cool 2-cup glass jar with a bit of barrel wood inside, a very thoughtful gift from my friend Ralph.

barrel-aged cocktail kit found here

Obsession: Healthy grains and vegetables have been my constant companions during this experimental month of strictly clean eating, and I've come to feel satisfied by them in ways I simply wasn't before. So even though I don't have to, next week I imagine making things like roasted vegetable salads with lentils or quinoa, and spaghetti squash instead of pasta, and continuing to crave my new favorite daytime drink, the Energizer from The Plant Cafe - carrots, beets, parsley and ginger.  Clean January will yield to Cleanish February.

Roasted Vegetables with Quinoa recipe

Roasted Fall Vegetables with Lentils recipe

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Herbs recipe

Complaint: That I haven't yet been able to cook from Charles Phan's gorgeous cookbook, which I got for Christmas, because nearly every recipe that catches my eye contains a few verboten ingredients. Still, it was a treat to flip through it this month and dream of things to try come February.

List 95

Love: Our new, honest-to-goodness, non-reproduction 1960s Eames wire bikini chair, successfully won on ebay in December. It's the perfect partner for the mid-century style desk we have in the living room, and gave us a head start on our 2013 house resolution, which is to continue to replace and update some of our living room furnishings, particularly the pieces that Fritz, Clara and their claws have done a number on.

Like: These blank cards from one of my all-time favorite etsy shops, girlscantell.  Having a bunch of them and stamps in my desk drawer at the ready should help me deliver on my 2013 resolution to be better about sending thoughtful thank you notes rather than emails.

Shop link

Discovery: That I have a number of terrific, unread books just waiting for me on my kindle iPad.  Beautiful Ruins was one I bought early last summer and never got around to. Hearing it named the #1 fiction title of 2012 on NPR's Fresh Air the other day prompted me to finally give it a go, and it's completely living up to all expectations so far.  I resolve to read books I already have before buying new ones - especially new ones of the disposable YA dystopian ilk. Gone Girl, that means you're next. 

Obsession: Cleansing and juicing are all the rage, judging by the office refrigerator which is bursting with bottles of green juices and tupperware containers full of quinoa salads. For my part, in 2013, I intend to keep making my morning kale smoothies 5+ days a week, to try out the occasional 3-day juice cleanse, and even kick-off what I hope to be a year of more moderation (but still lots of good food and restaurants) with the 21-Day Clean Program.  William-Sonoma's juicing feature, which is pretty to look at and features roll-over recipes for juices of all colors under the sun, made from seemingly endless combinations of a fruits and vegetables, is bonus inspiration.  Meatballs, Negronis, and ice cream, I'll see you in February.

The Plant Cafe's Dino Kale Salad, a 2013 Staple

Complaint: I've lost count of the number of our friends and relatives in the past couple of years who've expressed shock and disappointment that we, who pretty much have never met a prestige cable show we didn't love, have never. ever. watched. Breaking. Bad.  Well, shut your mouth.  We got box sets for Christmas from my brother and I resolve that we will be hitting it hard over the next few months.  Because we don't live under a rock, we couldn't help but pick up the gist of Walter White's arc, but can't wait to experience how it all happened.