27 February 2009

coffee time

Snaps I took while having my morning coffee. Can you believe the closest Starbucks is 300km away?...





25 February 2009

a hunting we shall go

We decided to take Coco(nut) "hunting." Actually, we just went to a public park near our home. Just don´t tell her that - wouldn´t want her to think all that pointing was for nothing...





Coco the dog vs. Paddy the duck. Guess who won...

24 February 2009

we´re not in kansas anymore...

Just got my son´s school menu for March. Here´s what 5 euros a day gets you;
Monday: Peas with potato and carrots, steak with a mushroom sauce, fruit.
Tuesday: White bean soup, breaded fish fillet with red peppers, fruit.
Wednesday: Vegetable medley, hamburger with an almond sauce, yogurt.
Thursday: Chick pea soup, chicken filet with a vegetable sauce, fruit.
Friday: Rice with vegetables, fish in a green sauce, yogurt.
It´s a long way from mac and cheese...

23 February 2009

¿huh?


Just curious, am I the only one that would need to pull over to study this for a minute?...

20 February 2009

read with protective gear



My daughter´s friends have written me a letter saying how much they love me...They must want something...Sara is 15, and her Saturday night curfew is 12:30. I just heard a collective thump of all of you falling off your chairs. She also hangs out, dancing, in bars. There´s that thump again. It´s safe to get up now - she doesn´t drink or smoke. Having been through months of negotiations, I can imagine every argument that´s going through your heads. When I was 15, I was watching the Brady Bunch and going to matinees. My husband, however, was hanging out in bars. That is the norm here, and for this American lightweight it took some getting used to. Whoever said, "New York never sleeps," hasn´t been here.... Carnival starts this Sunday, which means I can expect another round of negotiations, one being on one´s best behavior, and one eating the garbanzos I have planned for lunch without complaint... and that´s just my husband...So my daughter stays out til 12:30 (her friends until 2:00-hence the note). She studies hard, watches out for her brother, and laughs at all my jokes... It could be worse...

19 February 2009

pasta with fresh vegetables (bueno, bonito y barato)


Dinner time in Spain is around 9:00, so I´m always looking for something fast and light to make. One of my New York friends gave me this recipe-because asking a Spaniard for a fast, light recipe is like, asking a Spaniard for a fast, light recipe...

Ingredients for 2 adults and 2 kids;
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
1/2 onion
1-2 carrots
1-2 cups of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (we like cheese...)
Spaghetti

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Next, finely dice the peppers, onion, and carrots. When the water comes to a boil, add your pasta and cook according to directions on the package. Once your pasta is cooked to al dente, drain it and return it to the pot. Immediately add the vegetables and cheese to the pasta and mix thoroughly. Cover with a lid for about a minute so the vegetables can steam and the cheese can melt. That´s it!
If you thought that was fast, cleaning up is even faster, because I can think of much better things to do at 10:00 at night...

18 February 2009

coco


This is Coco, a.k.a. CocoNUT, Coco chip, The Cokster, Le Cocó, and Genevieve (long story involving a ham sandwich). We got her from the shelter. Saying we"rescued her" sounds like we went on some covert operation in the middle of the night, when actually, we went on a Sunday and there she was giving us a look like- it´s Sunday and you are in Spain- come back tomorrow. She is part Beagle, part Pointer, and part seal. (Just look at that face.) She´s very spiritual. She´s into meditation- my kids would say, "marathon naps", yoga- again they would say, "just stretching", and communing with nature...I love how she never dwells on the past- my husband would say she has no long term memory- and how she enters a room like, "Ok I´m here, lets get this party started!" I could go on and on, but I think I will go give her a kiss instead. She´s out on the terrace working on her tan...
I love how she looks so regal in this photo, when actually she´s the floppiest dog you´ll ever meet!

17 February 2009

strawberries in february?


Just bought strawberries at the market- at 3.00€ a kilo- in the middle of February-in my trusty boots! Does anyone else find that a little disturbing?...

16 February 2009

kodak moment



I´m making a poster size print of this and hanging it above the computer- then maybe we´ll have less arguments over whose turn it is...

14 February 2009

b


This photo reminds of B. She´s the friend that is always up for anything. Need a pilates, yoga, gym, painting, or photography buddy, she´s there with bells on. Need to take a seven hour road trip to pick your daughter up in the north of France, she´s there holding the map and scoping out decent roadside bakeries. Want to buy beeswax church candles from the cloistered convent, she´s the one bargaining with the nuns. Want to walk around town in subzero weather to "take pictures of houses," she´s the one pointing out pretty windows while trying to convince you that your bum is still in the same place it was 20 years ago...

13 February 2009

anchoas


You haven´t lived until you´ve had fresh anchovies, preferably on a sunny day overlooking the sea. These babies take minutes to make, and are delicious! When buying anchovies, have your fishmonger clean them for you. (One reason to always be nice to your fishmonger...) At home rinse them off, dredge through flour, and cook in medium hot oil with one garlic clove added. When they start to curl, turn over and let cook for another minute.
That´s it! When eating, removing bones is optional.

10 February 2009

a day out



And this, ladies and gentlemen, is my husband. Actually, he´s the one in the fourth row, eating the hot dog and waving the giant foam finger...
Most Spaniards are divided over bullfighting. There are those who compare it to art, and those who think it´s bordering on barbarism. Most tickets cost as much as a Springsteen concert, and sell out just as fast. So if an Antonio Banderas look-alike invites you to a bullfight you should go. If, by the second bull, it starts to feel a little like ancient Rome, try concentrating on the following facts;
You are sitting next to an Antonio Banderas look-alike.
Bulls live really good lives-much longer and happier than any cow, chicken, pig, or lamb.
If you squint, you can block out the blood and enjoy the dance between bullfighter and bull.
Bullfighters have really nice...capes...

06 February 2009

I just had yet another conversation where the main topic was about food. This time with my hairdresser about which of the three main bakeries in town had the best croissants. These Spaniards know their food and don´t hesitate to give you their opinion. Want to make conversation with an Antonio Banderas look-alike? Order a beer (most Antonio Banderas lookalikes are in bars) and ask him if his mother puts onions in her tortilla de patatatas (an egg omelet with potatoes). Now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the scenery. He will go on about ingredients, techniques and cooking temperatures. Next he will tell you how is aunty doesn´t add anything but salt and undercooks her tortilla so the egg is runnier. Then he will tell of an ex-girlfriend who would always overcook hers. (Usually a deal breaker.) And that´s just one beer. If you are still thirsty, ask him if his soccer team will make it to the finals...

04 February 2009

Welcome!


When I tell people that I live in Spain I can almost see the envy in their eyes because I know they are picturing lots of sun, lots of paella, and lots of men who look like Javier Bardem. But that is not my Spain. I live in the north where it rains 9 months of the year, where "nothing shall be wasted" applies to every part of every livestock, and where most men don´t reach past my nose. It has taken some getting used to, but I do love my Spain. This blog is my attempt to show that other Spain. Thanks for visiting!

pink

I knew a girl who was blue. So she painted her world pink. xoxo