Vivian Vana Stevens
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I'm Vana, and this is my blog.


Books to Read in 2020

1/29/2020

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Hello All! First things first - I would like to apologize for my absence this past month. Life has been a bit busier but I also found out that several of my blog post links on Pinterest weren't connecting to the specific posts they advertised but instead to just the blog itself. When investigating I found that my website has been deleting several of them and the ones lost were ones I did not have saved/backed up in any way. I was a little discouraged, which left me rather unmotivated when it came to writing new posts. I will now be backing up all of my posts just in case, but I am excited to be back and writing again!

Now that that is out of the way, below are some of the books I've read/am currently reading during this new year and a little about each one. I have been keeping up through the free website goodreads.com so that I can keep track of my reading this year, as well as accomplish my goal of reading 26 books in 2020. If you are already on Good Reads or plan to join and want to be friends feel free to add me here.

1. The Wife Between Us

I bought The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen on Audible in 2018 and just finished this week. I am a slow reader (I typically read at the speed that I talk in), but apparently I also lack dedication as a listener since it took me so long to finish this 13 hour book. It is important to know that this is not the book's fault, it was a wonderful thriller with unexpected twists and turns, and an even more surprise ending. I found myself hanging on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next many times, and if you choose the audible version the reader does an excellent job of highlighting the suspense as well as the character voices. 

Personally, I am not a "thriller" genre book or movie person, but I still loved this book. the plot is well thought-out and exciting, and it is definitely worth the read! I want to tell you about it but even mentioning the person/persons the book is about could give away one of the first surprises.
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2. Free Speech on Campus

Free Speech on Campus by Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman was lent to me during a project I was working on recently. It was extremely informative when considering the First Amendment on Campus, Safe Spaces, the history of free speech on university campuses as well as the current climate. I felt as though the book was written to be more neutral and informative and less politically charged which I appreciated. If you are curious about the First Amendment in reference to free speech on campus or just free speech in general this is a good and quick read.
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3. Fence Vol. 3

The Fence series by C.S. Pacat, Johana The Mad, and Joana LaFuente is a graphic novel series I started after a friend loaned me the first two volumes. I quickly grew obsessed with following Nicholas Cox and the other members of the fencing team's stories. Nicholas comes to a private school in the U.S. in hopes of getting onto the fencing team to receive a scholarship to attend the school and to continue to practice fencing. He is not the only new recruit to come in, but his attendance at the school is reliant on him making the team once tryouts begin. It is a fun and very sweet story so far, the graphics are great, and I can't wait for volume 4 to release! 
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4. Safe Enough Spaces

Safe Enough Spaces: A Pragmatist's Approach to Inclusion, Free Speech, and Political Correctness on College Campuses by Michael S. Roth was another book used in a project I was working on recently. The first half of the book pointed out a lot of the concerns of safe spaces on campus and why there is controversy towards them. The third chapter opens up more to talk about how to move forward without ignoring the problems addressed by the students. One of my favorite points Roth makes is: “When people are getting their news from social media tailored to their own interested and values, their allegiances intensify and their toleration of alternative modes of thinking diminishes.” (pp 113). The book really works to put into perspective the importance of being challenged, but definitely comes from one political side more than the other.
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5. Get a Life Chloe Brown

Get a Life Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert is a book I am half way through reading right now. 

​I am fairly obsessed with it, as it is an adorable love story about Chloe, a girl who lives in England and suffers from fibromyalgia. This is a book I received in my Book of the Month a while back and am just getting the chance to read. The story so far is very light (with some deep pasts of the two love interests), fun, flirtatious, and everything you want out of a romance novel right before Valentine's Day. Hibbert tells a lively story that is quite tasteful, even with some of its' more "R" rated scenes. Reading from both Chloe and Red's point of views has also been a treat.
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6. A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is another book that is taking me a while to read. The story is very heavy and impactful, so I often have to take breaks. I started this book in October, trading a student for my copy of A Woman is No Man so that we could both read them and then discuss the premise and impact on students at OSU that may be facing similar issues at home. So far I am half way through it, I am enjoying the different perspectives as well as learning about history in an area of the world I did not know much about. Hosseini also wrote a famous book called The Kite Runner from the perspective of men whereas this book is written from the perspective of women.
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Best Brioche French Toast

