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On 207 Tonight!
My 207 cooking segment airs tonight (Friday) on WCSH6 at 7:00pm. I'll post the video for everyone tomorrow. In the meantime, you can check out my experience filming, the recipe, or tips on making cup-pies.
My Day in the 207 Kitchen
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to scratch a big item off my bucket list, appear on 207. For those not from southern Maine, 207 is a nightly local news magazine show, similar to the Evening Magazine shows that are shown in various US markets. A typical episode of 207 may have a performance by a local or visiting band, interviews with a author, a cooking segment with a local chef or baker, and some other local news story
.
Since it's inception on our local NBC affiliate, 207 has been hosted by local news anchors Kathleen Shannon and Rob Caldwell. Ever since we moved back to Maine, it's been part of Mr. Cleaver and I's nightly ritual to watch the show (followed by Jeopardy!) and so it's been a dream of mine to be on the show somehow to and to get a 207 mug the guests use on the show.
So last week when I came home from knitting and Mr. Cleaver told me that 207 was holding a contest to be on the show, all you have to do was post on their facebook page about your favorite (original) apple recipe. So post I did:
Every year I turn my big bag of apples into a number of delicious apples pies. I even have streusel topped and cup-pie (mini-pies made in a cupcake tin) options!
I would call myself a 207 super fan and I would love the chance to roll out some dough with Kathleen. I'd even bring some choice samples from my vintage apron collection for us to wear!
Granted, I think there was about four people who posted, but nonetheless, I was thrilled when I got a facebook message from Kathleen asking me to be on the show!
After getting the details (you have 5 minutes to assemble a pie!), and making my sample pre-baked pie, I went to WCSH6 studio yesterday morning to film my segment. A producer brought me up to the Kitchen set (which lives on the sales floor) and I began to set up.
Some funny things I learned about the set and baking on tv:
- While everything on the kitchen set works (stove, microwave, sink, stovetop), there is another kitchen for staff's daily use directly behind the kitchen with a fridge, microwave, coffeemaker, dishwasher, and official cooler. There are some fake cabinet panels that cover the doorway during filming.
- The cameras are all controlled remotely. So there are no camera guys, but you can see the cameras move.
- There are some big banks of lights that are hot, but not super hot, and while I was mic'ed, I didn't have to wear any makeup other than what I walked in off the street with.
- You actually do it in five minutes, with no editing it down and five minutes goes by really fast! But you just keep working while you talk/ talk while you work.
- Things go in the little ingredient bowls because a) it goes faster and b) they can't show any product labels, including generics, less it seem like an endorsement.
- Kathleen Shannon takes her shoes off in the kitchen segments. So technically, we were barefoot (her), knocked up (me), and in a kitchen.
I have to say that while I was nervous about my first television appearance, Kathleen was a total pro,who made it very easy on me and I had a blast. It was a total bucket-list worthy experience. After our segment was finished filming, Kathleen was nice enough to give me tour of the rest of the studio where I discovered that everything is on different floors (i.e. the weather green screen is no where near the news set) and that all the sets are much smaller than you would think.
And I got not one, but two 207 mugs, because she gave me an extra for Mr. Cleaver because we're such big fans. Earned it baby!
I'm not 100% sure when the segment is going to air, either Friday or Wednesday, but I'll try to post a heads-up for locals when I know for sure. In any case, they always post video (and the recipe) online afterwards, so I'll post the video or a link as soon as it's available. Fingers crossed I don't come across as a total goob and even if I do, it was still super fun!.
The 4th in Four
I finished up so many projects in the past week, but haven't had the time to really photograph them. It's been a full week: Monday was Steinbeck's "Gotcha Day" - one year since we first brought him home, Tuesday was Mr. Cleaver's birthday and we enjoyed stuffed deep dish pizza straight from Giordano's in Chicago. On the fourth, Mother Nature outdid any fireworks with an intense thunderstorm, so we stayed inside and watched the last three episodes of Freaks and Geeks instead.
