I Don't Need Anything That I Don't Have

I've got a zillion posts in "draft" form here, and hope to get to them in the next few days. For the year-end post, however, I'm taking a moment to think about the things I'm thankful for. I know, I know - Thanksgiving was last month, this is the time for resolutions, blah blah blah. But see, I absolutely suck at making and then keeping resolutions (which only serves to make me feel worse about myself, not better), and frankly I think it's a good thing to remind ourselves of the good things in our lives more often than just once a year. Sure, we could probably all stand to lose a few pounds and make a few more dollars a year - but all in all, most of us are pretty damned fortunate.

So - I'm thankful (first and foremost) for my wonderful husband, my family, my friends, my cats (AKA fur-children) and my health.

And as I reflect on the things that make me happy and give me solace, I also remember the people who are distinctly less fortunate than I am - the people who desperately need many of the things I take for granted everyday. And I suppose if I have any resolution at all this New Year's Eve, it is that I give more, do more, and speak up more. Anyone who thinks one person can't make a difference is a cynic as well as mistaken.

And now, to close out 2005 in the spirit of being happy with what we have, here is a song I adore by Glen Phillips:

"Don't Need Anything"

I've got gardens growing, got quiet days
Clothes on my back, food on my plate
Got friends to help me if I call for them
I don't need anything that I don't have

I've got eyes to see this beautiful land
And feet to take me where I want to stand
If there's work to be done, there's these two strong hands
I don't need anything that I don't have

Some years the rains don't come
And some years floods clear out the plains
If those waters washed this town away
I would still have enough if she was with me

I've a roof overhead, the stars if I choose
But I've got no itch to fly, got no need to move
Got almost nothing, but I understand
That I don't need anything that I don't have

Happy New Year, everyone.

The Contagious Meme Strikes Again

My friend Vikki says, "I had to do this to see if I could come up with 4 things for each." Clearly, she had some success. And while I have no idea what "chicken big mamou" is, it sounds... umm... interesting.

Four jobs you've had in your life: picking blueberrys (lasted 3 days), receptionist in dentist office, computer programmer, business systems analyst
Four movies you could watch over and over: Sound of Music, Out of Africa, Rear Window, Shawshank Redemption
Four places you've lived: Millville, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Collingswood, NJ; Portland, OR
Four TV shows you love to watch: West Wing; Two and a Half Men; Globe Trekker; Sex and the City (new to me, never had HBO)
Four places you've been on vacation: Eastern US; Quebec, Canada; Italy; London, England.
Four websites you visit daily: yahoo mail, weather... that's it daily and even that is a stretch.
Four of your favorite foods: anything shrimp, chicken big mamou, ice cream, anything cheese
Four places you'd rather be: Positano, Italy; Kaui, Hawaii; Oregon Coast; San Juan Islands

And, because Chris was asking the other night, here's the definition of "meme."

The Castrator

Charades is like a religion in Chris' family - they play it at every Christmas party they host. I've never taken part, as I'm not a game person and, frankly, they scare me. Today, however, I saw how they reel 'em in young.

Chris' brother's family was over this evening with the two kids, and they brought out a new game they'd gotten - Charades for Kids. Yes, they're indoctrinating the next generation, preparing them for the many Christmas parties ahead of them. (I still stayed out of it - I don't want to give them any false hope.)

The best moment came when our 4-year-old nephew was trying to guess what Grandpa Ed was doing, taking coins from his hand and putting them on a pillow. The adults were trying to help, saying, "Where do you put money?" Our nephew shouted, "THE CASTRATOR!" All the men in the room sat up everso slightly before realizing it was cash register that he meant. Good times, good times.

Holiday Bombardment

I suppose there's always something about the holidays that feels like a downpour. This year it's even more so - with the recent family reunification here in Pennsylvania, the kids are everyone's focus (as it should be). At ages 6 and 4, they're everywhere all at once (also as it should be).

Our niece (age 6) is completely focused on all things princess-y or girly, and our nephew (age 4) has a super-hero alter-ego called "Fighting Robot." When I asked him what he'd asked for from Santa, the only thing I could understand was, "a Fighting Robot costume." When I then asked what such a getup might look like, he responded (as if I was a complete dunce), "It looks like a Fighting Robot." Duh, Aunt Jessie.

