It was an uber-yummy pot roast that spawned the Accidental Balabusta. (photo by Shelley Civkin) The definition of balabusta goes like this: 1) an impressively competent homemaker; 2) female head of household. I recently saw balabusta used in a sentence: “She’s such a balabusta, she can make Shabbos for 20 in one afternoon.” Seriously? In … Continue reading Retirement offers new path – the Accidental Balabusta
(photo from pexels.com) Lest you think this Accidental Balabusta has been slacking off, let me set the record straight. I’ve been sick since the middle of November and haven’t had the koach to do anything, including writing or cooking. No need for the gory details; suffice it to say that it’s worn me down to … Continue reading Balabusta does nothing
Harvey’s charoset pyramid. (photo by Shelley Civkin) As the Torah commands us, we tell the story of Passover and the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt to our children and ourselves every year, by reading from the Haggadah. Coming from a secular home, I don’t recall our family owning a single Haggadah. Instead, my father … Continue reading Balabusta preps for Pesach
A crane lifts a tunnel boring machine part out of the excavated Arbutus Station. With all the changes the Broadway Subway Project is bringing, the Accidental Balabusta and her husband are looking for a new condo – going from renters to owners. (photo from broadwaysubway.ca) Growing up in the 1960s and ’70s in the then-Jewish … Continue reading The search for a new home
Peach-blueberry cake à la Ina Garten, made by the Accidental Balabusta. (photo by Shelley Civkin) With Rosh Hashanah right around the corner, I’m already thinking of honey cake … but not honey cake. Wanting to ring in the new year with something sweet but not traditional, I found a recipe that might just fit the … Continue reading An alternative to honey cake
Easy-peasy Vegan Chocolate Mousse served up in a teacup. (photo by Shelley Civkin) I have to admit, I have a soft spot for Donna Reed-type recipes from the 1960s. Aside from being comfort food, they usually boast the honour of containing highly processed foods that are, well, a little short on nutrition. But do they … Continue reading Mousse and toasties, yum!
The City of Vancouver’s Broadway Plan includes different ideas for different areas. This image shows the general intention for Broadway’s shoulder areas. (image from vancouver.ca) Assuming you haven’t been hiding under a rock for the past many years, you’re probably familiar with Marie Kondo. For those of you boulder-hiders, she’s the author of The Life-Changing … Continue reading Sparks of joy found in downsizing
Lemon loaf using a recipe by Jo-Anna Rooney, creator of A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. (photo from aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com) So, a husband walks into Costco … with no shopping list. And what happens? He comes out with $200 worth of steak, a 10-pound bag of lemons (which, by my calculations, will make about 300 whiskey … Continue reading Don’t let your lemon loaf
Peanut cookies are so good, it’s hard to keep a batch around once you get a whiff of them. (photo by Shelley Civkin) I’m definitely my happiest when it’s blueberry season in Vancouver. You know what I’m talking about – those huge, sweet, juicy blueberries grown in British Columbia in July and August. I can’t … Continue reading Cookies and muffins for fall
Don’t let anybody tell you that recovery from knee replacement surgery is a walk in the park. It’s more like a hobble through hell. A very slow, frustrating, hobble with plenty of hurdles, pain and frustration. But, also, gradual victories and milestones. My journey started off a bit rocky. One week before my knee surgery, … Continue reading Recovery from surgery
