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Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Yum!
The other night I tried some food I'd never had before. I drove up to Alexandria, VA to meet some folks for dinner and we decided to try a Moroccan restaurant called "Casablanca". It was very interesting! We all sat on raised cushions around a center eating area. Food is served "family style" so that each platter is delivered to the table, and you all use your hands to eat from the communal dish. We ordered the "Kasbah Feast" which is six courses. We started with a bottle of Moroccan red wine, fresh baked bread and an assortment of salads - beet, chickpea, cucumber & mint etc. Next an appetizer called "Bastilla" was delivered - it was delicious and we devoured it in no time! Bastilla is a phyllo dough pie filled with chicken, eggs, almonds, walnuts, onions, parsley and sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon - yum, yum, yum!
Both entrees were Tagines. For the first entree we had Lamb with harrisa sauce - very spicy, I liked it, though my lips were burning at the end of eating it. The second entree was Chicken with onions and raisins - a sweeter dish, but we probably liked it even better than the first entree. Finally, a powdered sugar cover pastry of some sort was brought out and served with a hot mint tea. What a nice way to end the evening. I can't believe how dinner lasted for 3-hours of delicious food and conversation.
Both entrees were Tagines. For the first entree we had Lamb with harrisa sauce - very spicy, I liked it, though my lips were burning at the end of eating it. The second entree was Chicken with onions and raisins - a sweeter dish, but we probably liked it even better than the first entree. Finally, a powdered sugar cover pastry of some sort was brought out and served with a hot mint tea. What a nice way to end the evening. I can't believe how dinner lasted for 3-hours of delicious food and conversation.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Feedity and Twitter
Well, tried to use feedity to add a site to my Google Reader that didn't have an RSS feed already set up. It really didn't work as well as I expected, I had to keep adjusting the parameters to get what I ended up with (which wasn't quite what I wanted). In the site's defense, it appears that this news site is trying to prohibit people from using feeds for free - it wants you to pay about $1 a week to have news and blog entries sent to you.
As for Twitter, I do already Tweet occasionally. Sometimes I definitely think "too much information!" in regards to peoples private lives and minutiae such as so and so is drinking coffee right now. It might be more useful if I had a cell-phone that was capable of reading the Tweets, then I guess I'd use it more.
On another topic altogether - I was in photocopier "purgatory" this morning... I cannot wait until we have, at the very least, coin boxes!
As for Twitter, I do already Tweet occasionally. Sometimes I definitely think "too much information!" in regards to peoples private lives and minutiae such as so and so is drinking coffee right now. It might be more useful if I had a cell-phone that was capable of reading the Tweets, then I guess I'd use it more.
On another topic altogether - I was in photocopier "purgatory" this morning... I cannot wait until we have, at the very least, coin boxes!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
RSS feeds
Well,
I have set up some RSS feeds (sort of) on my Google Reader. I'm following my staff's blogs, plus I added 3 Richmond area community blogs (Hills and Heights, Near West End News, & RVAnews). I also added a mystery Richmond area Children's librarian's blog; I'm guessing that she works for the city of Richmond - but that's just a guess.
The "sort of" comment refers to the fact that Google can be SCARY sometimes. I actually added the 3 Richmond community blogs & the mystery children's librarian blog myself. Google automatically added all the blogs I'm following from my blogger account - and Google took all of my photos from the blog and "just" added them all to my email Picassa account in a blog folder! Maybe it's just me, but that is just a little bit creepy...
I have set up some RSS feeds (sort of) on my Google Reader. I'm following my staff's blogs, plus I added 3 Richmond area community blogs (Hills and Heights, Near West End News, & RVAnews). I also added a mystery Richmond area Children's librarian's blog; I'm guessing that she works for the city of Richmond - but that's just a guess.
The "sort of" comment refers to the fact that Google can be SCARY sometimes. I actually added the 3 Richmond community blogs & the mystery children's librarian blog myself. Google automatically added all the blogs I'm following from my blogger account - and Google took all of my photos from the blog and "just" added them all to my email Picassa account in a blog folder! Maybe it's just me, but that is just a little bit creepy...
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Why sometimes it's GOOD to lose...
I collect old 1840's to 1920's blown hyacinth glass vases (preferably in cobalt blue shades). Recently on eBay one appeared that I wanted to add to my collection. I had received some eBay gift cards for Christmas that I had been saving for just this occasion. Unfortunately, someone else really wanted the same vase. Usually I place a bid on the last day, keeping in mind what is the "maximum" cost I'm willing to go up to. If the bid goes over my maximum - then so be it, I don't keep bidding.
In this case, I lost my head and ended up in a bidding war over the last 34 minutes of the auction. Each time I upped my bid (already over the max I had alotted) I kept telling myself that I would go "no higher". Of course I did. I lost the auction in the last minute - and did I ever feel relieved! I knew I had gone higher than the vase was worth (I had at least researched it before bidding).
Serendipty smiled, because a week later a similar blown vase from the same maker and time period appeared on eBay. This time, I got the vase - at 1/2 the price I would have paid if I had actually won my bidding war! Sometimes, losing is indeed a "good thing". :)
In this case, I lost my head and ended up in a bidding war over the last 34 minutes of the auction. Each time I upped my bid (already over the max I had alotted) I kept telling myself that I would go "no higher". Of course I did. I lost the auction in the last minute - and did I ever feel relieved! I knew I had gone higher than the vase was worth (I had at least researched it before bidding).
Serendipty smiled, because a week later a similar blown vase from the same maker and time period appeared on eBay. This time, I got the vase - at 1/2 the price I would have paid if I had actually won my bidding war! Sometimes, losing is indeed a "good thing". :)
Monday, March 2, 2009
Snow at last!
At last - a decent snowfall for the Richmond area! It is just beautiful. I filled up the bird feeders on my apartment patio because when it snows, the birds really show up in force. Today is no exception - I just counted 26 birds on my little bitty patio. Lots of goldfinches, a couple of cardinals, juncos, blue jays, a mockingbird, white-throated sparrows, chickadees, tufted titmice, nuthatch, carolina wren, pair of downy woodpeckers, a red-bellied woodpecker and even a thrasher. I wish I had the type of camera that can get nice close-up pictures of the birds, but sadly I don't.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Gray Day
Well today isn't a beautiful day. I'm just hanging out on the couch, watching bad reality tv and taking cold medicine. Sadly, I seem to have caught my fellow office mate's cold. I hate cold's - they are so annoying! I'm already looking forward to getting over this one so I can breathe again.
I finished reading earlier today the book "Septembers of Shiraz" for my book discussion this week. This was a much easier/quicker read than my last discussion title: "What is the What".
I finished reading earlier today the book "Septembers of Shiraz" for my book discussion this week. This was a much easier/quicker read than my last discussion title: "What is the What".
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