FANNY PACK

Amy and I picked up my completed fanny pack yesterday, I love it, it's got a zipper and leather buckle. Thanks to everyone who sent ideas and especially Ann and Amy who did all the work. If you see me around with another pouch, that's the day purse Ann made for me, which I also love because it's very comfortable. Beforehand, I met up with Sara and Mott at Chelsea Market where there is a temporary restaurant with different chefs every few day. We had fried chicken and Kombucha on tap. It was OK, but we felt a little like suckers.

DESTROYER-KAPUTT

SECOND CYCLE

The chemotherapy I'm doing works in three week cycles. Yesterday marked the beginning of my second cycle. The plan is do to three cycles then surgery, then another three cycles. Kim and Phil came with me for the full day session. Nothing exciting happened this time, Gitty had the day off, so Maria was my nurse. She was very low-key and sweet.

Afterwards I had a friend over. I made us poached halibut from Mark Bittman's ideas for easily cooking fish at home, and a sweet potato and peas both from CIM.

PESACH

We celebrated Passover last night. There was the classic Seder plate. For dinner we had chicken with sage and lemon from The Blue Ribbon Cookbook, carrots using a recipe from Cooking In the Moment and asparagus.

ONE YEAR

I'm pretty sure the chemotherapy is working, the tumor seems to be shrinking because I'm able to eat regular food. This is my new goto meal: a chicken thigh from Murray's Chicken, cooked in a Le Creuset grill pan, with a side of rainbow chard. I'm trying to eat a diet that is more alkaline... but it doesn't always work. Mindy, Lucy and I went to one of my all-time favorite pizza places this weekend, Totonno's Pizza original location in Coney Island.

Also, it's been one year since EatDaveLove started!

CAFE SABARSKY

Danielle joined me while I got a shot to boost my immune system. My white blood counts were low so I was given a one week break from the chemo. I'll start back next week and do a few shots this week so I'm ready. Cafe Sabarsky is an Austrian restaurant in a beautiful wood-paneled room just ten blocks from Mt. Sinai Hospital so we walked down and met Tony who gave me this handmade oven pad and shorts buttons.

AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT RESTAURANT

Maybe it's because I have lots of time on my hands lately and need to kill some, but I love America's Next Great Restaurant (another link to another NBC show!) The best part is reading David Rees' hilarious recap on Mondays after the show.

PEAS

Ann came over for lunch so I made Andrea's garlic, peas and lettuce recipe. I added pea tendrils and fresh mint from Two Guys From Woodbridge at the farmer's market. She worked on the prototype for my infusion pump fanny pack. I hope to have the finished version next week.

TODAY

I accompanied Andrea to her appearance on the Today Show this morning to promote her book Cooking in the Moment. This was the show my family watched in the morning getting ready for school, so it was exciting to be behind the scenes and see Matt, Meredith and Al in person. Al Roker was genuinely funny. Before going on the air he did a Colonel Klink impression... "Hoooogan!" Here's a link to her segment.

Cancer-wise: the second session of chemo was yesterday. It was uneventful. They just refilled the IV bag that goes in my fanny pack pump. I feel pretty good.