tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53813042811137882492024-03-19T05:37:15.970-07:00Roxanne's Road RulesRandom thoughts of Roxanne on travel, cooking, and life in general.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.comBlogger348125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-30632201801248069812011-06-19T17:25:00.000-07:002011-06-19T17:25:27.933-07:00Roasted RhubarbI bought Dorie Greenspan's "Around my French Table" cookbook last year, hoping to participate with the French Friday's With Dorie blogging group. Yeah, another fantasy bites it. Fortunately, today, I actually made my first recipe using the cookbook, which was for Roasted Rhubarb. You see, Dad is coming over in an hour for his Father's Day Dinner, all of which he's providing himself - ribs, beans, beer - except corn on the cob (oh wait, he's bringing 2 out of the 3 ears that we're cooking too). <br />
<br />
Last week, I braved the crazy wilderness of the neighbor's super-steep back yard to make it to the back of Dad's garage where more sticker bushes and tall grass were required to claw through. I made my way to rhubarb plants mom must have planted over 20 years ago, which unfortunately were covered in blackberry vines. I cut away the blackberries with only minor trauma to my hands and forearms to find a few rhubarb stalks still surviving. It is these salvaged stalks I now used for the Roasted Rhubarb.<br />
<br />
All you do is take 1 lb of rhubarb, cut it into 1 to 1-1/2 inch chunks, put some lemon zest on it, and sprinkle with sugar before roasting at 400 degrees covered until the sugar dissolves and then a few more minutes uncovered. Sorry, no pics of this one.<br />
<br />
I just called Dad to tell him to bring some ice cream for us to serve the Roasted Rhubarb over like a compote so I guess he's bringing desert too.<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0618875530&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003KYSLMW&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000UW0AS0&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-90799107118734168422010-10-31T19:14:00.000-07:002010-10-31T19:15:53.969-07:00Spanish Tortilla (a/k/a Frittata)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1j0SFOivYwGPMYdt7kOnts4-ny5TsBZQYHt1OFDQl9g9F8Ti6MD7QlIIe9NXD8EXG3xNts66ZGUdgUXCgnqGtcSTsCqIKtChbalR5C0Fn9wpbqphfRHbj6gGDEI7wnvFMxB6nb0jOKbk/s1600/P1000440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1j0SFOivYwGPMYdt7kOnts4-ny5TsBZQYHt1OFDQl9g9F8Ti6MD7QlIIe9NXD8EXG3xNts66ZGUdgUXCgnqGtcSTsCqIKtChbalR5C0Fn9wpbqphfRHbj6gGDEI7wnvFMxB6nb0jOKbk/s320/P1000440.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Yesterday, I was watching America's Test Kitchen on public television and they made a lovely Spanish Tortilla. A Spanish Tortilla is not what we think of as the corn or flour tortilla variety. Rather, it is an egg-based dish with vegetables or other fillings - like a frittata. I've tried making <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/09/it-seems-to-be-working.html">frittata in the past</a>, with limited success (mostly due to having an alpha-dog-type fight with my cast iron pan over releasing food easily). However, America's Test Kitchen / Cooks Illustrated generally has very good, workable recipes that turn out successful so I decided to give it a go.<br />
<br />
Tonight, I made a potato, onion and pea tortilla. The only thing I didn't use in mine that was in the original recipe were roasted red peppers from a jar. I pretty much followed the recipe precisely, including using a non-stick skillet instead of my cast iron pan, so I am not going to reiterate it here. There is a <a href="http://www.americastestkitchen.com/video/index.php?document_activeCategoryName_2_10_0_mv=recipe&docid=25004">video</a> on the America's Test Kitchen site if you want to give it a try. It is a very easy recipe. The hardest thing was waiting 15 minutes after it cooked for it to set up to be able to cut it!<br />
<br />
Tasty and easy. Now, I've got breakfast made for the next several days.<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1933615567&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001RF3U9U&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B002PXW0M6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-5018022658339472892010-10-10T12:12:00.000-07:002010-10-24T10:44:17.751-07:00Absconded!<a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2010/10/homecoming-no-knead-bread.html">This morning I woke up early and made some bread,</a> planning on having a nice breakfast. I took the bread from the oven and set it to cool. In the meantime, I ran a quick errand down to the hardware store.<br />
<br />
I returned home, ready to tuck in and what did I find? Dad had stopped by my house in the meantime and absconded with my loaf of bread (thinking it was his)!* Thwarted!<br />
<br />
