Some friends said don’t write about it, because there still is, that stigma attached to having bed bugs. But I say, I would rather have everyone know and become a little more educated and know that it easily could happened to you. Although, I will say, I hope it never does. Even if you live in a “nice area” are super clean and have no clutter don’t be fooled and think you are safe from it. Bed Bugs are an epidemic that has hit New York City like wildfire over the past two years and is up 47% since last year. Only 1/3 of people react to the bites, lucky for me I have a severe allergic reaction to them!  They are very hard to find. They can hide in walls, move through pipes, live in almost anything. They bite until the hit a capillary, and they don’t need to feed every night. I have had a lot of conflicting information on the life span but most say it is 400 days and a female bug can lay 5 eggs a day. You can’t just bomb your apartment, everything needs to be packed up.  And you can’t just move, you have to make sure the problem is cleaned up where you currently live or you will just bring it with you to your next home.

For the past three weeks, I have been living a nightmare. One that cannot be completely explained but anyone who has gone through it would know just how horrible it is. I am living out of trash bags, putting my clothing in the refrigerator because I am paranoid, am on antibiotics, have had to stay in hotels, sore from all of my bites, and had many sleepless nights with fear of being eaten/bitten. Now, I always try and look at the glass as half full and there have been some positives, I have cleaned out my apartment, will have super clean clothing, I am turning my apartment into a craft studio. Before I detail the situation I am very grateful to those who have been supportive to me throughout this ordeal. Thank you.

Day 1- I noticed I was bitten and thought it must have been some random mosquito

Day 2- I was bitten again and realized it was too cold for mosquitoes

Day 3- Marked my body with permanent marker to track if I was getting new bites

Day 4- Went to a dermatologist to have a doctor examine my bites- ruled out all other kinds of bug and spider bites, 95% sure I have bed bugs. I decide to grab dinner by myself to try and decompress.

Day 5- Get a new bite and realize this must be bed bugs and call my management company. That day Roberta my “fairy god mother to bed bugs” came to my apartment to inspect. Could not find anything but my bites were classic bed bug bites and recommended that I have a trained beagle come into my apartment. Spent the evening washing and bagging clothing in a laundry mat. I decide I would not stay in my apartment anymore until the situation was resolved.

Day 10-   The first appointment available appointment for the trained beagle to sniff the apartment. Roscoe barked and pointed his nose in three spots in my apartment: the bed, sofa, and hamper. Now, I wanted not to believe this little beagle but he is 98% accurate and I had bites to prove it. It was just  frustrating because no one thus far was able to find one of these little bugs that was tormenting me.  I spent the rest of the day starting the cleaning and packing process. Now I have been in this apartment for five years and every article of clothing needed to be washed or dry cleaned, every book vacuumed and all packed up into trash bags and knotted. I was working until 3 am since I had little time and they were coming to fumigate my apartment in less than 48 hours. By the time I went to bed, all I had left was a t-shirt and it was cold. I had no more blankets or pillows. I sprayed myself with rubbing alcohol (supposedly they don’t like the scent) and got into a trash bag myself to prevent being bitten and to try and stay warm. Yes, a hotel might have been a better option but I was trying to process so much that nothing made sense to me and the costs of everything just seemed overwhelming to me.

Day 11- Went to work and spent the evening packing and cleaning. I did go to a hotel that night arrived with my infamous trash bags at midnight.

