With my departure date for St. Louis moved up from four weeks from now to next Monday, I’m going through all kinds of mood swings and freak out stages. I’m ecstatic to be embarking on such an adventure, and I’m so excited about what the future holds. But with my turbulent history with moving, I’m also really nervous about doing this. I’m extremely sad to be leaving what I now consider my hometown, and leaving people I love.

I’ve called Georgia my home, because my roots and family are there.

I’ve called Indiana my home, because I’ve spent more time here than anywhere.

I’ve called Italy my home, because that’s the first new place I lived with excited, new eyes. And because of its breathtaking, foggy mornings. I love foggy mornings.

I’ve called Paris my home, because it’s where I became “me.” It’s where I cried, where I found beauty in the world sitting below the Sacre Coeur looking over the city, and then where I realized life could be beautiful.

I’ve called Muncie my home, because, goodness, everything.

I’ve called friends my home, even though they’re scattered across the world, because we went through the hardest times together and because I can call them at any time and it’s like we never parted.

I’ve called a person and a few friends home, because relationships and friendships do that sometimes. And when you swim in the White River in Muncie with people, I think the radioactive chemicals in the water bind you all together in some weird way.

I have an atypical concept of home. I have bits and pieces of places and people that make up “home,” and I can’t wait to add another to the list.

Also, I discovered that at 24, I have accumulated thirteen boxes worth of books. I’m very okay with this.

The Bake & Brew is moving to St. Louis!

Things have been happening lately. Lots of great and amazing things. One of these is that I was fortunate enough (after a lot of hard work and dedication) to find a fantastic new job that I am so stoked about, which is taking me to St. Louis for the next year. I cannot express how incredibly excited I am.

I want to get back to the beer for a little bit here on the blog, partly because I miss writing here a lot and partly because I am anticipating all the amazing beer I’m going to try in St. Louis over the next year. So if you, or anyone you know is in the city, get at me. (@thebakeandbrew on Twitter) I’m incredibly thrilled about meeting new people and drinking new beer.

Let’s get to it!

Terrapin Rye Pale Ale
Terrapin Beer Company
Athens, Georgia
American Pale Ale
5.3% ABV

All in all…
Pleasant. Today is the FIRST HOCKEY GAME SINCE FOREVER that I’ve been able to watch (I’m looking at you Gary Bettman), and I wanted a laid-back, pleasant beer. I didn’t want anything heavy or dark, or too hoppy on the other hand. I was bracing myself for something that was far too hoppy, but I was pleasantly surprised. This pale ale has just enough hops to give it a slightly biting flavor, but not too many that it’s overpowering. Well done fellows. This is a good balanced pale ale. And it smells delightful.

Recommend to a friend?
Yes, I really would.

Lightweight safe?
At 5.3% ABV it’s lightweight safe.

Plus one?
Mos def. You bet I’ll be having a second one in the next period of this Blackhawks game.

Six pack?
Yes, this one would be great to have in your refrigerator as a six pack. I don’t think I would get tired of this having it several nights in a row.

Happy birthday to my brother!

Matthew is 22 today and still my favorite (and only) sibling. I’m proud to say we only ever got into one physical fight, that lasted all of 15 seconds, and that just about every memory of “growing up” has him in it. We’ve had all the standard road trip times, family vacations, playing outside, etc etc but my favorites have been as we’ve both grown older and developed our identities further. It’s pretty cool when you can start being friends as well as siblings.

New Year’s Eve in Paris 2007: Most everyone from ASP (the American School of Paris) went to the Long Hop for New Year’s, but unfortunately cabs were about 45 minutes apart and the metro stopped running by the time we left that evening. So Matthew, my friend Morgan, and I walked 4.5 miles home through the city at 3 am…Thankfully halfway through he let me use his shoes to walk home instead of my heels. Now that’s a good brother. (Can you believe I made it the first 3 miles in heels??)

P.S. My annual birthday playlist for him. It’s basically just a “here are several songs in no particular order that you should listen to”

Better book titles. YES. One of my favorites…”I’m on a Boat” by Mark Twain

This place sounds amazing. And Teo Musso sounds like one swell man.

