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Diet, Dessert and DogsDiet, Dessert and DogsWeight loss musings, healthy food and baking recipes, and comments from my dogs. Articles
The Dirt on Cleansing
2008-06-08 22:08:00 For those of you who read my blog regularly, you know that I’m on a cleansing diet this week, an outgrowth of the Total Health course I’ve been taking for the past month and a half. Well, I hadn’t intended to post yet another non-recipe entry this week, but since I’ve received quite a few questions about why I’ve chosen this particular cleanse and how it works, I thought it might be useful to share a bit about cleansing in general and my own choice for this week in particular. I’ll warn you, though: what follows is a fairly long post (word count: 2443). If you’re simply interested in the food I’ve been eating, I’ll post that later–so feel free to come back then! [Please note: This is a condensed and somewhat simplified account of the process, based on what I learned while studying to become a nutritionist, my own reading on the topic, and my personal experience with cleanses over the past five years. It is by no m... More About: Dirt , Cleansing
Prufrock Special*
2008-06-07 05:05:00 *Or, Do I Dare To Eat a Chilled Peach Soup? Well, I’ve just completed my second day on my Total Health cleanse, also known as the Grain Drain. (I must interject here just to say thank you to everyone for your great comments, suggestions and encouragement–I am truly blown away by all the positive wishes and love hearing from you all. And it makes a huge difference to know that the support is out there!) After two days of eating this way, I’m feeling a tad self-reproaching. You see, so far, I’ve found the diet nowhere near as difficult as I’d anticipated. In fact, it’s been downright easy–one might go so far as to call it enjoyable, even. (I know–I was shocked, too!) I mean, what could be wrong with a fresh and juicy Earth Bowl for breakfast? Or a classic Three-Bean Salad for lunch? In order to keep my blood sugar levels steady, I’ve been munching on nuts and seeds, baby carrots, prunes (or, as they’re now cal... More About: Special
Dog Day: No Food Today
2008-06-06 04:45:00 No food today, my love has gone away. . . No, not really (well, unless you count chocolate going away). However, today’s blog title is a bit of a double entendre: first, since today was Day One of my detox regimen (no wheat, animal products, sugar; and NO GRAINS), I do somehow feel as if I’ve had no “real” food yet (though I must admit, I actually ingested a fair amount); second, as a result of today’s overcast, dreary, and very glum weather, I have no food to share with you all on the blog. Oh, I prepared something, all right; I was just unable to produce a photograph in which you could actually make out anything recognizable as food (or anything else) beneath the obscuring veil of gray (a pox on that inadequate, gratis camera, I say!). For now all I can share is this: I prepared a soup; and the HH and I practically licked our bowls clean when we ate it. I promise to try again tomorrow (no hardship having to eat it again, believe me)... More About: Food , Today
And You Shall Be Cleansed
2008-06-05 05:57:00 Well, as we round the final corner of this Total Health course I’m taking (only two weeks left–where have the past seven weeks gone?), the class has been asked to embark on a “cleanse” (detoxifying diet) as our final piece of homework. Our teacher, the very embodiment of “tranquility,” has asked each participant to eliminate something from her/his diet that would ultimately lead to a cleaner, less toxic and healthier body. Each one of us, she suggested, should begin exactly where s/he is right now; for the instructor herself, this might mean embarking on a water fast (something she’s done for up to 10 days at a time in the past). For one particular participant, this would mean cutting out red meat for the week (and retaining the rest of the animals on his plate). And for me? Hmmn. Hard to say. I’m reminded of a lecture I once attended at the University of Toronto many years ago. As I recall, the gist of the ...