Yesterday, we took the day off and ran errands, bought a Johnny Cash CD, and checked out a bunch of comic books (the Runaways, where have you been all my life?) and the first season of Arrested Development from the library. In the interim, I've been chugging away at my tour de fleece spinning including the yellow lace-weight, which Mr. Cleaver termed "a lot of yarn." I finished my cookie-monster cardigan and I've been swatching like crazy for new projects. I even managed to sew on the bias binding on my second sorbetto.
I'm back to work today, but it's been a fun few days off. Even better, I'm just hours away from the weekend!
The Dr. Faye Lady Suit
I'm a big Mad Men fan, but don't tell me anything about the current season, because I only get to watch it when the dvds come out, so we can chat about it in 4 months or so. In that vein, this post is appropriately a bit overdue. Back in Season 4, I grew very fond of the Dr. Faye character and I also fell in love with this skirted suit from the "Hand and Knees" episode.
In some ways it seems more Banana Republic than 1960s, but then I found Simplicity 2154, a 1960's reproduction pattern and though, it's both!
Recently finding myself in need of a warm-weather appropriate suit for my DC trip, I pulled out the pattern and several yards of heavyweight linen from Z Fabrics and put this together over a weekend.
The coat is a fairly boxy design, which I decided was maybe not the most flattering on me, so it's belted in all these photos. Even if it's not the best cut for me, I believe the fit is spot on. If you wanted to slim it up some, I recommend narrowing the side gusset over choosing an allover smaller size.
The jacket has a fun construction, with the front/back body and sleeve cut in a single piece, and an underarm gusset panel. Not counting the facings, the pattern in a total of 6 pieces. Attaching the top of the gusset to the underarm of the sleeve was a bit fiddly, but otherwise the jacket was very easy to sew. I actually had more issues with the pencil skirt (fitting ugh!).
Because the jacket is unlined, I finished all the seams with either purchased bias tape (about 2 packages) or by self-hemming after I ran out of bias tape for the facings and underarm.
I don't often need to wear a suit, but with a lady suit like this in my wardrobe, I might find a few more excuses!
Lent 2010: Update 2
Our newest family member, Billy Budd the Betta
I have to say that I somehow expected things to be radically different sans TV, but really its much more the same than it has been different. I'm still tired when I get home from a stressful day at work (of which there have seemingly been many of late) and more often than not, I'll still sit down on the couch and knit, just like I would when we watched tv. Though I have been doing more spinning of late.
We have been eating at the kitchen table more and the dishes get done right after dinner more often. I will say that.
An Updated Lent by the Numbers:
- Games of Boggle Played: 1
- Games of Scrabble Played: 1
- Games of Trivial Pursuit Played: 1
- Games of Pinball Played at the Mall: about $8 worth
- Development League NBA Games Watched: 3/4 (the power went out)
- Quarters of USM Men's Lacrosse Wathched: 1 1/2
- Patterns Drafted:
- Basic Tee I : The learning experience
- Basic Tee II: getting closer....
- Concert DVDs Watched:
- Stop Making Sense
- Patty Griffin at the Artist Den
- The Last Waltz
- Johnny Cash at Austin City Limits
- Guster on Ice
- Pink Martini : Live
- Movies Watched:
- The Hangover
- Episodes of The West Wing watched on DVD: a lot
- Episodes of Mad Men watched on DVD: 3/4 of Season 1
- CDs Listened to: too many to count!!
- Visits to Borders to read comic books and magazines: 3
- Walks taken: a lot
- Books read:
- Emma
- 1/4 of Pride & Prejudice
- Times Mr. Cleaver fell asleep with a book in his hands and didn't wake up when I took it out: 2
- Hours of live TV watched: 0
There's also been dining out, internet surfing, knitting, sewing and general lollygagging about.
Lent 2010: Update 1
Now that I'm two weeks in, I should probably give a Lenten update.
So far, it's not too bad! I did miss watching the Olympics (Mr. Cleaver very cutely asked me if he could watch the end of the US/Canada men's hockey game - I said yes.) and Sundays are generally the hardest. But I have to say I don't miss prime time tv at all - the only thing I really miss is Jeopardy!
Mr. Cleaver and I both agree, that live without tv somehow feels less stressful. We can go out any night we want, becuase we don't have to be home to watch anything. We've been doing more stuff, talking more over dinner and generally having a good time.