Tonight we're going to see Chris' sister perform in a church service (she'll be singing and playing clarinet, I'm told), and then tomorrow is the big day. Christmas day out here is a nearly all-day affair - stockings first thing, then a break for breakfast and getting cleaned up, then we start in on the under-the-tree gifts (and there's sometimes a break in there for lunch). I don't know what the remainder of our stay holds, though I'm hoping that the annual pilgrimage to local discount clothing store Gabriel Brothers is in the cards - I look forward to that all year long. No kidding.

Okay - I'd best be getting back to the action here. Happy Holidays, all!

And So It Begins

Toto, we're not in Oregon anymore...

For the next five days or so we're in Central Pennsylvania with Chris' family... The posts here will be few and far between (the dial-up connection here is maddening, and there's no wireless connection to speak of). So, I hope everyone has a happy holiday (whatever it is you're celebrating!), and I'll be posting some of our Pennsylvania pictures later on.

Ciao, tutti!

This Meme is Contagious!

My friend Stephanie says, "Alright, I'll bite..."

Four jobs you've had in your life: worked the drive-up window at a fast food joint; processing periodicals in a library; executive assistant; and my current job - policy wonk.
Four movies you could watch over and over: LOTR trilogy, Sound of Music, Much Ado About Nothing, Monty Python - Holy Grail.
Four places you've lived: Meeker, CO; Denver, CO: McMinnville, OR; Las Vegas, NM
Four TV shows you love to watch: Daily Show, Storm Stories, South Park, Buffy (hey, it didn't say current shows! and we still watch Buffy - we have 6 seasons on DVD!)
Four places you've been on vacation: eastern coast of Australia; Sweden/Norway; Banff/Canmore, Canada; Lake Michigan.
Four websites you visit daily: Hotmail, salon, myfamily, ncsl.
Four of your favorite foods: creme brulee, butternut squash, apples w/ almond butter, field of greens salad at Bump and Grind - a local eatery.
Four places you'd rather be: at this very moment, home! where my parents are here for the holidays! Valley View Hot Springs/Orient Land Trust; coast of Spain, Lake Steam Baths.

My Father's Meme

For those of you who don't read the comments, I'm reprinting my father's response to yesterday's "meme of fours." My comments are in red.

Four jobs you've had in your life: Machinist, Photographer, Engineer, Cowboy (Horse Trainer), College Professor Apparently my dad can't count...
Four movies you could watch over and over: The Man from Snowy River; The African Queen; Time Bandits; The Bridge on the River Kwai.
Four places you've lived: Forest Hills, NY; Worcester, Mass; Newtown, Conn; Prairie City, Oregon; Corvallis, Oregon; Milwaukie, Oregon. Again, trouble with the counting thing...
Four TV shows you love to watch: The Daily Show; The Colbert Report; House; Numbers. He likes a show called "Numbers" and he's having trouble with them? Disturbing... Also, I'd completely forgotten about The Daily Show & Colbert Report. Good on you, dad.
Four places you've been on vacation: Israel; England; France; Mexico.
Four websites you visit daily: Andiamo; Google; Earthlink; US Bank. Aww, thanks for the plug, daddy-o...
Four of your favorite foods: Prime Rib; Lobster; Roast Suckling Pig; Leg of Lamb. And the reasons for my father's 1994 quintuple-bypass surgery suddenly become crystal clear...
Four places you'd rather be: Someplace warm where clothes are not required; On the GP Tour with a Race Team; Time to travel around the country in the RV; Nepal. I absolutely do not want to know why my father, at age 70, has decided he wants to be a nudist. There are things that should remain a mystery between parents and their children. Yipes.

A Meme of Fours

I saw this one on James Tata, and as I'm too busy at the moment to write up the reviews of the Dandy Warhols/Out Crowd show from last week or the U2 show from last night, this is all I'm capable of today. I'll get to the shows, I promise. Just probably not this week...

Four jobs you've had in your life: movie theater popcorn-hawker, quality control clerk, lobbyist, administrative/personal assistant
Four movies you could watch over and over: Mindwalk, Lord Of The Rings trilogy (does that count as three? if not...), Amelie, The Usual Suspects
Four places you've lived: Newtown, CT; Contoocook, NH; Nottingham, England; Bothell, WA
Four TV shows you love to watch: The West Wing, Waking the Dead (BBC America), Wire In The Blood (BBC America), Globe Trekker
Four places you've been on vacation: Scotland, Italy, Czech Republic, New Zealand
Four websites you visit daily: Bloglines, Gmail, BootsnAll, Yahoo Mail
Four of your favorite foods: gelato, sushi, pretty much anything Italian, the entire Thanksgiving meal
Four places you'd rather be: the easy answer is, "Anywhere in Italy" - but I'll try to play along better than that... Florence, Italy; my cousins' house outside Bordeaux, France; Tobermory, Scotland; Mont St. Michel, France (I've never been, but really want to see it)

Some "Damn Interesting" Tidbits

I've been saving these up for some time now - they're all from a site appropriately called "Damn Interesting." Everything I read there is (ahem) interesting, often informative and sometimes disgusting. I try to steer clear of the latter, if for no other reason than I don't particularly like feeling queasy. So - here are the selections for the day.

