31 July 2009

august meme


As you already know, I´ll be taking part in an intervention (my own) this month, and won´t be around to visit you until September. However, thanks to the magic of Blogger, and a little help from Steve Jobs, I´ll be able to check in here and read all your hysterical comments. (I´m going to need a break from all the fire building, water collecting and berry hunting...)
So I´ve scheduled a photo a day with a question. This way we can get to know each other a little better. That is, if you´d like to play along... if not, no problem... I´m used to talking to myself...

Besos!

29 July 2009

the best...


I was making cookies with Daniel and thought that there might be some of you (horror!) who have never had a chocolate chip cookie. This post is dedicated to you... Americans take their chocolate chip cookies very seriously. There are probably hundreds of recipes for "the best" ccc. This is the one I have used for the past 20 years. Personally, I think it´s the best... I know, not very Spanish, but the butter came from Spanish cows... And if you are wondering, this is not becoming a recipe blog... I just fell off the "no sugar", no "white flour" wagon and I´m having a bit of trouble getting back on... (I blame this blog...)

Preheat oven to 160 C. Mix in a bowl 1 stick of sweet butter (113g) at room temp with 6 tablespoons (75g) white sugar and 6 tablespoons (82g) of brown sugar until well blended. Add 1 large egg. Mix well. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (144g) of white flour, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda. If you can´t find baking soda use baking powder. Mix well. Add 200 grams of 75% dark chocolate that has been cut into small pieces and mix well.
Drop teaspoons of batter 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until they start to brown. Let cool before attacking.

This was a great Corner View to end with. I learned quite a few interesting things about you and your corners! Thank you for all your sweet comments. And thanks for reassuring me that I´m not the only one...
¡Dos besos!



28 July 2009

corner view "best kept secrets"


I thought to show you where you can get the best tortilla de patatas pincho, or a secret swimming hole we stumbled onto a few weeks ago, or even the "old" nautical club, which has the best lake views and the coldest beer (and is usually empty). But summer schedules always have me a little disoriented, and I´ve spent the last two days thinking it was Friday... (Please tell me the same thing happens to you...) So instead, I give you my secret melon soup recipe. It´s like gazpacho, except it´s made with melon... I call it... Melonacho...

3/4 of a ripe melon
1 ripe tomato (peeled)
1 green pepper
1 new onion
1/2 garlic clove
salt
pepper
oil
vinegre

Purée all the ingredients together, then pass through a sieve. Serve cold and garnish with serrano ham. Easy peasy...

For other best kept secrets visit these lovely blogs!


This will be the last CV of the summer. See you all in September! Sending you a big THANK YOU and hug! You guys are the best!!


27 July 2009

weekend in zarauz

On Sunday morning Jorge and I got up early to take Coco for a walk on the beach. I love getting there before everyone else. Jorge ... not so much....



Breakfast...

Lunch... (These are from Maine... they were speaking in English...)

Hope you had a great weekend. Bruce was fantastic! Three hours of pure joy. Only Bruce can dance with big Clarence and seem like the sexiest man on earth... And Clarence ain´t so bad himself...

Thank you for all your sweet comments! We have to put a Bruce concert on our list of things to do when you come to visit! ¡Dos besos!

24 July 2009

i usually send flowers... but thought you´d prefer these......



That was a great Corner View! I love seeing what you get up to. Even though we are spread out all over the world, we aren´t that much different, are we? Why is it so hard for some people to get that?...

Can´t really stop to ponder all the self righteousness in the world. I have to get ready for Brucey (Springsteen). He´ll be here on Sunday and I still have to get my hair and nails done... Plan A is in motion. Like I´ve said before... I have no problem with meeting him for the first time in nothing but a towel...

I don´t think I´ll be able to get internet service inside a sauna so I´ll wish you all a fantastic weekend now... Besos!

21 July 2009

corner view "weekend evenings"


Friday 7:45; Cinema with B. We saw The Proposal. It´s amazing how well Sandra Bullock speaks in Spanish...