*his was actually a rye and wheat loaf that was still rising.<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B001PKHS68&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00008OM99&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-70090131330224795192010-10-10T08:50:00.000-07:002010-10-24T10:44:17.751-07:00A Homecoming: No-Knead Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdRd4Ak1X1B-xUVeXKWjZ9yfV9oA2OHbie85C0aQMmTpeYAUhuwPmnADYpxR3gvyDtlF9dZal5rsLuSd4RqcNXBQKZ_FhZTEos5X3vignuuEipt5fBKXb4rBzhMaeqcXyQEte1CAEfac/s1600/Marlo+Mom+&+Dad+Graduation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdRd4Ak1X1B-xUVeXKWjZ9yfV9oA2OHbie85C0aQMmTpeYAUhuwPmnADYpxR3gvyDtlF9dZal5rsLuSd4RqcNXBQKZ_FhZTEos5X3vignuuEipt5fBKXb4rBzhMaeqcXyQEte1CAEfac/s1600/Marlo+Mom+&+Dad+Graduation.jpg" /></a></div><br />
My parents have been traveling the country for nearly two years and last week finally arrived home (the picture was taken in June 2009, when my parents flew back for a short while to attend Marlo's graduation from high school and my graduation from law school - even though I was actually a licensed, practicing attorney by then). Let's just say that I am very happy they are home. Yay!<br />
<br />
Ever since the <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/09/im-chasing-chickens-she-says.html">first time</a> I made <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/081mrex.html">No-Knead bread</a>, my <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/09/as-it-should-be.html">dad has been a fan</a>.Within two days of arriving home, mom called and said, "Your dad wants you to make some of The Bread." I made two loaves right away.<br />
Yesterday, I mixed up two more loaves, this time one with rye and wheat flour, and a second with regular all-purpose flour with some wheat germ mixed in. We'll see how my improvising works out. I set them to rise yesterday and overnight in the oven with the light bulb turned on for warmth.<br />
<br />
Normally, I gripe pretty heavily about waking up early on the weekends - which I usually do because my Internal Clock doesn't get The Memo that it is time to sleep in and unfortunately Internal Clock has lifetime tenure and cannot be fired. However, today I woke up at 7:00 a.m. and didn't mind it at all because I fixed the bread up for its final two-hour rise, and get to bake it at 9:00 a.m., just in time for a fantastic "<a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/10/sometimes-simple-things-are-best.html">Dipping Eggs</a>" breakfast (*note, the picture below is <i>sans </i>No-Knead Bread).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WySykGGD84wYuO2dOtwkFi2i4iiclXu_n0OvWSN0jBFt7qgZGFv78Wq8k75qJnn7GOQj_9nDdZ3cd1ZYN63WyCrYH3_fgU004k3VfeRAN1ombpty4ywpl4RShYsiD1PYM4aodZNzeVQ/s1600/DSCN3166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WySykGGD84wYuO2dOtwkFi2i4iiclXu_n0OvWSN0jBFt7qgZGFv78Wq8k75qJnn7GOQj_9nDdZ3cd1ZYN63WyCrYH3_fgU004k3VfeRAN1ombpty4ywpl4RShYsiD1PYM4aodZNzeVQ/s320/DSCN3166.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
No-Knead Bread is baked in a heavy lidded Dutch Oven in order to mimic the effect of a professional baker's steam oven which creates a great crust on the bread. I bake mine in my red Le Creuset pot that <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/08/something-good-about-law-school-at-last.html">I got out of the law school experience</a>. Still hate law school; still love the pot. It makes me feel all warm and well, <i>domestic</i>, I guess.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3idM9_VrQS94nWtKR8KvPDS6k-DmkNwtGQekBgvgf9EEPvlJUuE9jQzLcj-G2iaWvHsQUyqkZtJs-i79zqTnVLy5dPlGWl-HpIIQllf2ngjc4zyfMCsgSzQ-_1MLbCtbtuIZaQOydhdA/s1600/le+creuset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3idM9_VrQS94nWtKR8KvPDS6k-DmkNwtGQekBgvgf9EEPvlJUuE9jQzLcj-G2iaWvHsQUyqkZtJs-i79zqTnVLy5dPlGWl-HpIIQllf2ngjc4zyfMCsgSzQ-_1MLbCtbtuIZaQOydhdA/s1600/le+creuset.jpg" /></a></div>It's a good start to a rainy Sunday.<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0975292838&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0393066304&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00005QFR6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-59808160418966007432010-10-03T20:57:00.000-07:002010-10-24T10:44:17.752-07:00FFwD: Meme<b>I am starting to participate with a new blogging group, French Fridays With Dorie (FFwD), where I'll be trying to make a different French recipe from Dorie Greenspan's new book "Around My French Table." The blogging group assigns a new recipe each Friday and the participating bloggers try to make as many of the recipes as they want.</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>One of the first postings was participation in a meme, to introduce the blogging members. My answers are below:</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Name:</b> Roxanne<br />
<b>Hometown:</b> Seattle<br />
<b>Current town:</b> Seattle<br />
<b>How you pay the bills:</b> I'm an attorney and own my own law firm.<br />
<b>How many in your household?</b> 1 (and sometimes 2 when my adult daughter comes to visit)<br />
<b>What is your favorite comfort food?</b> Pot roast.<br />