Mint Smoothie
2008-06-04 05:41:00 The home I grew up in could very well have been the original inspiration for the mantra, “Reuse, Repair, Recycle.” My dad, the quintessential progeny of The Great Depression, still saves everything from empty jam jars, to twine from UPS boxes, to old socks, to almost-moldy tomatoes, and puts them to use again in some other context (pre-Nalgene vessel to transport iced tea on a road trip; means to repair broken screen door latch; protection for hands while emptying garbage; and lunch, respectively). Seems I’ve earned my title as Femme Frugal honestly. Besides, I’ve always considered myself pretty eco-friendly, being the bag-saver, container-reuser, water-conserver and late-night clothes washer that I am. With all the talk of eco-consciousness, carbon footprints, 3 R’s and whatnot these days, I fully expected I’d eventually go ”green”; I just never imagined it would be quite in this way. You see, our lives have been overtake... More About: Mint
Spontaneous Carob and Date Pancakes
2008-06-02 03:17:00 Thanks, everyone, for all your wonderfully supportive and encouraging comments about the osteopenia diagnosis. I’ve been boning up on the topic (sorry-ouch) and have some great recipe ideas to share in the next while (and even one today). I’ll also get to my responses asap. . . sorry I’ve fallen behind a bit! Last week, out of nowhere, I made a monumental resolution. Flushed with excitement, I rushed home from work and announced to the HH, ”I have a great idea. I think we should be more spontaneous from now on.” He appeared flummoxed (this happens all too often when I make my pronouncements, it seems). ”Okay, so now we’re making plans to be spontaneous?” Hmmn. I SO hate it when he’s right. “Well, how about this, smarty pants?” I countered. ”I went grocery shopping today and I spontaneously bought these overripe tomatoes on sale, even though I had no specific plans to cook anything with them.&r... More About: Pancakes , Spontaneous
Shock and Ossify: Raw Fig and Cherry Bars
2008-05-30 23:26:00 [Yep, another raw bar. . . and so soon! But there's a good reason. . . ] Well, it’s finally happened: after years of needless anxiety before every annual medical check-up (only to be told each time that nothing’s wrong). . . this time, something was wrong. And I must admit, I’m shocked. When I saw my doctor a few weeks ago, she sent me off for all the standard tests appropriate for “someone my age.” Then yesterday at the call-back appointment, I was informed that I have osteopenia. Sounds scary initially: osteopenia is the (potential) precursor to osteoporosis, as the word means “thinning of the bones.” Osteoporosis means “porous bones” and is a greater danger. Even as she was speaking, questions caromed around in my mind: What, exactly, does this mean? Doesn’t everyone experience thinning of the bones as they age? How serious is my situation?–etc. Apparently, the test, called DEXA (&rdquo... More About: Shock , Bars , Cherry
Radish and Grapefruit Salad
2008-05-29 02:42:00 In the past, I’ve always thought of radishes as kind of a poor cousin to beets: smaller and more anemic, they obviously missed out on the family jewels. Without well-heeled connections or an established vocation, they’re much like the street punk with the pugilistic attitude, slamming your jaw with a peppery punch every time you dare take a bite. And besides, radishes seem to me more or less a one-hit wonder: like the obnoxious neighbour (you know the guy: loud, grating voice; beer belly) who always gets drunk at the annual Bar B Q and tells the same joke every year, radishes were used for one thing and one thing only: salad. And they were always raw. And they were always sliced. Not horrible, but not exactly inspiring, either. Sort of like Julia Roberts: no matter what the context, no matter what else surrounds them, no matter what time of year, they’re always pretty much exactly themselves. Even when carved into one of those fancy garnis... More About: Salad , Radish , Grapefruit
Flash in the Pan: Cocoa Nibbles (or, La”Raw” Bar)
2008-05-27 14:19:00 Sometimes, you just want to eat something now. I’ve decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly, or else is so easy to make that no recipe is required. Here’s today’s “Flash in the Pan.” (I know, “Cocoa Nibbles” sounds like a children’s breakfast cereal. . . but these are much better!) Even though I’ve continued to bake a little during this Total Health course I’m taking, I’ve been trying to avoid consuming very much of what I do bake (my colleagues are very happy lately. . . oh, and they appear to have gained some weight). Apart from my tumbling head first off the wagon after I baked those evil PB-Chocolate Chip Cookies, I’ve remained (more or less) on track. Still, even when you’re eating healthfully, sometimes (okay, all the time) you crave chocolate. These little bites are what I whip up when I’m dying for something that&rs...
