Children’s Books To Be Treasured
Last month my 15-year old daughter asked me if we could update the playroom in our home. She told me she had outgrown the room and wants it to be more mature….”like for teenagers” is how she phrased it. I knew this day was coming but still it’s hard to believe the games, toys, and books that defined her childhood are no longer relevant: the classic wooden blocks that haven’t been used in years, or the “Pretty Pretty Princess” game which was more than likely last used in 2004 when she convinced her three male cousins (ages 9,7, and 6) to play; or the books that I’ve spent thousands of hours reading to her. They are as much a part of my journey as hers. She’s just ready to move on while I’m still holding on. Read more 
Dying With Your Boots On
A Slice of Red Onion
When traveling, I am always on the look out for a place to have a meal made with fresh ingredients which is how I came upon a chain restaurant called “The Atlanta Bread Company” one day. Scanning the menu, I settled for the “California Avocado” on honey wheat bread: thick pieces of ripe California avocado, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a slice of red onion. Read more
The Cuisinart, Circa 1981 and Cole Slaw
The summer of 1981, I was 20 years old and just finished my sophomore year in college. Prince Charles was going to marry Lady Diana Spencer that summer, MTV was launched, and the first woman (Sandra Day O’Connor) was nominated to the US Supreme Court. It was quite a year but I remember 1981 mostly because it was the year I discovered a kitchen appliance that transformed food preparation: The Cuisinart. Read more
Blue Mountain Lake, 12812
Today, like most days I stopped at the local post office to pick up the mail. We don’t have mail delivery in our small village called Blue Mountain Lake in upstate New York – everyone has a box. Liz is our postmistress and she knows everything that is going on and is not averse to passing along information, which suits everyone just fine. In and out is impossible as locals and summer residents stop to talk about what’s going on in town (not much, usually but that’s the way everyone likes it), the weather, or how bad the black flies are this year. Read more
Tristan, Artisan Chocolatier
Swiss chocolatiers make some of the finest chocolates in the world, most of which are available throughout the globe but there is one chocolatier in particular who makes magnificent chocolates but only sells them in the local Geneva area. Tristan Carbonatto – a warm, engaging man with a big smile – is the “Tristan” in Tristan Artisan Chocolatier, a small light filled shop that looks like a garden of chocolate. A man with a passion for chocolate, Tristan clearly enjoys sharing “la joie de chocolat” (the joy of chocolate) with the rest of us. Read more
Fresh Eggs, Anyone?
While driving through the back roads of the Adirondack State Park, there was a sign advertising farm fresh eggs. Real farm fresh eggs; not the smooth clean eggs carefully packed in cartons and perfectly lined up in the refrigerated section of most American grocery stores. Read more
Black Bean Soup
Last night I hit a home run with a dinner that pleased a carnivore (my husband) and a quasi vegetarian (my daughter) and it took me all of 15 minutes to make. I was beside myself with joy, really. Several times a week I make something different for dinner and when I hear silence (which I often do), I don’t even have to ask “Is this a repeat?” anymore as I know the answer. But, I keep trying because I love variation, flavor, and the discovery of a new dish. At my core, I believe food is fuel but I also want to enjoy a meal. Comfort food and old standbys aside, enjoying a meal is also discovering a flavor that wakes up your taste buds and brings a new excitement to eating while nourishing your body. Read more
How to Spend One Day in Madrid, Spain
Madrid is a very popular European city that draws millions of visitors every year. Filled with world-class museums, restaurants, historical monuments, parks, theaters, and a population that never seems to sleep, Madrid has a wonderful dry climate that makes the tourist experience pleasant throughout the four seasons.
I spent four years living in Madrid and our apartment – in a neighborhood called Salamanca – was in the heart of the city which allowed us to truly experience day-to-day life in the Spanish capital. Often times, friends or acquaintances ask me what they should see on their first visit to Madrid – a question that has always been difficult to answer because it depends on how much time they have and where their interests lie. Read more
The Grill and the Barbecue Sauce
As daytime temperatures soar and the days get longer, most people think less about turning the oven on and more about grilling outdoors. When I married my husband 21 years ago, one of our wedding gifts was a Weber gas grill which we spent our honeymoon putting together. There must have been 1,000 parts and although stressful to assemble, we completed the project with our marriage intact. Last year after 20 years of reliable service, we decided to replace the old Weber with a new grill, the question being: do we choose gas or charcoal? Read more
Paddock Post 