<b>Favorite dessert to whip up at midnight?</b> Ice cream from the freezer.<br />
<b>The best restaurant you have ever been to? (and what did you have?)</b> Ruth's Chris steakhouse (filet mignon).<br />
<b>Worst habit or vice?</b> Waking up at 4:00 a.m. and reading.<br />
<b>If you were a biscuit, which would you be?</b> I'm taking "biscuit" to mean a "cookie" in the British sense of the word: I'd be a Galette de Bretagne, essentially a butter cookie: classic and rich.<br />
<b>What is your mother’s best dish?</b> Stuffed grapevine leaves.<br />
<b>What is your motto?</b> "It will all turn out."<br />
<b>Which kitchen gadget do you use the most?</b> Not really a "gadget" but I use my silicone spatulas the most.<br />
<b>The soundtrack to your life is?</b> Life's Highway by Steve Warner.<br />
<b>Any last words?</b> I'm looking forward to participating in this group.<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=0618875530&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-26610433099388117212010-08-11T11:00:00.000-07:002010-08-11T11:00:23.475-07:00Denny's Fried Cheese Melt Pushes Gooey Cheese Tolerance To New Levels - The ConsumeristThe Consumerist posted an article today that I just couldn't believe - not that I haven't been shocked by the <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/11/another-american-monstrosity-donut.html">donut burger</a> and its genre before. Is anyone surprised that our country's health has serious issues when clearly there is a "market" for food like this? <br />
<br />
Denny's Fried Cheese Melt Pushes Gooey Cheese Tolerance To New Levels<br />
By Chris Morran on August 11, 2010 1:15 PM<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGq21u_wYIeh4n0yMrWpJD1Xy65xEC3ByDx4wKJ_x5ZiJjc4-itQYuJffsOIU6-0vX_18s61JfsMY_wLJINTyJ-jhfRbTIbwzMfBG8iO6JeLqddN5l7AOGNsJMqYNx2hgFd2nGtsvAMNw/s1600/friedcheesemelt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGq21u_wYIeh4n0yMrWpJD1Xy65xEC3ByDx4wKJ_x5ZiJjc4-itQYuJffsOIU6-0vX_18s61JfsMY_wLJINTyJ-jhfRbTIbwzMfBG8iO6JeLqddN5l7AOGNsJMqYNx2hgFd2nGtsvAMNw/s320/friedcheesemelt.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Have you ever been eating mozzarella sticks and thought, "these would be soooo much better in a sandwich"? Or maybe you've been snacking on a grilled cheese sandwich and wondered how improved it would be if it also had fried cheese sticks between the bread? If so, then Denny's is about to roll out the perfect sandwich for you.<br />
<br />
Read the rest: <a href="http://consumerist.com/2010/08/dennys-fried-cheese-melt-pushes-gooey-cheese-tolerance-to-new-levels.html">Denny's Fried Cheese Melt Pushes Gooey Cheese Tolerance To New Levels - The Consumerist</a>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-36446732286247480162010-08-08T16:56:00.000-07:002010-10-24T10:47:02.173-07:00Product Review: Brianna's Champagne Caper VinaigretteEver since I lived in France, I've been a vinaigrette dressing fan. Many Americans don't like vinaigrette - mostly because I think that American-made vinaigrette are too much like us: harsh, wild and unrefined. A classic French vinaigrette is relatively mild and has only a little bite to it. The acid doesn't make you cough or hit your nostrils the way a harsh vinegar does.<br />
<br />
IMHO, most commercially available vinaigrette is downright awful so my solution has been to dress my greens in a little extra virgin olive oil - I like a nice, buttery one instead of the more green piquant olive oils - and some wonderful Balsamic vinegar from <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/10/will-you-marry-me-joe.html">Trader Joe's</a> tossed up with a little salt and pepper.<br />
<br />
However, I recently found this Champagne Caper Vinaigrette from Brianna's - not all stores carry this particular flavor; I found mine at QFC. It is just lovely, particularly on a baby spinach salad with Costco's roasted chicken on top along with some grape tomatoes and slivered almonds.<br />
<br />
My overall recommendation, though, no matter what dressing you are using, is to very lightly dress your greens. You'll find that the American habit of slathering on the dressing probably originated with trying to make iceberg lettuce taste like something other than water. If you use baby spinach, mache, or butter lettuce (my favorite), you'll find that these greens taste wonderful if you don't mask their flavors with dressing.<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0000EWOGE&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0029U3VQY&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-18117323137405922122010-08-08T15:58:00.000-07:002010-08-08T15:58:51.156-07:00The Best Salad Ever: Nordstrom Cafe Salmon NicoiseLast week I went shopping with Marlo and we stopped at the Nordstrom Cafe in Bellevue Square for a quick lunch.<br />
<br />
Marlo had the turkey cranberry sandwich, which she said was really good. I had the Salmon Nicoise (pronounced NEE-swahze) and was BLOWN AWAY.<br />
<br />