You Say Potato Curry, I Say Aloo Masala
2008-05-26 03:35:00 In my imagination, I’d love to live on a farm. I say “in my imagination” because, in my reality, I’m actually the farthest thing from a farm type of gal (”What the-? What do you mean, 5:15 is the normal time for the rooster to crow?!!” OR, “What do you mean, it’s almost 2 hours to the closest Barnes and Noble?” OR, “What do you mean, ‘that’s just what manure smells like, so get used to it’???!!!”). Um, nope, I don’t think so. Still, in my fantasy, I’m a latter day Lisa Douglas. Mid-afternoon, I turn to my HH Wendell Douglas and casually remark, “Oh, dahlink, what shall we have for dinner tonight? I think I vill go out back to our vegetable patch and pick something fresh.” And then I cook it and we eat it and it’s delicious, of course. Well, now that it’s finally beginning to look a lot like Christmas hockey season reruns springtime here in Toronto,... More About: Curry , Potato
Swiss “Cheese” in a Mosaic Salad
2008-05-15 03:29:00 When it comes right down to it, (and like most Canadians), I’m pretty happy living in this country. Oh, sure, I complain about the health care system and the excessive taxes, but secretly I’m proud. When I went to Europe, I openly displayed a Maple Leaf on my backpack (in those days, only actual Canadians did that). I don’t mind the stereotype that we’re all hockey-and-beer obsessed (both of which I can’t stand), since it seems to be balanced by another stereotype, that we’re the peacekeepers of the world. Over the years, I’ve also taken pride in the fact that, as opposed to the U.S. “melting pot,” we here in Canuk Country offer a “multicultural mosaic.” Because Toronto is one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world, its denizens contribute generously to that multi-faceted, multi-colored variegation. A quick mental tally tells me I’ve taught students from six continents and almost 70 countries ... More About: Cheese , Salad , Mosaic , Swiss
French Toast Souffle with Summer Berries
2008-05-13 03:09:00 [NB: A huge "THANK YOU" to all of you who sent good wishes my way yesterday. I really wasn't intending to sound so "woe-is-me" (I do that quite enough around the diet issues, thank you), but just reflecting on how the day could elicit positive vibes for all concerned. Your comments sure worked toward that end for me, though: big hugs to all of you! ] In my mind, here’s the perfect way to wake up on a Sunday morning: Outside, the weather is balmy. A mild breeze whispers through the slightly opened window, curtains undulating softly with each invisible breath. The sun makes its presence known through the diaphanous curtain as it tickles the pillows of our bed with little sparkles of laughing light. Elsie pads quietly over to my side of the bed and, as gently as a rose petal floating to the ground, taps my open palm with her soft, moist nose. I open my eyes slowly. Glancing toward the window, I stretch luxuriously and think, ”Ahh, yes! Another lovely, su... More About: Summer , French Toast , French , Berries , Toast
Dog Day: Still a Happy Day
2008-05-11 21:16:00 Having lost my own mother over 15 years ago (yes, far too young, for both of us) and never having personally enjoyed the tangle of emotions that is motherhood, I tend to overlook today’s particular holiday, celebrated by the bulk of the Western world. While catching up on my ever-expanding list of blogs on Google Reader, I happened upon Ashasarala’s poignant post for today. It got me thinking: aren’t I still a daughter? And what about those other “mothers” I’ve known in my life (both actual and figurative), from my beloved CBC to my older sister to a couple of my best friends? This seems the perfect day to connect with those mothers, whether through birth, adoption, extended family, or simply psychological ties. So here’s a wish for all of you who are, have been, or just feel like mothers today: may you enjoy meaningful, happy and loving encounters on this day, with the people (and pets) who mean the most to you–whoever they ar... More About: Happy
Close Encounters with Cookies from Another Planet
2008-05-10 23:11:00 [Unretouched photo of unidentified, disk-like objects, hovering in the air over my kitchen table] Before I metthe HH, I’d read exactly one science fiction novel (Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhood’s End, when I was about twelve) and seen only the standard TV shows or movies, such as Star Trek (in all its incarnations–though Deep Space really was an inferior specimen, don’t you think?) or Planet of the Apes. It’s not that I’m uninterested in what might be happening on other planets or other universes; it’s just that, frankly, I have a hard enough time dealing with just this one–I mean, who needs more stress? Still, as a huge fan of all types of film (except anything with violence–which, I suppose, eliminates just about everything on screen these days, even down to Shrek the Third or Get Smart ), I was perfectly agreeable when the HH offered to introduce some of his favorite SF films to me, shortly after we first go... More About: Cookies , Close , Close Encounters , Encounters
Easy Millet and Red Pepper Pilaf
2008-05-09 17:20:00 Well, it’s certainly been a poster week for “Beginning of the Summer Semester” at the college: long lineups outside the Chair’s office (but really, doesn’t it sound better as “Office Chairs”?), students transferring from one class to the next, questions, emails; scheduling changes so speedy that students barely have time to check their timetables before they’re registered in a new course. Yep, it’s kept me on my toes, with nary a minute extra to indulge my extra-curricular activities (really, now! Get those minds out of the gutter!). Activities such as writing this blog. (Oh, and to all my students this term: Hi, Guys!) Taking part in my Total Health course hasn’t actually helped much with the dearth of spare time, either. Now, don’t get me wrong; I am loving this course, and it’s kept me on the Path of Righteous Eating for the past 2-1/2 weeks (and I must admit, I am feeling MUCH more energetic and ... More About: Pepper , Easy
