Day 191: Driving in the Alps

Best Moments
1. Early morning walk in the Cinque Terre
2. Watching the men comb the beach and get ready for another day
3. Wondering if our bus was going to go off the cliff or not
4. Enjoying the view out the windows on our way to Switzerland
5. Excited about planning our paragliding adventure
6. Realizing that the Euro is not such a bad deal compared to expenses in Switzerland
7. Skipping the bathroom break to take pictures of the Alps
8. Picking up snow after being in the Mediterranean
9. Welcome drink(s)
10. Hotel room view
11. Fondue demonstration (and eating)
12. Getting in trouble (again)
13. Amazing mashed potatoes
14. Watching the cows parade down the street in the rain
15. Evening walk down to the next town and back
16. Seeing the waterfalls

Flickr Set of Images

Day 187: Becoming a Roman

Best Moments
1. Finally getting to try zucchini flowers (and it is really good on pizza)
2. Feeling like a Roman with our guide Francesca's detailed explanations that involved all senses
3. Feeling a connection to Francesca because of the energy and emotion she put into our tour
4. Enjoying a wonderful meal of a salad with pine nuts, parmesean, and balsamic vinegar and a cremini pasta near the Pantheon with good company
5. Meeting a mother and son and being amazed at how cultured and respectful the sixth grade boy was
6. Going for an evening walk through Rome 
7. Making my wishes at the Trevi fountain
8. Enjoying gelato in Italy
9. Rene always showing up at just the right moment

Flickr Set of Images

Day 116: Wine Dinner

Wine dinners are awesome.  You get to sit with others, enjoy food that you prepared by an amazing chef (even if he does look young and has braces), and drink wine that is paired to provide the ultimate experience.  Catch 35 in Naperville hosts these dinners and my dad and I try to go when we can.

The menu last night consisted of the following:

Reception

Korean Lumpia Pork

spicy kimchi, sweet chili aioli

Filet Mignon Tartare

capers, onions, dill pickle, celery salt potato chip

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009

1st Course

Thai Yellowfin Tuna Ceviche 

watermelon, Thai basil, cilantro, lime, radish

Alexander Valley Chardonnay, 2010

2nd Course

Florida Shrimp and Sweet Pea Risotto 

lemon herb vinagrette, applewood smoked bacon

Alexander Valley Pinot Noir, 2009

3rd Course

Intermezzo (raspberry sorbet)

4th Course

Braised Lamb Shank 

tomato, fava bean, and pozole ragout

Alexander Valley, Cyrus, Bordeaux Blend, 2007

5th Course

Vanilla Grits and Strawberries

whipped creme fraiche, sweet and salty popcorn

Alexander Valley, Redemption Zinfandel, 2007

It was a wonderful compilation.  I enjoyed the Korean Lumpia Pork the most and either the Cabernet or Chardonnay for wine.  

We sat across from a couple and a mother-in-law.  They were wealthier than us and had much more experience with wine than I could imagine, but they were very friendly and we had good conversation.  It is moments like this that makes me feel like I'm living life a little fuller.  It is also moments like these that make me so happy to be where I am and love the people that I do.  It was funny because at one moment I was talking about my aunts, but I accidentally said my friends.  Although some may argue that it was the wine, I think it was a Freudian slip that shows how much admiration I have for my family.  As I sat next to my dad I couldn't help but appreciate how lucky I am to have someone that is on the same page that I am.  What a wonderful evening.

 

Day 111: Yum

I didn't eat very healthy for lunch, so I thought I better make something better for dinner.  Sauteed shrimp with salt, pepper, and herbs of Provence, pasta with truffle oil and shredded smoked provolone over the top, and edamame cooked in garlic olive oil; not a bad dinner.  I really want to start eating well again, but I find that stress definitely encourages poor food choices.  Hopefully the end of the school year, move, and new job (fingers crossed) will allow me to relax a bit and take better care of myself.


Anytime I hear someone talking about living their life I question mine.  Change is coming, and I hope that I can make the best of it. 

Dat 79: Life

Today's pictures are brought to you by Kendra's walk.  Bird nests and buds fill the once bare branches.  Below we also have some lovely moss and another picture of the forsythias.  The color is great.