It was, quite simply, the best salad I have ever had in my entire life.<br />
<br />
It was comprised of mixed greens dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette - mine could have been much lighter dressed, which I will specifically request next time I go. On top of that there was new potatoes (pretty sure these were Yukon Gold), steamed green beans, tomatoes, capers, Nicoise olives, and hard-boiled eggs. All of this was topped with a piece of herb grilled salmon.<br />
<br />
I wish I had thought to snap a picture of the salad before Marlo and I dug in - maybe on a future visit. It was pretty, but it tasted even better. I don't particularly enjoy shopping; however, I'll at least have something to look forward to when taking a break from a future shopping excursion.<br />
<br />
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ordering this salad from Nordstrom's Bistro. At less than $10, it was a bargain as well.<br />
<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=roxsroarul-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000FNRVTA&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-49942385068008933622010-07-05T10:01:00.000-07:002010-07-05T13:17:31.837-07:00Buying Gifts for People Overseas - Avoid Expensive Shipping!A couple of years ago "surface mail" shipping, also known as "the slow boat to China," went by the wayside. As a result, one must send all overseas packages by airmail. This can be very expensive. Sometimes, the cost of postage can meet or exceed the price of the gift itself. As an example, I bought my French nieces and nephews a Special-Edition US Monopoly game. It was something like $35 or so. To ship it, with its odd-sized package, was going to be over $200!<br />
<br />
There is an easy solution, though. You can buy items for people in Europe on Amazon's European websites. These often have the same "super saver" free shipping if you are buying over a certain amount. I'm listing all of Amazon's European sites - these are in the native languages so if you're not comfortable navigating purchases, just buy from the United Kingdom site, which still offers free shipping to Continental Europe.<br />
<br />
United Kingdom - <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/">www.amazon.co.uk</a><br />
<br />
France - <a href="http://www.amazon.fr/">www.amazon.fr</a><a href="http://www.amazon.fr/ref=gno_logo"></a><br />
<br />
Germany - <a href="http://www.amazon.de/">www.amazon.de</a>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-69069254733690598142010-06-12T19:49:00.000-07:002010-07-05T13:16:20.573-07:00The Apricot Tart that Wasn't (sarcastic "Thanks" to Costco)I picked up a new camera from Costco this morning. My <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2007/06/burning-in-liberal-hell.html">other one</a> broke during Marlo and my trip to France last Spring (as in 2009, not 2010), which I failed to blog about (my apologies). Anyway, fast-forward over one year later, and I figured it wasn't worth getting my other one fixed since my new camera has 12.1 megapixels and a 12x zoom. My older one only had a 3x zoom and I found myself wishing I had more ooph in the zoom department when taking pictures in Europe. Pair self-justification with a coupon from Costco and Presto! new camera. I'm hoping this translates to more blogging as I find it boring to post without pictures of some sort.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbZTwmK6HsrDfqAah6k2JN-JpxnK2CsMWYW9NdLGGWLBpQmFW2mxnGWQxD9faABiLUyVbgAV6ea8q3n4ZNOerJ1lvFylDL0DnQ6BafzozIoEofm6_GQqXLt3ZgRhmXihFEs4ZrdY1bKc/s1600/P1000002.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482089062590209522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbZTwmK6HsrDfqAah6k2JN-JpxnK2CsMWYW9NdLGGWLBpQmFW2mxnGWQxD9faABiLUyVbgAV6ea8q3n4ZNOerJ1lvFylDL0DnQ6BafzozIoEofm6_GQqXLt3ZgRhmXihFEs4ZrdY1bKc/s320/P1000002.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
Which brings me to the point of today's post. While at Costco, I picked up a clam-shell of California Apricots. I had visions of luscious, juicy apricots baked into a rustic tart. I got the crust ready (frozen crust from <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/10/will-you-marry-me-joe.html">Trader Joe's</a>, which I rolled out a little to fit into the only tart pan I own. It was then that I realized that the apricots are hard as rocks. Solid. No give. No juicy apricot-y smell. Nothing but pure disappointment.<br />
<br />
So, I switched gears and sliced up three juicy, ripe nectarines. I haven't sliced into the tart yet so I cannot comment on the success or failure of this venture. At the moment it seems to be a bit liquid-y despite the King Aurthur pie filling enhancer I added to the raw ingredients that is supposed to thicken the filling.<br />
<br />