Day 12- I received no wake-up call, so was a little frantic as I was now running an hour behind. Like all moves you think you have made so much progress and don’t have that much to do but then there is always so much more. They arrived at 2 pm sprayed my apartment and I was left with a sense of relief that my apartment was safe again. Now another two people still could not find the little buggers. At 4:30 I had my sofa removed to take no chances and then had to run and get another mattress cover and pillow covers. I was excited to think I had control again. I picked up some laundry that had my sheets and went to go buy new pillows and a blanket. I got home and when I was working in my apartment was wearing the same dirty clothing, I was so excited to take a shower. I cleared all the trash bags out of my bathroom. I had been advised to put them in there. Since that area was deemed safe and it would be easy to spray/freeze the rest of the apartment. By the time I moved about 15 trash bags into my living room…there on the bottom of the tub I found them, TWO LIVING BED BUGS! They really did exist in my apartment. I almost lost it, but called Roberta, my bed bug fairy godmother. Not good, that the bug had moved from my living space into the bathroom which was considered a safe zone. She informed all the clothing would have to be re-washed and packaged. At this point I had a meltdown, I was exhausted in pain, overwhelmed, and the thought of doing it all over again was too much. It is funny when I first met Roberta she said I could call her whenever I needed something or had a question, I didn’t think I was going to be that person who called at 930pm on a Friday night, but I was. It was another night in a hotel…

Day 13- I decided forget about doing my laundry again, I couldn’t handle it and just sent it all out to be done. Something I wish I had just done in the first place. I was just having such a hard time wrapping my head around it since I had just brought all of my dry cleaning to the cleaners and that cost was overwhelming. I decided I would not stay in my apartment over the weekend and stayed with a friend.

Day 14- No Change

Day 15- they came again to my apartment to spray my bathroom. I thought it might be over. I was bitten that night

Day 16- was up all night and was bitten again.

Day 17- Went to Doctor because my shoulder was aggravated and became infected from carrying so many trash bags back and forth from the laundry mat. Pretty much passed out at the doctor’s office just overwhelmed by everything.  I went on antibiotics. Again moved out of my apartment and had another meltdown.

Day 18- No Change

Day 19- Moved all dry cleaning into a storage unit. I did not want to take a chance of taking anything into my apartment.  I am really excited to now have two storage units in NYC. Thank you Manhattan Mini Storage.

Day 20- Slept again in my apartment did not get bitten….

Day 21- Don’t think I was bitten previous bites super itchy and slept with TV and Lights on.

Now I am waiting for day 24 when they come again to freeze/spray. I figure, I will not unpack until December it is now November 3^rd and I will always have that thought will they come back and are they really all gone. Maybe next Halloween I will go as a bed bug victim  but this year it was too close to home.

Last weekend I was at the farmer’s market in Union Square buying some blueberries because I wanted to make the August cover of Gourmet. Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Bars- they turned out great and think they would be perfect to serve at a summer BBQ. While I was walking through the market I discovered Mexican Sour Gherkins. They look like mini watermelons about 1 inch in size but taste like a cucumber. It is now days later and I am still fascinated by these little guys. Now I just wish I had a garden and could grow them myself.

Maybe others have seen these before and I am just completely behind the times. I think they are amazing the only problem was they were rather expensive so I have been enjoying eating then one by one…although they would be completely awesome in a salad.

I was speaking to my Aunt, that knows every household trick. I was telling her how last year there was clearly a party in my clothing, that I was very upset not to have been invited too. All of my sweater, plants, dresses were eaten by moths. I thought I had been so cautious the year before cleaning, buying all the moth balls, packing in air tight containers etc. Well, this year I am going about it a little different. I am using a trick that my Aunt told me is how my grandmother would get rid of months. She would FREEZE her clothing in order to kill all the eggs before packing away. I found this was a great way to clean out my freezer too. I also will be getting some of the air tight bags, along with placing moth balls, peppercorn (another supposed trick to prevent) and have everything cleaned beforehand. I’ll inform in the fall how this all worked out. I have high hopes this year!

Please let me know if you have any tricks in prevention

Blueberry Maple Muffins/Cupcakes
I was making a dessert for a friend’s birthday and I told her I would come up with something original. She told “don’t go crazy” I guess people who know me, know I have a tendency to be slightly over the top. Anyway while I was trying to come up with something new I started looking at the ingredients that I had available that might be fun. I had two jars of Maple syrup. This lead me to think about pancakes and blueberry pancakes…well then why can’t I do the same with a blueberry muffin. So I tried it. I used my Blueberry muffin recipe and added ½ cup of Maple syrup. I was so pleased with them I quickly called home as I always think of my mom when making Blueberry Muffins.
Well, that was not enough. Since the cupcake has taken over the country/world I had to make a frosting. I decided to go with a Maple Buttercream. It would be too much and for me to say that, it must be too much if the icing was globed on like a traditional cupcake. I just piped a little out on top of the muffin and topped it off with a blueberry. Now I had blueberry pancake cupcakes!

