bike of terror

Jack Jack is a happy little beast. He is a little doggie-ball-of-fluff who is thrilled with life and hops around constantly hoping for attention and food. Unless he is confronted with a bike. Or a stroller. Make that anything that rolls. During such confrontations, Jack Jack's eyes bulge and he gets up on two legs to begin a bizarre mixture of off-balance hopping and scrambling backwards while looking forward at the bike in terror. It is not hard to discern that rolling objects are his sworn enemy.

Jack Jack has reason to be terrified of things that look like bikes. He was hit recently by a biker riding down the sidewalk at full speed on his large mountain bike. Poor Jack Jack was with my husband, crossing the sidewalk outside our place to get to his special little pee spot, and bam! Out of nowhere comes very-large-adult-biker-man at top speed, to hit our poor boy right in the side. The bike pushed Jack Jack down the sidewalk while the tire rolled onto the dog's side, partly crushing him. Jack Jack screamed and eventually got away, only to make very very sad sounds for a long time to express his pain. It's a good thing I wasn't there. I might have taken a joy ride over the biker with our 100-lb steel tank of a tandem.


There is a reason biking on the sidewalk is illegal. I don't mean it is not recommended or condoned; it is against the law in the City of Chicago per the ordinances below:

• 9-52-020- Riding bicycles on sidewalks and certain roadways - (b) No person 12 or more years of age shall ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk in any district, unless such sidewalk has been officially designated and marked as a bicycle route.


• 9-52-021- Riding bicycles on sidewalks–Penalty (a) The penalty for any person age 18 and older who rides a bicycle on the sidewalk adjacent to North Sheridan Road, between West Ardmore Avenue and West Sheridan Road (6400 north) shall be as follows: (1) the bicycle shall be temporarily disabled without permanent damage; and (2) the violator shall be subject to a fine of $50.00.

I know that bicyclists are in a tough place. I am one. Cars often make riding on the road terrifying and drivers act as if bikers don't belong on the road with them. I understand that sometimes traffic is just too crazy to tolerate on a bike and so you have to jump on the sidewalk briefly to be safer. If that's the case, fine. But please, slow down, be cautious and warn pedestrians when you are approaching from behind. Jack Jack was physically fine in the end, but he could have died. And much worse, it could have been a child the mountain biker hit.

Please - ride safe.

bakin' a cake

This past weekend was my husband's birthday, and so I went on my first cake-making extravaganza in a while. I had been feeling pretty low-energy from work, and it translated into little creativity on my part. But now I am back on my game, and ready to create.

Like many of us, my husband is a fan of both monkeys and sea otters. So birthday cake #1 was a monkey sitting on a pile of bananas, and #2 was a 3-D sea otter. They were not the most beautiful cakes ever made, but you have to consider two things: (1) I have no artistic ability whatsoever, and (2) I am really out of practice. The reality is, I simply find joy in baking, decorating, creating. The outcome doesn't have to be perfect or even beautiful (although it's nice when that happens too); it just has to be. I love creating for the sake of creating. And I love creating for people I love.

There are some cake and icing recipes I particularly love, and that work well for structural or sculptural cakes.

My favorite (easy) recipe for dense cakes (allows for easy carving and is delicious):

• 1 box Duncan Hines cake mix - white, yellow or chocolate
• 1 c. flour
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1 TB cornstarch
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 4 extra large eggs
• 2 TB vegetable oil
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 t. butter extract
• 1 1/2 cup warm water

In large bowl, combine cake mix, flour, cornstarch, baking powder - whisk.

In separate bowl, combine eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla, butter extract and water - stir.

Pour liquid mix over dry mix. Beat on low for 3 minutes. Grease pans well with shortening and flour. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 -45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.


My favorite buttercream icing recipe for decorating use (it holds its shape as it's piped, makes a solid crumb coat and tastes great):

• 2 lb. bag of powdered/confectioner's sugar
• 1 c. milk
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. vanilla
• 2 sticks butter cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 2 1/4 c. vegetable shortening
• *If flavor other than plain buttercream is desired, add orange, almond, lemon, lime, etc. extract to taste, 3 oz. of chocolate chips, or 1 - 2 TB (or to taste) of any liquor.

Whisk confectioner's sugar, salt, vanilla & milk on low until smooth and creamy. Add butter one slice at a time and continue to whisk.

*If adding extra flavor, whisk it in now.

Add shortening and whip on high 10 - 12 minutes until almost doubling in volume.

Happy Baking!

notice of a new start

There are so many things that I love. Sadly, my job is not one of them. So today I finally did something about it; I gave my notice. And I can't remember the last time I felt so good.

I am a corporate lawyer in "biglaw", at least for thirteen more days. I have spent three years at my firm, and now it is time to move on.

My husband and I will move to Vermont (from Chicago) in the next year or so. His parents live there, we got married there, and during the summer of our wedding my parents became so entranced with the state that they bought a place there as well. And with siblings in New York and D.C., it's time to move to the east coast. Aside from proximity to family, we simply love it in Vermont. The people, lakes, mountains, skiing, hiking, and everything outdoors = bliss.

Before the move I have to get some things in order, hence needing to leave my job. First matter of business: take the Vermont bar exam. Second: complete the internship required to become licensed in Vermont. On May 27th, I will start my second BARBRI class and embark on the road towards Vermont.

So now, with all of you, I begin my ascent out of corporate law into happiness. Follow me while I settle in on my journey, and find ways to love life again - through baking, sewing, travelling, camping, cake decorating, and living and loving my husband, friends, family and little fluffball of a dog.

Thanks for coming along.