It looks pretty, though.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-88904668629516693482010-01-17T21:33:00.000-08:002010-07-05T13:29:20.587-07:00Please don't let this be a yearly occurence.Last year about three weeks before the bar exam, I fell down not one, but TWO, flights of stairs. I had some of the worst bruising I have ever seen. And, in my former career as a personal injury paralegal, I've seen some bad bruising. I was black and blue from my hands up my arms to above my elbow, and then down my flank, right hip, down my leg to my ankle, plus the outside of my left knee where I bounced past the landing. Fun times (NOT)!<br />
<br />
Today, nearly one year later, I fell down another flight of stairs. Thankfully it was a short flight, and the landing was at a 45 degree angle so I didn't continue down the next much longer flight of stairs. I bashed up my elbow a little and am a little sore - so this is absolutely nothing like the last time.<br />
<br />
So, the lessons learned from my two falls?<br />
<br />
1. Don't leave the shower soapy and try hurrying down the stairs to see if you are burning down the house by leaving the kettle on the stove (that was the source of last year's fall); and<br />
<br />
2. Don't wear socks that have the little grippy deals on the bottom falling off because of the dryer. Buy new socks, or even better, slippers. That was today's lesson.<br />
<br />
Duh!Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-235551992227480272010-01-10T16:57:00.000-08:002010-01-10T17:03:15.486-08:00The Road to HellThere is nothing so invigorating as making a New Year's Resolution. It is like taking the bull by the horns in your own life. Taking charge. Taking control over your own destiny.<br /><br />And there is nothing quite as demoralizing as knowing you've blown it before the first week is gone.<br /><br />Yes, I had a goal to post something once a week, starting January 1. I've fallen down before I even got out of the gate.<br /><br />However, what would life be without cliches? I'm picking myself up, dusting myself off, getting back on the horse, pulling myself up by my bootstraps (okay, that one doesn't quite fit) and continuing with my resolution.<br /><br />That being said, I've been working like a madwoman, including pulling an all-nighter week before last, getting a case ready for trial this coming week.<br /><br />It should be fun so cross your fingers for me (and my client). Trust me, all other things within my control have been done. If good preparation, and having justice on your side, means anything, we should prevail.<br /><br />I'll keep you posted.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-3875905689357242792009-12-20T22:23:00.001-08:002009-12-20T22:33:33.971-08:00RecommencingI stopped blogging before my bar exam, but then got busy starting my new law practice, blah blah blah. You know how it goes.<br /><br />However, I intend to recommence blogging with a goal of making at least one post per week starting the 1st week of January 2010.<br /><br />I'm not really sure what the theme will be. This blog started out as a travelogue (see Summer of 2007). It then transitioned into a forum for my opinions about life (see Winter of 2008) and then into a sort of food blog (see Fall of 2008). <br /><br />It will probably continue to be a melange of all of the former, including starting up with the My Kitchen, My World blogging group. Of course, I'll probably also have some new material about what it is like to be a new attorney and law firm owner.<br /><br />More "Roxanne's Road Rules" coming soon.<br /><br /><!-- Facebook Fan Badge START --><div style="width: 100%;"><div style="background: #3B5998;padding: 5px;"><img src="http://www.facebook.com/images/fb_logo_small.png" alt="Facebook"/><img src="http://badge.facebook.com/badge/220317492213.653907933.1517462001.png" alt="" width="0" height="0"/></div><div style="background: #EDEFF4;display: block;border-right: 1px solid #D8DFEA;border-bottom: 1px solid #D8DFEA;border-left: 1px solid #D8DFEA;margin: 0px;padding: 0px 0px 5px 0px;"><div style="background: #EDEFF4;display: block;padding: 5px;"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top"><img src="http://www.facebook.com/images/icons/fbpage.gif" alt=""/></td><td valign="top"><p style="color: #808080;font-family: verdana;font-size: 11px;margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;padding: 0px 8px 0px 8px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Roxanne-Eberle/653907933" title="Roxanne Eberle" target="_TOP" style="color: #3B5998;font-family: verdana;font-size: 11px;font-weight: normal;margin: 0px;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;text-decoration: none;">Roxanne</a> is a fan of</p></td></tr></table></div><div style="background: #FFFFFF;clear: both;display: block;margin: 0px;overflow: hidden;padding: 5px;"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="middle"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bellevue-WA/Wild-Sky-Law-Group-PLLC/220317492213" title="Wild Sky Law Group, PLLC" target="_TOP" style="border: 0px;color: #3B5998;font-family: verdana;font-size: 12px;font-weight: bold;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://www.facebook.com/profile/pic.php?oid=AAAAAQAQ4rBcWmIysmNPzX6bg4Ow5gAAAAzRMHvuQus8x8fOTWi89rV9&size=square" style="border: 