Maple Frosting
1/2 Cup of Maple Syrup (Can add more if desire more maple flavor)
1 Stick of Butter Softened
1 Box of Powdered Sugar (1 pound)
3 Tablespoons of Milk

Whip all ingredient together until light. fluffy, and smooth.
Place a dolop on each now cupcake.

Should they get want they want? Is price a concern? What are practical things you received? Or that impractical gift that you loved? What are things you wish you registered for? Places that were great with registry? Places that were not? Your favorite gift to give? Or any fun story, comment, or thought that might be helpful to other engaged couples.

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The Holiday season is one of the times of year when Candy Thermometers are often used. I have actually given one as a hostess gift before. I feel it is that random item everyone should have. Also if you are getting one, the digital ones are awesome.

I asked this question to a professional recently and felt so silly when I heard the response. Candy as some may know is tricky because the temperature is so critical 10 degrees off can make all the difference. I had been making a lot of marshmallows recently and noticed that my thermometer had not been rising above 200 degrees and it seemed odd. I put in another thermometer and sure enough it was already at 260 and it only needed to go to 240. In the end it just made a massively sticky mess.
So here is the little trick water boils at 212 degrees. Place the thermometer in a pot of water and when the water boils see what the thermometer reads. If it reads 220 then adjust your recipes 8 degrees.

I would always grease and flourer my own pans the old fashion way, with some wax paper and a little bit of butter. I have officially converted now. Pam is amazing and as holiday baking is here I recommend that everyone have some PAM readily available. I had one of those moments, why did I wait so long!

Baking Powder and Baking Soda act as a leavening agent, similar to yeast although it is instantaneous and does not take a few hours. Baking Soda is pure sodium bicarbonate- the reaction begins instantaneously upon mixing it with ingredients (there is always an acidic ingredient when baking soda is involved) that are moist. Therefore the ingredients need to be baked immediately for the reaction to have its intended purpose. Baking soda can be substituted for baking powder but not the other way. That being said you can make baking powder with baking soda and cream of tartar. (2 parts cream of tartar with 1 part baking soda)

Baking Powder – there are two kinds, single acting and double acting Baking Powder. Most often recipes call for double acting. Single acting contains only low-temperature acid salts (the cream of tartar being a low temperature acid salt) where as the double acting has two acids one that reacts to low temperatures and one that reacts to higher temperatures to cause further rising during baking. This is why the cake rises while baking and it is important not to over fill the baking dish. I have definitely done that on numerous occasions.

Now I know it is annoying to throughout ingredients that have not all been used but check the expiration dates to make sure your baking soda or baking powder with still is not old. Here is how to test, baking soda should bubble when added to vinegar and baking powder should bubble when added to hot water.

Baking Soda outside of baking has numerous other useful uses here are just a few. Pretty handy to always have a box around

-Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs. More importantly in case of grease or electrical fire scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.
- Place in a cup/ bowl in refrigerator to absorb odors.
- Sprinkle soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off. Perfect since the BBQ season is coming to an end. In general baking soda is a great cleaning agent- drain cleaner, silver polish, stainless steel, soft scrub (for the bathroom), and oven cleaner to name just a few.
-Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water
-Grease and Oil Stains wash with Baking soda

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I just got back from vacation celebrating my mother’s
birthday. I was in Tuscany and thought I would be able to write from there. But imagine I had no internet access for 10 days. I have to say it was a little refreshing. So since Since all I did was eat be expecting some Italian entries.

I took a cooking class when I was in Italy and one clever tip I learned was how to keep my basil from turning brown after it is cut. So this is how to keep your basil looking fresh vibrant and GREEN.

- Dampen your knife with water
- Rub both side of the knife with table salt
- Wipe salt off and now your knife is ready to cut basil!