I am getting sooooooo excited for my trip.  I normally hit the snooze 3 or 4 times in the morning, but my alarm went off today and I thought, lets do this.  Luckily I am out for meetings the next two days, so the week should go a little faster.  As I was eating my mountain duck (new recipe I tried) and basmati rice with roasted tomatoes and garlic, I began to think about all of the great foods I am going to eat.  I cannot wait to try aioli, I think it will be a new favorite.  I also want to try any kind of provencal snails, pastis, anchoiade, and whatever new dishes are featured as specials.  Ahh, I can't wait! 

Day 50: It's a Beautiful Day, Don't Let it Get Away

 What a beautiful morning it was.  I could not resist going out, no matter what I ended up doing.  Since it was still early for a Sunday, I headed to do my usual grocery shopping.  My first stop was at Whole Foods.  As I got out of the car, I saw these two guys.  I almost walked in, but I did a double take and decided I should take a picture.  Apparently they couldn't resist getting outside either.


While at Whole Foods, I found that Rick Bayless has these new sauces available.  I found one for tacos that looked delish.  I fixed it tonight and once I took the first bite I was instantly taken back to West Coast Tacos in Indy.  I am in love with this sauce.  I look forward to trying new flavors in the future.  Look at that meal!  That is good stuff.

Day 42: Food Brings Us Together

Lunch with dad is the best because he loves to try new places just like I do.  Our lunch dates usually include going to restaurants that are not chains and are known for their excellent food.  We will often share dishes so that we can try more. 

 
Today we went to the Half Shell in Chicago.  It is this seafood restaurant mixed with a dive bar.  We shared a fried oyster appetizer and had king crab legs.  The meal was delicious and the company was great.  I can imagine how fun this place would be in the summertime outside.
 
  After we finished our meal we walked down Clark Street to an Austrian Bakery.  It was busy with young people enjoying a warm retreat from the chilly day.  He was pretty excited about all of the baked goods and found some treats to take home.

As we were walking back to the car, he recognized a building from his past.  Although I feel like I know a lot about my dad, it is exciting to see glimpses into his younger years.  He has been through a lot in his life, and I always enjoy learning more about the little details of his experiences.  The more that I learn about him, the more I realize that he is human, and it is okay that I am too.

Also as we were walking back, I saw a banana man that I've seen before in the city.  I think the other one I saw was in Old Town, and this one is in Lincoln Park.  I have no idea what it is all about, but he looks friendly.  If anyone knows his story, I'd be curious to find out.  Perhaps he is a symbol to remind you to eat your fruits.  I've heard that a banana a day is actually better than an apple a day.  Or maybe he is a physical representation of the saying "you are what you eat."  If this is the case, I'd probably be a peanut butter and jelly toast since I have that almost everyday.
 
The afternoon ended with a few bites of tiramisu and an espresso.  Carolyn bought me this awesome espresso set, plates, and place mats.  I feel like I should have an espresso party to show off my sweet dishes.

Day 7: Out and About

I woke up to sun peaking through my blinds, so I knew I must go explore.  I wanted to be outside, and Oak Brook Mall was the answer.  I was not planning on purchasing anything, but some lovely blue and orange dishes (that were on sale) called on me.  


One of the highlights of my day was lunch with my dad.  We went to Uncle Julio's Hacienda.  I love going to new restaurants because there is so much mystery about the dishes that are about to be served.  We found that the mystery was quite enjoyable.  We both got combination dishes and shared.  My dad got frog legs with chicken and steak fajitas while I got mesquite grilled ribs with chicken and steak fajitas.  The frog legs were sooooo flavorful.  They came with a Mexican butter which was tasty enough to be consumed by drinking.  The pork was smoky and came with a nice chipotle barbeque.  Of course my margarita accented the meal well.  The picture you see above shows a mural on the outside of the restaurant.


I also enjoyed a nice walk by the river with Kendra.  It is still chilly outside, but the sun makes it seem bearable.


The night is ending with work, so that I can enjoy tomorrow.

Day 3: The Day Before

Today holds a sense of anxiety and anticipation.  Going back to work tomorrow means that I must return to reality, but it also means that I can begin to move forward with plans.  Something I like to do to help calm my nerves is go grocery shopping.  There are only two places that release that sense of ease: Caputo's and Whole Foods.  Today I visited Caputo's.  There is something about wandering through aisles of food that grabs my complete attention and forces out unwelcome thoughts.  According to a book I am reading, attention is what shapes our lives.  I am hoping to improve the focus of my attention to positive experiences; perhaps the wine aisle.