Britain’s longest-serving blacksmith…”I shall live tired, but I shant retire”

Following the above…You have got to bookmark this and watch these shorts about obsolete occupations

I’m dizzy just looking at these bourbon baked apples

Love these Beertography photographs

The Little Black Jacket

Of course Salvador Dali went on a walk with an ant-eater

Smitten Kitchen on NPR! Squee!!

Did you know people put oil in their pasta water? What?

To start off your week, here is the internet.

I started my Christmas list with the best moleskin ever

Branding the Presidents of the United States

The Plot to Destroy America’s Beer

Cutest bear introduction I’ve ever seen (read: only bear introduction I’ve ever seen)

Need a new blog to read? Check out Time’s 25 Best Blogs of 2012

Jaw drop of the week

Who wants to explain the moose on this candle for me?

Method’s Ocean Plastic line…pretty neat I must say

Are you a girl in a sea of dudes?

Did you see Obama get photo-bombed?

Think someone under the table

Oregon minor league baseball team finally has a beer-themed mascot. Welcome to the Hillsboro Hops

Andy Dwyer on running

The Squirrel Census is a real and beautiful thing

Time lapse of Endeavour’s trip through Los Angeles

Get ready to sing at the top of your lungs…Into the Wild (she also has a cover of Halo that I’m a little in love with)

Montmartre’s city vineyard

Victory Brewing is playing with some wine & bourbon barrels…drool

Action Philosophers! Je pense! Donc, je suis!

Who says no to Bad Girls Throughout History?

What ridiculous & gnarly tricks can you do with a $14,000  carbon bike?

For you Muncie: Our local paper, The Star Press briefly chats about my favorite bar in their section Talking Pints

After indulging in one too many bad tv shows on Netflix in the past few weeks, I’m taking up A Cup of Jo‘s no-tv challenge for a week. Has anyone else tried giving tv up? Tips? Tricks? Vices to get you through?

A visit from the green fairy at Booze Dancing: the first absinthe review I’ve ever read! Now onto trying the actual thing…

Bravo Indiana! Hoosier Beer Geek puts together a list of all our winners at the Great American Beer Festival

I know what I’m making for Thanksgiving…duh. How can I say no to cinnamon sugar anything?

I’m so late on this (like two years late), but if you’re a person, you should listen to Any Marina’s cover of Whatever You Like. It’s pretty, sexy, pretty, pretty pretty pretty.

I promise, pinky promise, that if you make this granola your house will smell all things fall

Footage from the first cyclocross race of the season here in Yorktown. You’ll see me enjoying my very last Festina Peche in this one!

Fly like an eagle

Saturday I ran my very first 5K! My friends Julie and Casey also had never run a 5K, and the Color Me Rad race was the perfect one to start with. Well, just take a look.

The run was located at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and as soon as we arrived, waves of people dressed in white, neon socks, tutus (yes, tutus), bright headbands, and all kinds of other color were already there. Being the first time I’d run 3 miles since last year, I was a little nervous, but overall it was pretty easy. A lot of people and families were walking so the pace was reasonable, and color bombing stations were set up at every kilometer, offering an occasional break. It went by so quickly, but it was such a blast! I’m definitely going to be doing this or the Color Run again next year.

Best muffins for the best weekends

YOLO POLO

Here’s to hoping the following weekends are amazing and fun filled as the last several months. I can only assume, though, that with more cross races, farmers markets, apple cider, camping, and fall colors, that things are looking up. And who else is stoked about pumpkin beers?!

Remember me? I’m still here I promise. The last month has been a whirlwind of trying to ride my bike every day, starting classes, studying for the GRE, and trying to squeeze in as much summer fun as possible before autumn arrives. I just haven’t been able to wrap my head around working on posts here, but I miss you all like woah. Really and truly.

Lately I’ve also been in a real rut concerning beer. I’d like to write a separate post about it this week other than trying to fit it in here, so be on the lookout this week, mkay?