1/24/2020

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French toast is one of my favorite breakfast dishes. Its' heavy sweetness, as well as the wide variety of french toast outcomes make it a very versatile dish. Two weekends ago Adam and I bought an apple cinnamon brioche loaf from the Walmart Bakery section and really went to town. The results were phenomenal, so I wanted to share. Check out our recipe, and know that you can substitute the bread for any brioche loaf you have available.
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Brioche French Toast

Ingredients:
  • 1 Loaf Brioche Bread (flavored if preferred)
  • 5 Eggs
  • 1 Cup Milk (we used almond)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 Tbs Cinnamon Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
Directions:
  • Pre-Heat the oven to 350F.
  • In a mixing bowl crack the eggs, add the milk, and beat them until well mixed. Add in the vanilla and cinnamon sugar and stir in.
  • Slice the bread into 1in - 1&1/2in thick slices.
  • Take out a baking pan and spray with cooking spray. You can use foil to wrap the pan for an easier clean up, and spray it with cooking spray as well.
  • Dip a slice of bread into the mixing bowl, flipping it onto each side to let it soak in the liquid. Then, move the slice of bread carefully into the baking pan. Repeat until you have done this with every piece.
  • Pour excess liquid over the top of all of the bread slices in the pan, then dust brown sugar over each piece until well covered.
  • Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, or until the liquid is fully cooked. 
  • Plate and enjoy! We liked it with and without syrup.
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We really enjoyed it with a few slices of egg-bake on the side! That way we covered our sweet and savory fixes.
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A Taste of Southern Italy: A Meal of Recipes

1/9/2020

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A holiday season does not go by without Adam and I trying to bring some of his Italian heritage into our kitchen. My favorite is the recipes stemming from meals in Southern Italy and the coastal cuisine! For our small break between Christmas and New Years we made a night at home to cook a delicious meal together similar to ones Adam and I have had when visiting his dad's family. We had a blast making it, and the leftovers were just what we needed to last until we left for our next adventure.

Oyster Linguine

Instructions:
  • Linguine
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 16oz Medium Shucked Oysters
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup White Wine
  • Capers
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
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Directions:
  • Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat
  • Rinse oysters
  • Add in oysters and cook them for about 5 minutes
  • Season with Italian seasonings, and salt and black pepper to taste
  • Boil and strain pasta
  • Add 2 Tbs of butter to the bottom of a mixing bowl. Put pasta in on top and set aside
  • Add in lemon juice and white wine, and cook at a simmer until sauce becomes less watery
  • Add in capers, and continue to cook an additional 4-6 minutes
  • Mix in the linguine pasta, and add fresh parmesan cheese to your liking ​

Flounder and Asparagus

Ingredients:
  • 4 Flounder Fillets (frozen)
  • ​2 Frozen Steam-fresh Bags Asparagus
  • Panko Bread Crumbs
  • Olive Oil
  • Crushed Walnuts
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt & Black pepper
  • ​Walnut Oil
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Directions:
  • Thaw flounder fillets and asparagus and preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  • ​Microwave steam the asparagus as instructed on the package
  • On a large baking sheet, lay out the flounder fillets and spread out the asparagus around the fillets, making sure not to stack any of the fish or asparagus
  • Drizzle olive oil across all of this
  • Sprinkle with salt, pepper, panko bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese
  • Pour the desired amount of crushed walnuts over everything
  • Drizzle everything with walnut oil
  • Bake in preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork

Butter Bread

Ingredients:
  • Spreadable Butter
  • ​Garlic and Herb seasoning
  • 1 loaf fresh Italian Bread
  • Tin Foil
  • Non-Stick Spray
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Directions:
  • Lay out a piece of tin foil large enough to wrap entire loaf of bread in
  • Spray it with Non-Stick Spray and place the loaf of bread on it
  • Cut splices half way through the bread (making sure not to separate any from the loaf) 1 inch apart
  • Coat each exposed area of sliced bread with butter (in between pieces as well as over the top)
  • Sprinkle garlic and herb seasoning over the top
  • Wrap the loaf in tin foil and bake at 400F for 10 minutes
While we finished this meal with a tiramisu and a cup of espresso, we did not make the tiramisu ourselves. We are hoping to try our hand at it in the near future, so be looking out for a recipe post sometime this spring!
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What to do in Portland, Oregon in January