• In honor of the season - the Christmas Truce of 1914
• This lie detector story reminded me of a somewhat distubring book I read awhile ago called, The Truth Machine
• The only palindrome I've known is, "A man, a plan, a canal: Panama" - now I know some in Finnish as well.
• Finally, this is absolutely the car I want to be driving!

Stupid Snow

I grew up with snow, so I get to make wise cracks like, "I hate snow." And I do. Hate snow, that is.

I mean, it's all fine and dandy if you've got nowhere to go and nothing to do and the fridge is full and you don't lose power and there's plenty on television. If any one of those things doesn't hold, then snow is a damned pain in the ass. In my case today, the fact is we've got lots to do - and no way to get out and do it. Why? Because of this crap:


Out our front door - it may look like a light dusting, but there's ice from the earlier freezing rain underneath.


And this is out the other side of the house, overlooking the street (which cars are gingerly making their way up and down) and the mini-mart parking lot (which saw some idiot testing the iciness in his SUV with his friends standing around in the lot itself - all we could think was, "So, these guys are probably candidates for those Darwin Awards, right?")

The bottom line, the thing that is keeping me from getting any more frustrated about the weather, is the fact that I can't do anything about it. So, we're making Mexican hot chocolate and hunkering down to watch some of the 41 hours of recorded television we have on tap. It's not how we wanted to spend the day, but all in all - it doesn't completely suck. I guess.

Oh, and if all else fails, here's a cute little thing to pep you up if you're feeling low.

The First Day of the Weekend Before

Yesterday we managed to check a few things off our to-do list, and we treated ourselves while we were at it.

I've not set foot in a Toys R Us in years, and I don't plan to start now. Finnegan's was just as crazy yesterday afternoon as I imagine a TRU would be, but I'm happy to tolerate it. We love that toy store, and often find ourselves regressing and "oohing" and "aahing" over something we wish we could have. (For me, it's usually when I start to reminisce about all the Breyer horses I once had.) We finished the shopping for the PA niece & nephew there, and then went off to get some chocolates for Chris' assistant. We wanted to try something new, and were in the mood for a bit of a pick-me-up, so made our way to the oddly-located Sahagún Chocolates for a warm cup of chocolately goodness.

You may remember that I'd once waxed poetic about the hot chocolate at Mio Gelato (which I still adore). Well, after writing about that cocoa, I got a recommendation from the Food Dude to try Sahagún's version. We were happy to taste-test.

As the Food Dude told me, the cocoa at Sahagún "isn't as thick [as Mio Gelato's], but has a much more complex flavor." They rotate the chocolate they're using for their chocolate drinks, and yesterday it was an Ecuadorian. I have no idea how that might compare to others, but this was sublime. It's a dark, dark chocolate that - despite its liquidy consistency - almost makes you want to chew it. We just sipped it and smiled at each other.

A handy tip about the location - it's barely off Burnside on NW 16th, right around the corner from that Fantasy sex shop... And apparently no one wants their car to be seen in front of Fantasy, because the entire span of street parking was available when we drove up. We looked at each other, shrugged, and figured, "What the hell?" So, check that block in front of Fantasy if you're having trouble locating a parking spot. The chocolate is so good that you might feel it's a bit of a sin anyway, so it sort of fits.

Interestingly, while we were sitting there sipping, who should walk in but the owner of Mio Gelato - who ordered a hot chocolate and then watched the owner very closely as she made it. We were tempted to say something to him, quietly, about how much we like his hot chocolate as well, but decided against it. We figured he can't possibly be thinking Sahagún is anything close to a competitor, but rather just wanted to sample the local goodies. Still, it was a funny sighting.


The lovely hot chocolate at Sahagún. Another tidbit which we couldn't help but notice - the owner looks like a cross between the actress in "Amelie" and Juliette Binoche. She's adorable. And the chocolate shop itself has the vibe of the one in "Chocolat." So, do yourself a favor and transport yourself to France for a few minutes. You'll be glad you did.