Saturday 7:45; Pinchos (tapas) with friends. "Having pinchos" is based entirely on the honor system. You order a beer and take as many as you want, and when you finish you tell the bartender how many you´ve had, and he charges you. Do you think this would work in the States?...



Sunday 7:45; Cheerymania (cherry ice cream with dark chocolate chunks) with Jorge. It´s to die for... (Have you noticed that I´m wearing a SWEATER!...)

Can´t wait to see how you spent your weekend. See many more creative Corner Views here:

Next week´s theme is "best kept secret". It will also be the last one of the summer. I´ll be away in August with no internet access. (Personally, I think my family is staging a little intervention...) Corner View will start again in September. Until then, start thinking up ideas of things you´d like to see! Thanks everyone!

¡Dos Besos!

19 July 2009

summer weekend







We spent our weekend in the Rioja (food and wine) with friends and in Zarauz (sunbathing... and more food) with family. The perfect combination. Hope you had just as much fun, but without all the calories...

17 July 2009

Hi everyone!
Today I´m just posting a link to Amy´s lovely blog. Check out what a summer day in Maine looks like and then watch the short video from youtube that she posted. I promise you will leave with a big smile on your face. (For those of you who have already seen this... you know you want to watch it again...) You can find her here!

Have a great weekend!

Thanks Amy!


16 July 2009

have a better idea?*...



Thank you all for your sweet comments! I love learning about different cultures. Now I won´t embarrass myself when I come to visit you!

For next week´s theme I thought it would be cool to see what you get up to in the evenings. Take one photo of what you see at exactly 7:45 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Actually that was the idea I had. But please interpret it any way you like. You are far more creative than me!

Dos besos!

*Too subtle?...

14 July 2009

corner view "the unveiling"



In Spain, when meeting someone for the first time (or for the 100th time) it´s proper to give them 2 kisses, one on each cheek. This took a little getting used to considering I come from the land of the firm hand shake and personal space. It´s now second nature for me to give 2 kisses to everyone I meet. This can be a little embarrassing, however, when I´m introduced to someone back in the States and they extend their hand and I lunge to kiss them...

Thanks Kim for this week´s fun theme.

Next week´s is 7:45 pm-Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

You can check out more corner views here!

caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian,

¡Dos besos!


12 July 2009

my weekend in pictures...












(As I post this I´m watching a Talk Talk concert. Do any of you remember them? I just got a rush of memories of Boston, all-nighters, black as the new black, Ben & Jerry´s, Howard Zinn...) Funny the twists and turns a life can take...

Hope your weekend was happy with a few twists thrown in!

10 July 2009

san fermín











How do I do San Fermín? Haute cuisine... bullfighting... pictures... and then casa!
Care to join me?

09 July 2009

my babies are home!



4 suitcases
0 loads of dirty laundry
8 banana muffins
5 new Gap t-shirts
3 bottles of oyster sauce (I´m going through a Japanese phase)
8 triple salchows with a half spin (Coco)
15 unsolicited hugs and kisses
1000 solicited hugs and kisses...

I´m just soaking them up...

Today I´m off to Pamplona. I can´t wait to catch up with all your CVs this weekend! Besos!




07 July 2009

corner view "place of reflection"



Caitlin´s creative idea for this week´s theme was, "places of worship.. or places of reflection. A place you can go and just be."
I know what you´re thinking... pool, water... reflection. Actually, this is where I go to not reflect. Forty minutes of concentrating on moving my arms and legs at the same time while not breathing under water, doesn´t leave much room for contemplating much else.. This is my break from thinking, planning, reflecting... My mantra; reach, kick, breathe... reach, kick, breathe... relax...um, but first get out of the pool...
Thanks Caitlin!

Next week´s theme comes from our southern belle Kim and I quote, "the unveiling, showing your true self" cause I know carmie doesn't look like a bunch of colored pencils and you don't look like a cup of starbucks!!! hah! for those of us who have already shown ourselves, well, i guess we'll just have to come up with a creative alternative!"

Check out more lovely views here:

caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian,

Happy day everyone!




pink

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