The Hops

I’m a sucker for anything WWII history related, so this Allies Win the War! had everything going for it…except for the dates. I kept seeing this beer pop up in beer blogs, and this packaging just reinforces one of the reasons I love cans – look how much design they can fit on that! I’ll be frank that this beer wasn’t for me, but I’m still glad I tried it. I’ve enjoyed all the other 21st Amendment beers I’ve tried in the past, and can we just take a look at that great (albeit blurry in this picture) beer can again?!

21st Amendment – San Francisco, CA
English style strong ale brewed with dates
8.5% ABV

Since this one isn’t for me, I’d recommend hearing these other folks out:
Beer Geek Nation (video)
the New School
Lyrics Libations and Life

The Heels
UO Suede Pump
Urban Outfitters (2011)
$39.00
P.S. I found this skirt through ASOS, and I’m completely obsessed. It’s like a perfect candy cane striped, high-waisted A-line, and I just knew I had to use it for this beer.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, it’s like I have no control over my feelings.”

Well, le duh. Isn’t that the point of feelings? That they pop up at inconvenient times, or great times, or get directed in the most unexpected direction. What’s with that? Or it’s a sunny day, and you’d rather watch episodes of Parks & Rec under the down comforter instead of go outside. Sometimes you have to swat them away like a fly, and then sometimes they happen at the perfect time, with the perfect person. They’re the best, they’re the worst. They’re everything, aren’t they?

Anyways, how I feel about this pizza and dinner is perfectly clear: win win win.

Crostini w/Cinnamon-Honey Mascarpone & Strawberries
Arugula Salad with Avocado, Orange and Lemon/Olive Oil Dressing
Margherita Pizza with Garlic Cheese Crust
Chocolate Souffle with Vanilla Ice Cream
Drink: Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay

Also, I’ve started a new project: La Bicyclette Noire where I’m challenging myself to get on my bike every day for 100 days. So while I get my rhythm and routine down my posts here may a bit scattered for a while. I hope you check it out!

Crostini
Toasted French bread slices + 1 pint strawberries + {8 ounces mascarpone cheese + 2 tsp cinnamon + 2 T honey}

Arugula Salad
2 cups arugula + 2 navel oranges + 1 avocado + 1 tsp lemon juice+ 2 tsp olive oil

Slice avocado into cubes and arrange on salad. Slice oranges and place on top of avocados as the orange juice will help prevent the avocados from browning.
Use olive oil and a squeeze of lemon as salad dressing.

Margherita Pizza
Pizza dough (from Smitten Kitchen. Seriously. So easy.)
Tomato sauce: 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes + 1 Tablespoon oregano + 1 clove garlic, blended to desired consistency
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin medallions or strips
1/4 cup shredded, fresh basil
Olive oil
Garlic salt
1/4 cup shredded cheese

Prepare pizza dough.
When dough has risen, preheat oven to 550 degrees F with cookie sheet in the oven.
Roll out pizza dough in long rectangle on lightly floured surface.
When oven is preheated, remove pan and line cookie sheet with parchment paper (don’t let it hang too far off the side). Transfer dough to pan.
Brush one inch of crust with olive oil, gently sprinkle with garlic salt and shredded cheese.
Spread sauce evenly in the middle, arrange slices of mozzarella, and sprinkle with basil.
Bake on bottom rack for 5 minutes, then 3 minutes on second to top rack, or until cheese on the crust starts to brown. (The parchment paper will get really really brown, so keep your eye on it.)
Set done pizza on hot pads as the pan is going to be hot as Hades. Slice and serve!

Makes one 8×16″ pizza. Serves 2-3.

Gooey Chocolate Souffle
1 1/2 sticks melted unsalted butter + 8 oz melted semi-sweet chocolate + 1 1/2 c sugar + 4 eggs + 1/2 tsp salt + 1 tsp vanilla + 3 T cornstarch

Mix all together, refrigerate for 1 hour to set, bake 1/4 c batter in ramekins (sprayed with Pam and sprinkled with sugar) at 350 for 30 minutes until cracked on top.