Vanilla Versus Vanilla
2008-05-07 05:39:00 [That's our little Vanilla , in the middle] So, I heard somewhere that it’s hockey season now. Oh, don’t look so surprised: despite having been raised in Montreal (a hockey town if ever there was one), I am indifferent to the sticks-and-pucks revelry. Personally, I’d rather read about the latest face-off between, say, brownies and blondies than between the Habs and the Flyers. In fact, I can’t say that I’m too interested in any team sports–or, come to think of it, any sports at all. Is it any wonder? Perpetually the “anchor” in tug-of-war; too uncoordinated to hit a baseball with a screen door; lacking even the modicum of balance necessary for hockey (though I did go skating, once, when I was about 15, soley to impress a guy I had a crush on. Oh, I made a lasting impression, all right–somewhere on the upper right thigh, just where my skate sliced through the flesh, if memory serves.) This is not to imply that I don’t ... More About: Versus
Flash in the Pan: Cranberry Preserves
2008-05-05 14:57:00 Sometimes, you just want to eat something now. I’ve decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly, or else is so easy to make that no recipe is required. Here’s today’s “Flash in the Pan.” One of the advantages of having a little baking business as a sideline is that you can buy some ingredients in bulk, and save a little on the price of more expensive items (such as nuts or dried fruits) by purchasing them in 2-kilo or 5-kilo bags. At the same time, one of the disadvantages of having a little baking business is that you end up with 1.8 kilos or 4.9 kilos of leftover bulk items, such as nuts or dried fruits, when no one happens to order baked goods that contain those ingredients, and they’re left languishing in huge plastic bins in your basement, and you sometimes have to throw them away, and they end up costing you more than if you’d just bought the regular size at the retail ... More About: Preserves , Cranberry
Baking Like Blanche Dubois
2008-05-05 04:36:00 When I was organizing my photos this weekend, I came across a fair number that I’ve never used in blog posts. Not sure why; maybe it’s that my (relatively new) blog-related compulsion to photograph virtually every dish I cook, bake, or eat has produced a backlog. It also struck me that I’ve always depended on the kindness of strangers to provide inspiration, unique recipes, or novel combinations of ingredients that often direct me in my cooking and baking exploits. And what better way to acknowledge their inspiration than to showcase some of these photos–and their recipes–here? Since I began my ”Total Health” kick just over a week ago, I’ve steered clear of most sweets, including my greatest desire, chocolate. I have to admit that the restriction feels a tad less torturous this time than during the WOCA, when I would have hopped on the nearest streetcar named “Chocolate” and happily gone wherever it took... More About: Baking
I Got Meme’d!
2008-05-03 05:56:00 Well, I thought I’d just pop in here for a minute (I know, poor me, nothing else to do on a Friday night–sniff, boo hoo) to add a quick post before the real weekend fun starts–watching Battlestar Gallactica with the HH and The Girls! Whoo-hoo! One of my favorite bloggers, Lisa of Lisa’s Vegetarian Kitchen, has tagged me for a meme. Here are the rules: Pick up the nearest book, and turn to page 123. Find the 5th sentence, then copy out the next 3 after that. The book I’m reading is called Consolation, by Canadian author Michael Redhill. The book relates 2 parallel storylines: one about a young apothecary in the late 1800s who emigrates to Toronto from London, England, to embark on a new life so he can transport his family to Canada; the second, a present-day story about a widow whose quest (sparked by her geologist husband’s suicide) is to validate his theory about Toronto’s history, which had been rejected before he died. I&r... More About: Meme
Polish Lemon Cake*
2008-05-02 09:55:00 *Okay, so it’s not really Polish . But the topping reminded me of a German Chocolate Cake topping, and since (half) my ancestry is Polish, I thought I’d just use the same concept for this cake’s name. Did you hear the one about the (half) Polish woman who wanted to bake a cake? Just kidding. All right now! ‘Nuff of those wacky raw dishes we’ve been seeing the last couple of days!! Time for some CAKE. One of the greatest challenges of living in a long-term, committed relationship is dealing with those areas in which you and your partner don’t necessarily mesh. In order to coexist harmoniously and still retain one’s sanity, it’s sometimes necessary to make accommodations. (Okay, fine; not only “sometimes,” but pretty much every day. Okay, fine; several times a day.). Since this union is the second go-round for both the HH and me, we no longer bristle at the petty, quotidien issues that drive some newlyweds... More About: Lemon
Cultured Vegetables
2008-05-01 21:45:00 Well, seems I’m on a raw kick this week–here’s a second raw recipe in a row (and also a tongue-twister using “R” words!). As promised, I’m going to offer the recipe for “Cultured Vegetables ” from my Total Health course. Every time I utter the name of this recipe, I can’t help thinking, “As opposed to what? Crass, uncouth vegetables?” But my mind just works that way. If you’ve ever enjoyed a side of tangy, crisp coleslaw or the zing that some juicy sauerkraut can add to a Reuben sandwich, you’ve already sampled cultured vegetables. The term refers to veggies that have been allowed to ferment naturally, within their own juices, to help breed the natural bacteria within them. These are good bacteria, people–the same kind you eat in healthy, immune-enhancing yogurt with live probiotics. In fact, naturally cultured veggies may contain even more of these healthful bacteria than the yogurt do...