Last night was an evening of complete indulgence, as it was the most recent installment of our "dinner club" with our friends Glen & Steph. We've been doing this with them for several years now - we'll take turns picking a restaurant every month or so and not telling the other couple where we're going, and whoever's choice it is picks up the tab. We've sampled quite a number of the local eateries over the years, and finally last night decided to brainstorm the list. It is as follows (in no particular order), and restaurants are in Portland unless otherwise noted:

The Bay House (Lincoln City)
Oba!
Cafe Azul
Mint
Il Piatto
Stanich's
Apizza Scholls
The Ark (Willapa Bay, WA)
The Berlin Inn
Tina's (Dundee)
Red Hills (Dundee)
Wildwood
Nick's Italian Cafe (McMinnville)
Assagio
Marrakesh
Be Won
Lucere
Miso Happy
The Bamboo Grove
Fong Chong
Piazza Italia
Riccardo's (Lake Oswego)
Cucina Cucina (Tigard)
Mother's

In looking over this list, it's sad to note that some of the places we visited no longer even exist. I was just yesterday remembering the sweet corn creme brulee I had at Lucere... *sigh*

All of that aside, it's an incredibly fun tradition we now have, and though the food is certainly a focus, it's more about making the time to spend a few hours with some dear friends who we don't see that often anymore. We keep thinking someday we'll write a book about the "dinner club," but since that's not likely to happen anytime soon, this post will have to suffice.


Dinner Club

Falling Behind

I was home sick yesterday, and am still digging out at work... I have a post in my head about the Dandys/Out Crowd show review from Tuesday night, but it's going to have to hang out in my head for awhile before I have time to think about writing it down... I finally gave up today on getting Christmas cards, so I've photocopied my annual newsletter onto green paper and that's just gonna hafta be festive enough for people... Man, I need a vacation...

Andina on the Radio

Our very own Peruvian restaurant Andina (and its resident mother-figure Doris) was featured on this past week's Splendid Table, which you can listen to from the website.

Dancing

Now, if this doesn't make you smile - and possibly want to travel - then I give up.

The Forgotten Tragedy

From today's American Progress Report:

On September 15, President Bush stood in downtown New Orleans -- bathed in floodlights powered by generators -- and made a pledge. Bush said, "Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes, we will stay as long as it takes, to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives. ... There is no way to imagine America without New Orleans." It hasn't worked out that way. A presidential adviser told TIME Magazine reporter Mike Allen that Katrina "has fallen so far off the radar screen, you can't even find it." Bush hasn't visited the Gulf Coast since Oct. 11. Most significantly, critical funding to build stronger and higher levees has not been appropriated. The New York Times notes, "Homeowners, businesses and insurance companies all need a commitment [that stronger levees will be constructed] before they will stake their futures on the city." As it stands, we "are about to lose New Orleans. Whether it is a conscious plan to let the city rot until no one is willing to move back or honest paralysis over difficult questions, the moment is upon us when a major American city will die."

The Decks Are Down

The decks are down - all eight of them (the one that remains up in the right-hand picture was rebuilt last year before the lawsuit was settled, so we could see how bad the damage was). It's amazing to see how wide-open and expansive the area seems now. Next up is the permitting process, and then the framing will begin. Progress...

Random 10

Because I'm sort of all over the place today, you'll get my musical random 10. My day seems random, so it fits.

1. All I Ask - Crowded House
2. Power Fantastic - Prince
3. Hello Earth - Kate Bush
4. Mistral Wind - Heart
5. Neon - John Mayer
6. Abbracciami - Nek
7. This Bouquet - Ani DiFranco
8. Due Innamorati Come Noi - Laura Pausini
9. E Invece Sei Tu - Cesare Cremonini
10. High Speed - Coldplay

It's an interesting mix today - heavy on the Italian stuff. The Nek song is from the CD we bought in Prague, and I really love it. I love anything he does, frankly, but I'm kind of hooked on the newest addition to our collection. One of his strong suits - as far as a student of Italian is concerned - is that he enunciates everything so clearly that even if we don't always comprehend the meaning of the words, we can usually understand the words themselves. See? Rock music is educational...

The Out Crowd at The Kennedy Center

Brother Caleb sent me this link, which is fabulous - The Out Crowd played at The Kennedy Center on November 28, and the entire 54+ minute show is available online. I haven't watched the whole thing yet, but Caleb assures me that he didn't use the stool very much - he hates to play sitting down.