0px;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;" alt="Wild Sky Law Group, PLLC"/></a></td><td valign="middle" style="padding: 0px 8px 0px 8px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bellevue-WA/Wild-Sky-Law-Group-PLLC/220317492213" title="Wild Sky Law Group, PLLC" target="_TOP" style="border: 0px;color: #3B5998;font-family: verdana;font-size: 12px;font-weight: bold;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;text-decoration: none;">Wild Sky Law Group, PLLC</a></td></tr></table></div></div><div style="display: block;float: right;margin: 0px;padding: 4px 0px 0px 0px;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/facebook-widgets/fanbadges.php" title="Create your Fan Badge" target="_TOP" style="color: #3B5998;font-family: verdana;font-size: 11px;font-weight: none;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;text-decoration: none;">Create your Fan Badge</a></div></div><!-- Facebook Fan Badge END -->Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-60729365858339228942009-02-25T22:15:00.000-08:002010-10-24T15:19:25.964-07:00The Evils of Spell CheckMarlo and I were IMing this evening from two different rooms (beats yelling across the house).<br /><br />I admit to her that I don't know a function on my computer.<br /><br />She writes, "Your dumb."<br /><br />I retort, "At least I know the contraction to "you are" is "you're."<br /><br />It's almost as good as when we were doing some college applications for her this afternoon and she tried to convince me that gospel is spelled gosspil.<br /><br />Good grief! Spell check has destroyed the spelling capacity of an entire generation.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-2205069253376687032009-02-16T20:55:00.000-08:002010-10-24T14:43:06.593-07:00Bar Exam TomorrowTomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday is the bar exam.<br /><br />It's nearly 9:00 p.m. Monday night and I've finally stopped cramming. If I don't know a subject or rule by now, I'm not gonna. I've just got to trust that the amount that I do know is sufficient and not worry about the things I don't know. (At least, unless and until someone proves that worrying spontaneously converts to unlearned knowledge).<br /><br />Cross your fingers for me.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-27931321300541791792009-01-29T20:10:00.000-08:002010-10-24T14:43:52.238-07:00Letter to the Editor PublishedI had a letter to the Editor published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on January 27th. I had no idea! I only found it because I decided to google my name and see what came up out of curiosity.<br /><br />You can read the letter <a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/397676_ltrs28.html">here</a> (but take warning that it is political and likely to tick you off if you don't believe in the rule of law or that our country should abide by the Convention Against Torture that we signed and ratified).Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-25043546298148942832009-01-18T23:43:00.000-08:002009-01-18T23:47:27.818-08:00Update on the UpdateOk, I finally finished law school and somewhat recovered my health after being ill most of the fall. Marlo turned 18 and I turned 40. Goodbye 2008.<br /><br />I'm now studying for the bar exam. After 3 years of law school and tens of thousands of dollars, it still takes another three grand and a preparation course to pass the bar. The exam is four weeks away.<br /><br />There is good news on the horizon though. In between taking the bar in February and getting the results in May (yes, it really does take that long), I'll be taking Marlo to France for two weeks and will be sure to take pictures and blog about our trip.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-82550524679836462562008-12-03T22:01:00.000-08:002008-12-03T22:05:48.047-08:00A quick updateAfter weeks of being ill (18 days to be precise), my doctor finally put me on antibiotics the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (a week ago yesterday). I am almost recovered - just a slight residual cough due to some congestion.<br /><br />I haven't really felt like cooking much because I've been so tired and, frankly, couldn't taste much anyway. I'm starting to get my interest back and anticipate getting caught up on my outstanding My Kitchen My World countries soon.<br /><br />On a happy note, today was the LAST day of law school classes and therefore my last day of law school classes FOREVER! I just have to finish writing 3 four-page papers and one take-home final exam and I'll truly be done. Yay!Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-59562669750292032852008-11-17T06:27:00.000-08:002010-10-24T10:44:17.753-07:00My Kitchen, My World - Puerto Rico Trip Postponed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMT1hp6rtx9LrhcianBRlE8z2jLAWM0HYjGv-cUUvxQ8tHDmOa3rHx3lgp5EzxI7js3erPSXfYUkNcjLPdYfOHfobLATNFDJtMRWqHrE9CA0gHI2fCpQ6XjR-6qFXru0SLqOKsCohP1HE/s1600-h/mkmwlogo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269635660403458258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 220px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 199px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMT1hp6rtx9LrhcianBRlE8z2jLAWM0HYjGv-cUUvxQ8tHDmOa3rHx3lgp5EzxI7js3erPSXfYUkNcjLPdYfOHfobLATNFDJtMRWqHrE9CA0gHI2fCpQ6XjR-6qFXru0SLqOKsCohP1HE/s400/mkmwlogo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The cold that derailed our trip to Ireland <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-kitchen-my-world-ireland-trip.html">last week</a> is also interrupting this week's trip to Puerto Rico for <a href="http://mykitchenmyworld.blogspot.com/">My Kitchen, My World</a>. Stay tuned, though, as next week's trip is to Iran!</div><br /><div>Even though I cannot travel even in the culinary sense, my cold apparently can: from sore throat, to head cold, to chest cold, to conjunctivitis with a lingering cough. Ugh.</div><br /><div>I'm just focusing on trying to get through my last three weeks of school. Then, I get three weeks in December to do absolutely nothing until I start bar exam preparation in January.</div><br /><div><em>Nothing</em> sounds blissfully divine right now. I wish it were December already!</div>Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-19487204871686538682008-11-14T18:51:00.000-08:002008-11-14T18:55:59.119-08:00This typo courtesy of The Seattle TimesFrom <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008393064_apwateenshotfatal.html?syndication=rss">today's</a> Seattle Times:<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Wapato teen dies after being shoot from a car </span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">A 16-year-old boy has died after being shot by occupants of a car during a confrontation on a street in this small town outside of Yakima.<br /></span><br />WAPATO, Wash. —<br />A 16-year-old boy has died after being shot by occupants of a car during a confrontation on a street in this small town outside of Yakima.<br /><br />___________________________________<br /><br />They might fix their error after figuring out that "shoot" is not past-tense. They got it right in the first sentence of the article, quoted above, so I have to categorize this error as being strictly a typo. Still not acceptable in a major newspaper, IMO. I mean, words are their <em>business</em>.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-18298353808375547402008-11-13T10:58:00.001-08:002008-11-13T12:26:11.785-08:00Another American Monstrosity - The Donut Burger<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZfGLuQuv1Z-w1ew8CC9xk7Uk1PZOPQWg3cyMXHMZQHcGqTxDYt5jVEtniNsYxUyhwr0fAXDdOtUqB1UWPgEV0PmlTnsjL3DHyBX6MODgsYBhRpDUbSP9BPrzGJZMX3bM47cxMHHO7DY/s1600-h/20080828-googleburgers.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZfGLuQuv1Z-w1ew8CC9xk7Uk1PZOPQWg3cyMXHMZQHcGqTxDYt5jVEtniNsYxUyhwr0fAXDdOtUqB1UWPgEV0PmlTnsjL3DHyBX6MODgsYBhRpDUbSP9BPrzGJZMX3bM47cxMHHO7DY/s400/20080828-googleburgers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268223956071184562" /></a><br />This is something I just couldn't let pass by without comment. I have seen several blog postings over the past month about the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burger">donutburger</a> a/k/a the Luther Burger. One might think the name is a reference to the devilish or gluttonous quality of sandwiching fatty ground beef between two donuts, but rather the name refers to Luther Vandross who apparently invented or popularized this monstrosity.<br /><br />I hate to be crass, but I'd like to point out that Luther Vandross' Wikipedia page states (citations ommitted here):<br /><br /><em>Vandross had diabetes, a disease that ran in his family, as well as hypertension. On April 16, 2003, just four days before his 52nd birthday, Vandross suffered a stroke in his home in Manhattan while eating a Luther Burger. Though the cause of Vandross' stroke was not specifically attributed to diabetes, diabetics have been identified as being much more susceptible to strokes than non-diabetics.</em><br /><br />You can see a video about the "Where is your God now? Burger" on the Serious Eats website <a href="http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/11/in-videos-the-where-is-your-god-now-burger-krispy-kreme-in-n-out.html">here</a>, created by writers and producers Christopher F. Smith and Jeremiah Birnbaum of San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSa9OYFpfbpQQXx4rA3baOXb-M8LCT8PQedLBCIhSUPkuBVkjUKVG3p4LdH0xQ0HFFl9kPNJFcqS7aB0BBJG3HvTvsVaxExjSbC3M7uSOnHrFpcV4ya9DxorjgJw0aulvXK-dh8bSfilc/s1600-h/bacon+egg+cheese+doughnutburger.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 396px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSa9OYFpfbpQQXx4rA3baOXb-M8LCT8PQedLBCIhSUPkuBVkjUKVG3p4LdH0xQ0HFFl9kPNJFcqS7aB0BBJG3HvTvsVaxExjSbC3M7uSOnHrFpcV4ya9DxorjgJw0aulvXK-dh8bSfilc/s400/bacon+egg+cheese+doughnutburger.