On Being Mindful
2008-05-01 14:49:00 I know I said I’d relegate comments about my Total Health program to a coda each week, but last night’s class spurred such a barrage of ideas that I wanted to set them down (despite last week’s blathering about eating styles–we all know how well that one went over). So be warned: this entry features no recipe, and it’s about dieting. Please feel free to skip if that’s not of interest! When I first started this blog back in late October (six months yesterday!!), I wrote quite frequently about my diet and (tenuous) attempts to lose weight. I actually never intended it to morph into a food blog, but once I started reminiscing about different recipe origins, preparation methods, ingredient sources, etc., it seemed to move naturally in that direction (at least, most of the time). I preferred to write about the dishes themselves rather than my reactions to, or feelings about, them. Well, one of our “assignments” last week in my Tota...
Something’s Fishy: Raw Nori Rolls
2008-04-30 22:15:00 In my short stint as a raw foodist (very different from an “in-the-raw” foodist, which, for obvious reasons, I’d never do) I was determined to try out every variation of living foods imaginable. This meant foods I’d otherwise probably never eat, such as raw fennel (basically just don’t like it); raw cashews (okay, but too bland on their own for my taste); raw cacao nibs (not bad when ground up and incorporated into some form of dessert); and raw sushi. What? Sushi is already raw, you say? Ah, but I’m not talking about fish. Rather, I’m talking about fish-y, or fish-like, sushi, composed of raw nuts and veggies. And waaaay better than slimy, slippery, dead tuna! This recipe pairs almonds and sundried tomatoes for a magical synergy that results in a filling reminiscent of saltwater and salmon without actually being salmon (or John Malkovich, for that matter). You enjoy the essence of the sea without having to eat any fis...
Caramelized Baby Bok Choy with Cashews and Sesame Seeds
2008-04-28 15:55:00 While I am an avid fan of most types of Asian cuisine, I have always been rather underwhelmed by bok choy. Perhaps it’s the similarity in color and texture to celery, another vegetable I dislike; perhaps it’s that I can’t help but note how its bulbous bottom and fan-leaf top bears an eery resemblance to the comic strip Dilbert’s eponymous character; either way, bok choy has always seemed more trouble to me than it’s worth. Besides a bit of a crunch, really, what does it offer? An insipid, watery base and limp, lackluster leaves. Bleh. Last weekend, however, I found myself with three of those babies (and I mean that literally: they were baby bok choy) courtesy of our weekly organic produce box, and wondering what the heck to do with them. Now, it’s true, a weekly delivery of assorted organic produce is normally a good thing. For one, you get to eat assorted organic produce (and weekly!). I love the fact that I can reduce my t... More About: Baby , Sesame , Seeds
Peanut Butter Biscuits
2008-04-27 04:14:00 Well, it’s been pretty hectic over here in the DDD household. For the past couple of days, I’ve been slogging away at course prep for a course that deals with diaries and personal journals. (Did you know, for instance, that the first online diary, or weblog –today known simply as “blog”–was begun in 1994? Or that psychiatrists and psychologists often ask their patients to use free association or stream-of-consciousness in journals as a way to dredge up old, repressed conflicts or neuroses?) Okay–enough work for now! Time for a snack break. Ah, but what to eat? Hmmm. . . .well, funny, but peanut butter popped into my head. Oh, yeah, baby–peanut butter! I love it. It’s creamy, it’s delicious, it’s full of–well, nuts. (Oh. Hmmm. Is that a bad thing, that I just said “nuts”? Really, I didn’t mean anything by it. . .sometimes, you know, a peanut is just a peanut.)... More About: Peanut , Biscuits , Butter
Mock Green Papaya Salad
2008-04-24 14:15:00 As you may have noticed, I love blogging. When something prevents me from engaging in my (almost) daily trio of cooking, eating, and writing about it, I feel a bit deprived. The strangest triggers will spark a barrage of blogging ideas, and then I’m off. One of the greatest side effects of blogging is that it encourages you to try new recipes. After all, how can you blog about a novel, interesting dish every few days if you eat the selfsame foods day after day? Still, there’s a certain built-in sense of loss in this pattern. Often, I’ll find a recipe that’s simply spectacular, and the HH and I will devour it with great gusto and appreciation. Then I’ll be struck with a sense of melancholy at the knowledge that I’ll likely never cook that dish again, because I must move on to the next one on my ever-expanding list. It’s somewhat akin to taking a long, boring flight on a business trip and experiencing the serendipitous joy... More About: Green , Salad , Papaya , Mock
