Peach Blueberry Crumble
Summertime and fruity desserts go together and one of my family’s favorite is a Peach Blueberry Crumble. Sweet, juicy fruit is very important – large white or yellow peaches and plump blueberries – but for me it’s all about the crumble – the more the better. Read more 
What To Do In Amsterdam
- Bike Tour of the City
- The Anne Frank House
- Museum Amstelkring
- Van Gogh Museum
- Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Read more
Don’t Ask for Ketchup in Paris
My husband – carnivore man – and I were walking through the streets of Paris one afternoon and came upon the Paris Opera House which is more formally known as the Palais Garnier. The Paris Opera House was built in the mid-1800’s and was the primary home of the Paris Opera for more than 100 years. A large rectangular shaped building enveloped by a diamond-shaped parcel of land with the streets (rues) forming the borders, the Paris Opera House is an impressive building. Read more
Cakey Cornbread
Kids and Rome, Italy
The Individual Mandate to Buy Health Insurance
Few topics spark strong opinions like health insurance – and the individual mandate to require the uninsured to purchase health insurance is at the center of the controversy. In 2010 before the Obama administration in conjunction with Congress and the Senate overhauled the US healthcare system, there were estimates of 40-50 million of uninsured Americans which equates to approximately 15% of the population. Read more
Roasted Carrots and Potatoes
There are many delicious vegetables in the world but there is something special about carrots and a small potato called the “yukon gold” which has only been around for about 30 years. The Crop Watch Potato Education Guide (yes, there really is such an entity) put out by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln reports the yukon gold is a result of cross breeding by scientists in Canada. Oval shaped and small, these potatoes with a yellow interior almost look like they have been buttered when in fact, the yellow tinge is the potato’s natural color. Read more
What To Do In Vevey, Switzerland
Vevey, Switzerland is a vibrant town on the north shores of Lake Geneva (Lake Leman) about 18 kilometers (11 miles) from Lausanne or 50 kilometers (32 miles) from Geneva. The town is most famous for being the home of Charlie Chaplin for the last 25 years of his life (1952-1977) although the Swiss may tell you Vevey is most famous for being the place where milk chocolate was invented in 1875. Or, they may tell you that Vevey is where the Nestle Company was founded in 1866 by Henri Nestle. All may all be true but Vevey is also where the Musee de l’Alimentation or the Food Museum is located. Read more
A Life Coach, Really?
Lately, I’ve been reading and hearing quite a bit about life coaches. There was a time when the only coaches in my universe were for sports: football, soccer, baseball, water polo, track, and all the other sports Americans are just mad for. But in recent years there has been a proliferation of coaches for every aspect of life: diet, health, exercise, executive, business, financial, dating, conflict, religious, and the big one of all: LIFE. Read more
Cream of Tomato Soup (Without the Cream)
It’s a keeper, mom” – those were the words spoken by my daughter last night after I made a my newest version of her favorite soup: Cream of Tomato. Music to my ears after a week of strike-outs (Rice and Shrimp Salad with Peas, Low Fat Italian Meatballs – frankly, I should have known better than to try something low-fat linked with the word “Italian”). Read more
Paddock Post 