Here some Lent by the Numbers:
- Games of Boggle Played: 1
- Games of Scrabble Played: 1
- Games of Trivial Pursuit Played: 1
- Games of Pinball Played at the Mall: 9
- Development League NBA Games Watched: 3/4 (the power went out)
- Patterns Drafted:
- Basic Tee I : The learning experience
- Basic Tee II: fingers crossed
- Concert DVDs Watched:
- Stop Making Sense
- Patty Griffin at the Artist Den
- The Last Waltz
- Johnny Cash at Austin City Limits
- Movies Watched:
- The Hangover
- Episodes of The West Wing watched on DVD: a lot
- CDs Listened to: too many to count!!
- Visits to Borders to read comic books and magazines: 1
- Walks taken: 3
- Books read:
- 3/4 of Emma
- Times Mr. Cleaver fell asleep with a book in his hands and didn't wake up when I took it out: 2
- Hours of live TV watched: 0
There's also been dining out, internet surfing, knitting, sewing and general lollygagging about.
Lent 2010
How quickly times flies! Here it is the first day of Lent already!
Long-time readers of the blog know that my annual Lent challenge is basically the only regularly reoccuring feature on The Chronicles, but for a one-sentence recap:
Last year I gave up non-cash forms of payment, the year before I gave up jeans.
This year I'm giving up TV.
I watch more TV than I care to admit, but admit I will.
It starts with the local news when I get home from work, then it's Brian Williams on NBC, then 207 comes on (a local news magazine program), then there's Jeopardy!, and what-do-you-know prime time programming is on and on it goes. Half the time I don't even care/like what I'm watching, but you know, it's on. Lent seemed like the perfect time to kick this bad habit.
I came up with the idea back in January, because I'm far more interested in my 47 days of Lent than I am in New Year's Resolutions apparently. Of course, this year I needed a head start, because I had to convince Mr. Cleaver.
Usually my Lent stuff doesn't effect him too much, but this year it kinda does, but he's graciously agreed to go along with it (though he can still watch TV when I'm not awake/around).
Rules:
- No broadcast/cable television.
Exceptions:
- Mr. Cleaver and I decide that PBS will be okay - it give my news junkie an option if I happen to be in the room and it's educational. But we're going to try to not abuse this one. (When I told a co-worker about this "loophole" she said (in jest) "Did Jesus have a loophole when he died for your sins?" And yeah, he kinda did, with the whole resurrection thing.)
- I can watch things on the physical TV, like DVDs.
- Internet videos are okay.
Expectations:
- I will play a lot more board games.
- I will read more.
- I will sew more.
- I will probably get more creative with dinner.
- In general, I will likely be more production.
- We will go out more during the week. (Borders, bowling, who knows?!)
All in all, it'll be hard for the first few weeks (it always is), but I think it'll be good. The only thing I'm bummed about is missing the rest of the Olympics, but I can look stuff on the web.
Here goes!
My Three Minutes and 16 seconds of Fame
The knitting video is up on metromix. Go to the video player on the side and scroll down to "Stitch & Bitch @ Kopi - a Traveler's Cafe." I do a lot of hand waving and get a few sounds bites in there too.
On a side note: is my voice really that low? It always surprises me to heard my voice on tape - egads!
Side note number two: I have tons of stuff to post, but I'll be leaving for Maine this afternoon, so it'll have to wait until after my 16 hour road trip!
I'm Ready For My Closeup Mr. DeVille
On a cold winter's Tuesday three weeks ago, my knitting circle was visited by a TV crew and so, unless left on the cutting room floor, I will be making my local TV debut this Monday! I'll post more about the experience after the video goes up and we'll see if I am horribly embarrassed or super famous! An email from the Metromix reporter, who was knitting a lovely scarf:
"From Jackie (the Metromix chick):
Hi!
Just wanted to let you know that the Stitch N' Bitch segment will be airing on Monday at 7, 8, 9 and midnight. It gets posted online at cltv.com/metromix after about 9:00 the night it runs. Please pass this info along to the gals and thank them for all their help!
Best, Jackie"
PS: I get a lot of search hits on the title of this post - it's a line from end of Sunset Boulevard, by the character Norma Desmond. A great film that I highly recommend you watch.