As an aside, if you haven't yet reserved your tickets for the Out Crowd/Dandys show on the 13th, do so before they sell out. There's my public service announcement for the day.

Preservation Hall - It's Not All Hunky Dory

I've mentioned before that my favorite room in all of New Orleans was Preservation Hall, and I was excited to read awhile ago on Ken Foster's blog that they were having a one-night-only benefit concert there. I thought it might signal the return of the New Orleans music scene. Alas, it isn't yet so.

Functioning Toilets on Airplanes - Not Mandatory??

I must say, I'd never given airplane lavatories much thought. But I was still surprised to find this article, which states that:

Unbelievable as it may sound, the only apparent law on the books that requires an aircraft to fly with a working restroom, the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986, applies to planes with more than one aisle that were delivered or refurbished after April 1992. That's a huge loophole, given the number of jets that are older or have just one aisle. Plus, federal law seems to be mum when it comes to the all-important passenger-to-toilet ratio on a plane.

My first reaction was that I'd never experienced a problem with airplane lavatories not working, but after reading further I realized that all it would take would be one experience with this to completely alter one's awareness of the issue. Take, for example, this passenger's story:

"For health reasons, we always hydrate thoroughly before and during flights," explained Roy M. Bohlin, a professor at California State University in Fresno. "With about an hour to go on the flight, our 9-year-old son needed to use the restroom and found it out of order."

Mr. Bohlin pleaded with the flight attendant to open the bathroom, but by the time the crew member understood the urgency of the situation, and agreed to unlock the restroom, it was too late. "Of course, our son was humiliated to have urinated in his pants and on the seat and was very uncomfortable for the rest of the trip," he said.

The airline's response was to give them a flight voucher and an apology - which was unlikely to be of any consolation to the 9-year-old. And I don't even want to think about the health effects of not having enough working toilets on an airplane, no matter how long the flight is.

I'm not sure what the solution is, but I think there's got to be something the average airline passenger can do about it - after all, we're the ones who'd be getting stuck.

The End of the Term

Tonight is our last Italian class this term, which means it's the last time I'll have to think about the dreaded congiuntivo for at least a month. Of course, that's probably why I can't get it through my thick head - I actively avoid it.

The other thing I'm thinking about at the moment is that with the ending of this term comes - in the not-so-distant future - the beginning of the next one. The one where I'm going to be teaching. I'm still not what I'd call "ready," but I'm getting there. I've been keeping tabs on the enrollment online, and I've got four students in my Monday class and two in my Wednesday class. The minimum requirement is ten students (or they cancel or shorten the class), so I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Teabag Tag

We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough.
Helen Keller (1880-1968)

From Around

• Damn Interesting has some World War I era color photos - and I'll bet you thought that wasn't possible!
• James Tata met an Iraqi man over the Thanksgiving weekend, and I look forward to reading the blogs the fellow suggested.
• I'm doing much better at this game (courtesy of Record Store Geek) than I thought I would, but I still have a ways to go. If you're a music fan, try your hand at it.
• And while I'm certainly happy not reproducing, I'm not sure I'd go so far as to join this club (courtesy of the fine folks at Damn Interesting).

20 Questions

(from VJ, who did this ages ago)

1. What’s for breakfast?
Pancakes (courtesy of Chris) and juice while we watched the Pilots game.

2. Do you read a newspaper daily?
I never read the newspaper. I’ll occasionally read an article or two, but that’s really rare.

3. What do you do when you can’t sleep?
Read, watch television, play on the computer or (most frequently) just toss and turn getting more and more frustrated.

4. Say a word that sums up your mood.
Right now? Tired, mostly… And impatient - I'm waiting for an overdue delivery man. (And I know, that’s more than one word, so sue me.)

5. Do you remember your dreams?
Not usually.

6. Name something from your dream last night.
I have no recollection of last night’s dream.

7. Name a food that describes you.
I absolutely cannot think of anything either descriptive or witty. If anyone thinks of something perfect for me, please let me know.

8. Today you are wearing:
At the moment, it’s a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved tee shirt from my favorite local cafe and my UGG slippers that Chris hates.

9. What’s in your pockets?
Nothin’.

10. Did you sing in the shower today?
It’s a Sunday, I’m being lazy – it'll probably be a no-shower day. I did sing near the shower this morning, though.