Carrots Raised in Fear
2008-04-24 05:47:00 Whoa. That was some heavy-duty holistic workshop tonight. We covered a huge array of topics, and ended the evening by packing jars with homemade cultured veggies (which, methinks, I will write about in due time, on this very blog). Overall, I really enjoyed the course, especially since we’ll be taking the changes slowly, and one at a time. Homework this week: eating without distractions. Rather than bore you all with the minutiae of my diet/lifestyle/meditation/life overhaul program every week, I’ve decided that in future I’ll just add a little coda at the end of whichever post happens to follow my classes. But for today, I’d like to provide a general sense of the core principles we covered. And to do that, I’m going to tell a little story, one that spans the gamut from the ridiculous to the sublime. Once upon a time, when I first started teaching, I knew exactly one person who was vegan. As someone who’d done some minimal rea... More About: Carrots , Fear
Dog Day: A Study in Contrasts
2008-04-23 20:58:00 Tonight I start my course, Total Health, and I can hardly wait. I am truly hoping that a holistic, well-rounded approach to diet and lifestyle will put me back on the right track to improved health. This is one area where the HH has a hard time comprehending the Herculean effort it takes to avoid certain food-related temptations, as he is naturally slim, has never had an eating disorder, and knows exactly when to stop eating, even if he adores the food on his plate. As I’ve mentioned before, food isn’t the only area where the HH and I differ. My beloved and I are, shall we say, sort of like Oscar and Felix. . . like analog and digital. . . like yin and yang. . . like ice cream and tofutti. . . like Sonny and Cher. . . like Jack Spratt and–well, you get the idea. (And, on another note: how did we ever survive without Wikipedia–seriously?). Anyway, that got me thinking about the old cliché that says dog owners and their dogs come to resemble eac... More About: Study
Frugal Frittata
2008-04-22 19:03:00 Whenever we visit my family in Montreal as we did this past weekend, I return to Toronto feeling a little discombobulated. Since I was a callow young’un when I moved away from home (at 17), I never really got to know La Belle Ville that well before I left, so I always feel like a tourist when I return. At the same time, these somewhat frenetic, drive-by junkets (never more than 2 days long) tend to be so micro-scheduled that our itinerary is often tighter than one of Madonna’s corsets. Regarding our “visits,” the HH once remarked, “I’ve been coming to Montreal with you for ten years, and all I’ve ever seen is a hotel, your dad’s house and your sister’s apartment.” Unfortunately, too true, and this last trip was no exception. Still, I do enjoy reuniting with family and friends, even if for a few minutes each during out revolving-door visits. And despite my anxiety over a still-tentative back, the driving was f... More About: Frugal , Frittata
Five Things
More articles from this author:2008-04-21 17:35:00 Well, the HH and I just returned yesterday from a quick weekend jaunt to Montreal to visit with family and friends (more on that next time), which means I haven’t had time to cook over the past few days. A food post will have to wait, and so. . . Since I was tagged recently by the lovely A-K of Swell Vegan to tell 5 things about myself, I thought I’d share those those today instead. Spending 6 hours in the car yesterday did afford some time to think of new things to include (which seems to be getting harder and harder, as the blog itself more or less broadcasts such info daily!). Here goes: 1) Even though I was born and raised in Montreal, I am one of those few ex-Montrealers who prefers Toronto to my native city. I moved here in 1983 and feel as if Toronto is where I really grew up and developed an adult identity. I love that Toronto is the most multicultural city in the world; that it’s number three in the world (only after New York and Londo... More About: Things 1, 2, 3, 4 |
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