1/7/2020

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I am someone who consistently checks flight prices for places Adam and I are wanting to go, and this past July it really paid off! I scored really cheap flights from the Dallas Love Field Airport to PDX in Portland, Oregon, a place Adam and I have both wanted to go for quite some time now. It fell during a slower time for both of us at work and we were able to book a hotel in downtown/the pearl district so we would be in the middle of it all!

As we were planning we noticed a lack of things to do during winter months/the end of the holiday season. A lot of our friends asked why we would go somewhere so far north in January when it might snow or be really cold in general. After visiting I can say that January was a BEAUTIFUL time to visit, and if you are ever able I would definitely recommend! We had an absolute blast, and the weather was perfect. If you are looking to visit Portland, Oregon during January, or maybe just in the winter in general, here is a brief schedule of what we did and why you should check it out. It is important to note that we based a lot of things/scheduling on location and hours they are open, as well as our own jet-lag from the time difference.
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Thursday, January 2:

We landed at 10:45 PM PCT, but we could not help but make a run to VooDoo Donuts before calling it a night. There was one within .2 of a mile from our hotel so we walked over and brought some back. We chose:
  • High Tea - earl grey frosting with hibiscus drizzle
  • The Homer - strawberry frosting with sprinkles
Both delicious! The Homer was a classic and the high tea was both tasty and original. It is important to note that our hotel was the Courtyard Marriott in City Center, so we really were at the heart of everything. It is a beautiful hotel and a great location for visitors without a car!
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Friday, January 3:

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Around 9:30 AM we headed to Blue Star Donuts! There are quite a few Blue Stars around Portland, so we settled on one that was on the way to a bus station. We enjoyed trying:
  • Blueberry Basil Bourbon
  • Traditional Buttermilk Old-Fashioned
  • Raspberry Buttermilk Old-Fashioned
  • Coconut Creme Brulee 
As well as a cup of Blue Star coffee! Wow-oh-wow were these donuts good! An agreed favorite being the blueberry basil bourbon for both its uniqueness and just how good it was in general.
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We hopped on one of the TriMet buses after purchasing a day pass and rode it all the way to the Oregon Zoo drop off. This gave us a chance to sit back and really look at Portland through the bus windows and all the areas we went to. We passed even the Japanese Garden on the bus which was our intended end destination, so it gave us a pretty good idea of the general direction we would need to head in.
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We looked up a trail through Washington Park that lead us from the zoo to the Japanese Gardens and took off! It was a 2 mile hike with a lot of beauty along the way. This was Adam and I's favorite part of the trip. It was a beautiful 50-55F outside, it was slightly overcast so the sun was not beating down all day, and the views were just beautiful. Going up and down the hills on a Friday meant there weren't many people out and about, and our hike took from 11am-1pm with all of the fun photo-stops we made.