11. What’s the last song you heard?
“She Has No Time,” by Keane

12. Looking forward to the holidays?
Sort of… It’s always more chaotic than I’d like, what with traveling to PA for some portion of the festivities, and I’m way behind this year – I haven’t started shopping or done the cards yet. I hate feeling like I’m playing catch-up for the whole month. Having said that, I do enjoy the craziness once there's nothing more I can do!

13. Where do you want to be this instant?
That’s an easy one – it’s always going to be the same answer: Italy.

14. What’s for lunch?
I have no idea (and it’s already 1:30pm) – this might be one of those no-lunch days.

15. What’s something you would like to do soon?
Actually understand and be able to use the damnable congiuntivo in Italian.

16. Reading anything now? What is it?
I’m almost done with Pete Earley’s “Family of Spies,” and “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” five-part trilogy is on deck - if my Italian textbooks don't get there first.

17. What’s for dinner?
Good gracious, I can’t even tell you what’s for lunch!

18. A favorite part of the day is:
Checking email for the first time in a day. After a 12+ hour period away from a computer, I’m jones-ing for some electronic love…

19. Are you happy?
Overall, yes.

20. Will your friends do this meme?
Not likely, but I’ve been wrong before. Once.

Portland Rocks

Congratulations to the Portland Pilots!

Two Days, Four Parties

'Tis the season for holiday parties, I guess. Last night we were at Chris' company's holiday party at Touché. It was a good party, and people seemed to enjoy themselves - the only downside was the decibel level upstairs. The band made it so that I had to yell to have a conversation, so by night's end I was pretty hoarse. Late night number one down, one more to go.

Saturday, there were three parties at which we intended to make appearances. It ended up feeling like a progressive dinner, only without the food. We went to a friend's one-year-old son's birthday party in the afternoon, and were thankful these friends aren't Chuck E. Cheese people... I mean, I'm all for celebrating my friends' kids lives, and am happy to be "Aunt Jessie" to tons of munchkins I'm not related to, but I don't think I could stomach another Chuck E. Cheese party for a non-blood relation. That place is just a damned torture chamber for us non-procreators.

The next stop was a wine tasting birthday gathering for a college friend - she's the best kind of friend, in that it never matters how infrequently we see each other, we always pick up right where we left off. It was great to catch up with her a bit again, and we ended up talking with some of her friends with whom we share a passion for travel.

As if to extend that theme, the final stop of the night was the Bootsnall year-end bash. It was my first opportunity to meet the folks I'd been exchanging emails with for the last few months. Things are going swimmingly for the local travel website - they were expecting 200+ travelers from all over the country (all over the world?), when in years past their year-end parties were held at local bars and just included the friends they knew. It's amazing what can happen when you follow your passion... And it pays off. Hmm... I think it's that part about getting your passion to pay off that's the tricky bit.

So - two late nights in a row, we're now exhausted and are looking forward to a slow Sunday. We'll be watching the Portland Pilots in the morning, and working on our projects for the last Italian class in the afternoon. We still have no idea what we're going to do for the projects, but so far that's not daunting. Yet.

Gelato, Chocolate, & Mushrooms

Wednesday night, we went downtown so I could collect a kombucha "mushroom" from my brother's girlfriend. I'm not hoping for a miracle cure for anything, just a bit more energy and perhaps a metabolism boost. It's got six more days to ferment before I can taste it, and then I'll have to see if it has any effect. I do hope I can get used to the mad-scientist look of the thing in the kitchen.


The kombucha "mushroom" in my jar. Hocus pocus, eh?

After picking up the kombucha, we went to our favorite dessert destination in Portland - Mio Gelato - for some gelato and a cup of their newest treat: cioccolato caldo. Their hot chocolate is like nothing you've ever had - it's sweet and rich, but not excessively so, and the consistency of warm pudding. You might think it sounds like that stuff Starbucks had, but you'd be wrong - Starbucks' version (called a "Chantico") was chalky and too thick, and so rich that a teaspoon was very nearly two servings. So, put that Chantico nonsense out of your head and stop into a Mio Gelato soon (they now have three Portland locations). It's the perfect antidote to these cold, wet winter days.



And though this has nothing to do with food, I'm disturbed by this. As the saying goes, "I resemble that remark!"

Travel Quote

Bootsnall sent me this fabulous quote today, which I had to share:

All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.
- Martin Buber

What I think is so wonderful about it is that it applies to any journey we take - whether we move physically or mentally or anything in between. I do think, however, that while those "secret destinations" certainly exist in every journey, the traveler must be at least open to seeing them or they'll go unnoticed.