milestone

I'm up to 1002 views of my profile on blogger.

Wow, what a big deal.

Other than that, I'm back from Paris. It was lovely, the weather was cooperative. We ate well. We managed to do things that we each wanted to do and we bought lots of chocolate.

We bought so much that I refused to go to Patrick Roger because I was sick and tired of chocolate.

What is with that?

So, while I sit here composing this entry I am nibbling on a few mini madeleines we picked up at the grand epicerie - these are matcha madeleines and they are to die for.

Fauchon has redone their Place de la Madeleine store and it has its own madeleine bar. TH loves my orange swirled chocolate ones and my mom makes a wicked vanilla madeleine, but the flavors at Fauchon were wild. Saffron, sesame, truffle along with coffee, matcha and framboise.

I'm going to have to pull out my molds and start working on my recipes again, because these are winners -- they are fast to make, hold for a while and are adaptable to a variety of flavors.

Here is a great discussion on different recipes and some variations. I have used the Williams and Sonoma recipe for years with great luck, just replace that orange blossom water with your favorite extract.

Bon Appetit!

nm

and now for the cheese course

Oh Champs Elysees, Paris,December 2005.

Looks like my birthday lunch locale is demoted to 2 stars.

Looks like my first 3 star restaurant has regained its 3 star again and I couldn't be happier.

Good job Ann-Sophie. I can't wait to stay and eat some time this fall.

Oy! Getting reservations will be a pain, but the food and the room, divine.

Hmm, maybe I'll try AirFrance this time.

I wonder if it'll get me into club class.

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Her Eminence the Very Viscountess Nazila the Blue of Lardle St Earache Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

a race a time zone, that is all I ask

Along with the race a month that we're trying to achieve. I figured this year we might try to visit all time zones and try and race in them.

So far, we have done the Pacific and Mountain (well, does AZ count?), we have Eastern coming up and I think Kansas is in the Central.

Now, J has decided that we need to do the solstice half in Anchorage in June.

Okay. Sounds good.

Except that every hotel in ANC is full to the brim. I was able to snag a gov't rate, so we should be good to go.

I'll go from SAN to ANC in the same day.

I think we're crazy and I'm not sure I'm up for Hawaii this year, but I'll find it in me somehow.

nm

barking at a ball

The dog is barking at his squeaky. His squeaky makes a sad stick substitute and it does not cooperate and he gets cranky. The crankiness of the dog, in turn, makes me cranky. Combine that with little sleep, work issues, playing a surrogate travel agent to my parents and everything else and we're all a bit cranky. Naw, make that really cranky.

I have been following the concept of the Compact for the last few months. I like it on one level, but on another it gets my goat. However, alot of the peeps that originally participated are middle to upper class professionals so it can't be too far off from my current lifestyle and leanings.

I'm trying to sort of compact my life. Partially due to end of the year spending and paying for it now and partially because we have too much crap. I'm obviously going to not recycle my cooking oil into hair conditioner, but I'll think twice and maybe three times before I consider buying something. Its amazing what you can not buy once you start analyzing the reasons behind your need for l'object du moment.

I don't know how you can compact and do work travel. However, I am thinking about it. I will admit I'm even compacting trips for leisure. Unless a trip has a purpose - bbq, a half marathon, a wedding or a concert is a reason, for pure mileage collection, no dice.

Yes, I'm trying to figure that one out as we speak.

Thanks for listening.

I'm off to bark at the ball too.

nm

a race a month, that is all I ask

Sometime last Fall, I agreed to walk a half marathon. I didn't really train, but we went and we did it. It was a very cool experience. After that, my friend J and my friend G and I decided that setting goals like this are a good way to keep ourselves accountable to each other and a fun way to explore new places. We made a plan to do a half marathon in September in Philly and we'll do a few more in more exotic locales.

This morning J and I met and did a fun 5K around Greenlake. Next month, we're doing a race for St. Patrick's day, the following month, we're thinking Vancouver and I'm even going to try and convince a group of bbq loving flyertalkers that a 5K in Kansas City will allow us to each drink one more beer.

So, our goal is to go from walking, to jogging to running. We'll probably not be the fastest peeps on the trail, but we'll have the most fun getting there.

nm

Texture and contrast, March 2006, Seattle, WA.

What is happening?

I am very fine, thank you, just super busy.

Ernest and I did a nice bunch of walks today. Tomorrow I am sorry to say, he will not be joining me on the love 'em and leave 'em 5K, but we'll go to Greenlake earlier just to get him sort of tired. It doesn't really work. He will walk for three miles, come home, nap and then go for another three miles without even batting an eyelash.

Other than that, spring is springing here. Tulips, irises, crocus, witchhazel and forsythia are amazing to watch.

Bring it on baby.

nm

Really?

Grumpy workers are the best workers.

Just thinking that maybe I'll stay a little more grumpy.

My office mate just left for a nicely paying position in private industry. Sorry to see him go, but honestly, he's young and needs to buy a house.

He'll do great.

I'll miss him.

nm

happy friday

'nuf said.

See you all on Monday.

nm