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Once we made it to the Japanese Gardens (maybe around 1pm?) we took a breather to meditate and really enjoy the gardens. From the bridge, the water fall, the zen gardens, peaceful benches, and a great view of Mt. Hood we both left feeling like we'd really gotten to see a small part of Japanese history. The garden is known as being the most accurate Japanese garden in the USA to a real garden in Japan, and it had a lot of spots to stop and read about why certain pieces were there or positioned in a certain way. 
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Flash forward to about 3:00 pm. We finished walking around the Japanese Garden (and the gift shop), walked down to see the sadly empty Rose Gardens, and waited for our Uber to take us to our next stop. We landed on Boxer Ramen back in Down-town, and what a lucky find! It was incredible! The pork was so tender and full of flavor, the broth was delicious, Adam and I both agreed it was hands down the best ramen we've ever had. We both tried the Tonkatsu-Shio (our go-to) and I can't recommend it enough. For reference I've tried that same dish in Houston, Plano, Denver, and Disney's Animal Kingdom, but nothing hit the level Boxer Ramen's did.
After finishing the best ramen we've ever had Adam and I decided to browse a few stores. After grabbing a cup of coffee at Stumptown we popped into a local thrift shop, some of the stores in the same area as Boxer Ramen, and finally we made our way to the famous Powell's City of Books. Powell's is the largest book store in the country, taking up an entire block in the city of Portland. It is incredible, with so many different wings and an extremely organized system. They had every book I could have ever imagined and to be honest I was overwhelmed with both joy and indecisiveness. Adam found a book he came in hoping to look for, and on that first day I left pretty much empty handed.
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We walked to Deschutes Brewery from there to use the restroom and grab something to drink. Deschutes Brewery is a Portland treat with plenty of different brews to try, as well as wine, whiskey, and a hard seltzer. We tried the Garlic Fries topped with orange and basil aoili, a Black Butte Whiskey with ice for me, and a Brewer's Choice Tray for Adam. The tray included:
  • Couch Surf Kolsch
  • Swedish Coffee Break (even I liked this one)
  • Common Have a Pint
  • Altbierior Motive
  • Jolabokaflod
  • Dank Cake Stout
The Swedish Coffee Break was a favorite we both enjoyed, and Adam also really liked the Jolabokaflod. The whiskey was smooth and had a unique flavor. It was described to be a collaboration of a malt whiskey from the wash of Deschutes Black Butte Porter beer. The fries were a great addition but made for a pretty heavy side that we both had trouble finishing.
After a fun few hours out and about we made our way back to the hotel to shower and change out of our hiking gear. Once we were gussied up (and a bit less full from Deschutes) we did not know where we wanted to go or what we wanted to do. We debated the typical tourist spots like the Whiskey Lounge (very pricey), Doug Fir Lounge (pretty far away), Ground Kontrol, etc. As we were walking we saw a place lit up that looked fun and just walked in. That is how we found the Pine Street Market, a wonderful place with lots of different restaurants shoved in. It was like being back in college but with better food and alcohol! Adam grabbed a slice of marinara pizza from Checker Board Pizza and an Abiss Mimosa while I relaxed with a glass of wine. After he finished we tried some Pork Steam Buns from Kim Jong's Smokehouse and we ventured to split a Dream Sickly beverage. After some great conversation in a pretty fun atmosphere we capped the night with ice cream from Wiz-Bang, which exclusively serves Salt n' Straw ice cream. 
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Saturday, January 4th:

