I'm loving all the Spotlights, so if you haven't jumped in yet, and want to, drop me a line. I'm easygoing, I swear, if a tad chatty.
Today we feature Erika! I believe you came to the blog via Facebook, Erika? Anywho, I'm so glad we've met! You are delightful and offer fun and valuable insights. Truly. Are you coming up to LA to walk the Wilfair neighborhood with me someday? Hoping.
And now...
Do you regularly give advice? If so, what? I
very regularly give the advice "I would not put that in my mouth if I
were you" to a two year old whom I chill with 5 days a week. Otherwise I advise being yourself and doing what makes you genuinely happy.
Agree agree agree.
What's your favorite smell? Oh Lordy. I love the smell of apples. To me they have a really fresh
and clean smell and when mixed with cinnamon it morphs into a super
comforting smell.
Erika! Have you been to Julian, living where you do? It's almost apple time! (Non-California friends, Julian is a little Old West town known for apple pie. If you've read "Redwoodian," a hotel called Sour Suites is mentioned by Fair's father. It's near Julian, in my mind.)
What's the secret to shaking off a difficult experience or exchange? I have no idea. I am an over-thinker. I am still working on learning to
let go. I usually end up looking for a distraction and drinking lots of
iced coffee.
Overthinking! High fives! Actually, that's been a big goal of my adult life, to act when I have the facts and not stew over things a minute longer.
What was harder the first time you held someone's hand: Taking the hand or letting it go? (Both acts are wonderfully awkward.) I want to say that getting up the nerve to hold hands was wonderfully
difficult and full of deep breaths and inner-pep talks but it was also a
wonderful rush, whereas the letting go was harder. Once you make that
connection you want to keep it (at least I did) sweaty palms and all.
So true. The first hand I almost (but never held) is like a three-hour story. It has to end up in the books somehow. It's kind of cringe-worthy but the person and I became friends later and, oh, how we laughed. Laughed through the cringing.
Breakfast or dinner? Details, please: breakfast, I love going out to eat it and I appreciate when people get
creative with it! There is a place in San Diego called Snooze that I am
longing to try. It's always an hour wait but they serve a flight of
pancakes and feature different types of pancakes every week ( it may be
monthly). Yum! Also, breakfast burritos!
See below!
Do you take praise well? Not if taking praise well involves not feeling terribly awkward and not blushing. I get a little squirmy when praised.
Word.
What's the number one quality of a solid friendship? Honesty... And a deep and dark knowledge of all things Harry Potter.
It actually doesn't have to be that dark or deep but if I refer to
you-know-who and the boy-who-lived I'd like a glimmer of recognition.
Solid answer.
Wilfair
question: If Monty asked you to zipline from the tilted part of The
Wilfair's roof down to the Motel Fairwil, would you? You'll be over the
pool for part of the journey, in case you need to unlock and splash
down. Heck yes! I am a little bit of a thrill seeker so I would likely high-five Monty and insist on getting my zip line on.
I support the need for adventure.
So Erika's special Spotlight photo absolutely had to be a breakfast burrito, because she and I have discussed this perfect breakfast food more than once. However, I didn't have any breakfast burrito pictures handy, so I made one for my lunch the other day just so I could snap some photos. (Does that mess with time itself? When you eat a breakfast burrito for lunch?)
Here then is my take on the classic breakfast burrito, which can be made many ways but Erika and I both like it with very hot salsa. I also added potatoes, which I almost never do at home, because I'm usually improvising and rushed and I never have any on hand.
Two adds: The mozzarella cheese? That's from the grocery store that Fair references in "Redwoodian" when she says that people don't fall in love in montages but next to the frozen peas on Aisle Eleven. That's the only "Wilfair" tie-in I've got.
And there's my GIANT evil queen mug, which I love. It's practically like carrying a pot of coffee around in my hand. I'm about one step away from actually doing that, so thank goodness I found this mug.
I like my cheese a bit crispy. You?
My folding technique needs practice, but I'm usually so eager to get to the burrito I can't wait.