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After breakfast we walked around the corner to Cacao, a fancy chocolate shop that features several different hot chocolates. Adam and I both tried what they described as their European Flight, including 3 small cups of very thick hot chocolate. The flavors were dark chocolate, dark chocolate with cinnamon, and spicy dark chocolate. They were all really tasty, but Adam and I both liked cinnamon the best! We browsed around the chocolate shop a bit and managed to bring home a lavender dark chocolate as well as a mango white chocolate bar to try later.
After leaving Cacao we made our way to Wild Roots Tasting Room. This was across the bridge so we took the opportunity to walk past China Town, see the Portland Stag sign, and really take in the view of Portland at the water front. It was absolutely breathtaking.
We slept in a little and left the hotel around 9:30 AM (mind you this translates as 11:30 AM in CST). We knew we wanted to go to Cacao, but we also wanted to stop somewhere for breakfast. Blue Star donuts was sort of on the way to Cacao, but we passed several places serving breakfast, including Stumptown coffee, along the way. We saw a place called Kenny & Zukes Delic... and thought it was worth a try. Little did we know it would end up being our favorite meal of the trip! Kenny&Zukes is a Jewish themed restaurant with a menu full of wonderful food including fresh bagels, matzah, flatkas, and so much more! The pastrami was insanely good, but truly all of it was really good! We ordered:
  • ​Matzah Brei - crackers soaked and re-baked in egg with cinnamon and sugar
  • 222 - Pastrami, Latkas (like a 'potato biscuit' is how Adam describes them), eggs over easy, and rye toast
  • 2 Coffees (of course)
They were also really nice and complimented my hat, so I couldn't help but try to get a picture in it. 
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Once we made it over to the Wild Roots Tasting Room we were in for a real treat! My dad's favorite vodka brand is Wild Roots and you can almost only get it in Oregon. He loves the Marionberry, which is a classic in our eyes because it is the first one we ever tried. It has a thick texture to it, which is not common for any other vodka I have ever tried. We took a chance and did a Spirit Flight and a Cocktail Flight, that way we could each try them stand alone as well as in a drink.The Spirit Flight Included:
  • Raspberry Infused Vodka
  • Marionberry Infused Vodka
  • Huckleberry Infused Vodka
  • Pear Infused Vodka
  • Dark Sweet Cherry Infused Vodka
The Cocktail Flight Included:
  • Hot Cobbler (Hot buttered rum mixture and Peach Infused Vodka)
  • Frozen Hot Chocolate (Frozen Chocolate Slushie and house infused Candy Cane Vodka)
  • Autumn Freeze (Frozen Apple Cider Slushie and Cranberry Infused Vodka)
  • Chai Cream (Smith Tea Chai, cream soda, and Apple & Cinnamon Infused Vodka)
  • Refresher (Club soda and huckleberry infused vodka)
Needless to say, they were all really good. Adam loved the pear infused vodka and my favorite drink was the Hot Cobbler. We ended up taking a few bottles home (although if I could go back I think I would get others just to have them).
After Wild Roots we headed back towards down town to give me another shot at finding a book or two at Powell's. This time I left with two books and Adam picked up a second one as well. It was less crowded and we had a better sense of which rooms held which books. We even took a second to stop by the Pearl room, or the "Rare Book" section. These books range in prices of $150 - Thousands of dollars. These we just wanted to look at out of curiosity, but we also made a point to go to every wing this time. I think we may have even spent over an hour there before we left to look at other shops!
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We worked our way through the streets with rain off and on until we settled on grabbing lunch at Bamboo, a sushi restaurant in the area. We debated what we would do next there. Maybe see a movie at The Living Room Theatre nearby, stop by the Curious Comedy Club to see their improv group perform, or one of the many other interesting things we saw advertised on other blogs or in general. As we talked we ordered:
  • Chef's Choice Steam Buns (beef&kimchi)
  • Tuna Sashimi
  • Mackerel Sashimi
​And here is a picture of Adam with a statue of bikes we took before we made it to Cacao. Random, but I really like it!
Since we did not manage to get a picture of our ice cream the night before we felt like we could not miss a chance to stop by Ruby Jewel for another sweet treat. We ordered:
  • Double chocolate cookie sandwich with gingerbread ice cream
  • 2 Scoops caramel coffee ice cream
And holy cow were they good! The gingerbread ice cream had such a strong molasses flavor, it was awesome! 
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As we wrapped up we headed back to the hotel room in a light drizzle and ended up talking, hanging out, and reading our new books in the hotel for several hours. By the time we looked up and realized what time it was, we knew we needed to start packing up for our early flight the next day. We didn't sweat it though. Feeling a little hungry now we ordered room service. Creme Brulee French Toast, Eggs, Bacon, a beer for Adam and a glass of wine for me gave us the perfect chance to relax and end what was already a great trip on a high note. The Courtyard Marriott in City Center's room service is impeccable if you are ever staying there.

Sunday, January 5th: 

A 6:45 AM flight had us leaving the hotel around 4:00 AM, but we really didn't mind. We even stopped by the airport Blue Star Donuts to get our fill before we left. A Pina Colada Old Fashioned Donut, a Chocolate Almond Ganache Donut, and an Apple Brandy Crumble Cake Donut left us feeling more full than I think we have ever felt. We also realized that there was a Deschutes Brewery and several other "Portland" or "Oregon" spots in the airport someone visiting could check out if they did not get the chance to during their main visit.
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Overall we had an incredible time in Portland. With the fun nature-side (and honestly so much we did not explore) as well as the great food and fun vibes of the city itself I can't wait for the chance to go back. We didn't even do half of the things we could have, but I wanted to share for anyone traveling there, especially in the winter months, looking for fun stops and things to do. Coming from Oklahoma the weather was beautiful, a consistent flow between 40-55 Fahrenheit (much nicer than the 22-60 Fahrenheit fluctuations in Oklahoma). 
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    I am a student affairs professional, an amateur chef, and an adventurer at heart.

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