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268223148270162418" /></a>In fact, if you want to fast-track yourself towards heart-disease, here is a recipe for a glazed doughnut bacon egg cheeseburger from Serious Eats reader, Chris Zelenak, <a href="http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/11/dear-aht-how-to-make-glazed-doughnut-bacon-egg-cheeseburgers.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Let me just say for the record that I think this - like the socks-and-sandals phenomenon, dipping your french fries into a milkshake or the McGriddle sandwich by McDonald's - is just wrong, wrong, WRONG.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-5898760999764328112008-11-12T08:58:00.000-08:002008-11-12T09:05:12.769-08:00Another error from the Seattle Post-IntelligencerI know I shouldn't be pointing fingers. Goodness knows that I probably have typos in each and every blog post. However, I also don't employ a staff of proofreaders. Also, since most newspapers in the United States (probably excepting the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times) are written at an 8th grade level, shouldn't we expect that they manage that without error?<br /><br />In an <a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/387492_crashaurora13.html?source=rss">article</a> this morning from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is yet <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2008/09/its-official-world-is-going-to-pot.html">again</a> another grammatical error:<br /><br /><em>One person was killed around 2:30 a.m. in a single car accident on the 1600 block of Aurora, their car splitting in half, after striking a light pole, Seattle police spokeswoman Renee Witt said. <br /><br />The victim's identity has not yet been released and police are continuing to investigate. The victim was the only person in the car, Witt said.</em><br /><br />Did you catch it?Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-20460896874820438442008-11-11T13:04:00.000-08:002010-10-24T10:44:17.754-07:00My Kitchen, My World - Ireland Trip Postponed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RuDw7Lwp4yMiOTUu1bGfkrWh9SXK0wNTxaX_7f0c9TLysN7oRsv171flftNhPMel6GgQC4wBaVW1rymsntE0NZVp8ceZqbh9cFkTNn5QfyEp8MufIlMjzrSRIlazaKvS-nyHYdbB5oc/s1600-h/mkmwlogo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RuDw7Lwp4yMiOTUu1bGfkrWh9SXK0wNTxaX_7f0c9TLysN7oRsv171flftNhPMel6GgQC4wBaVW1rymsntE0NZVp8ceZqbh9cFkTNn5QfyEp8MufIlMjzrSRIlazaKvS-nyHYdbB5oc/s400/mkmwlogo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267510198951249730" /></a><br />Last week's <a href="http://mykitchenmyworld.blogspot.com/">My Kitchen My World</a> voyage was to Ireland. <br /><br />Unfortunately, debunking Marlo's theory that once one is showing symptoms one is no longer contagious, and thus it is safe to cough on one's mother, I caught her cold and have been very sick since last Saturday. Don't get me wrong, laying around the house in my bathrobe is a dream, but I really don't have time to be in a Nyquil-induced coma right now.<br /><br />Plus, my sore throat really hurts. Anyway, with no signs of getting better by now, I'm postponing the Ireland trip. This week's trip is to Puerto Rico, but my participating will depend upon whether I beat this cold in the next couple of days. I'm crossing my fingers...Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-30663848787952858082008-11-06T11:11:00.000-08:002008-11-06T11:29:15.955-08:00Dispatches from France re: The ElectionWhen I was 16 years old, I lived in France for a year as an exchange student. I kept in touch with my family and visited them again during the Summer of 2007 (see prior blog posts <a href="http://roxanne-rr.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html">here</a>). My American family is very conservative (as in Fox-News-Watching, Rush Limbaugh Loving, Armed and Dangerous Conservative) so it is a comfort to me to at least have one set of parents that are aligned with my desire for social justice in the world.<br /><br />In the past two days, I have received the following message from my French sister-in-law, Marie-Helene, who is married to my brother, Olivier:<br /><br /><em>Yesterday morning I cried but my tears were full of wishes. <br />I am very happy for you and your country . <br />kises </em><br /><br />And the following message titled "America is back!" from my French brother-in-law, Bernard, who is married to my French sister, Pascale:<br /><br /><em>hi dear roxane ! <br />congratulation for this victory !<br />obama is elected , fantastic !!! <br />really that's great for your country and your people , you are a great people indeed !<br />forget mister busch and now with obama god bless america<br /><br />love <br />bernard , pascale and sons</em><br /><br />By contrast, my naturalized American mother, who was born and raised in Cairo, emailed me a quote by George Washington about good rising out of despair. I think she's trying to console herself after the Republicans' defeat. I can understand how she feels as I cried for months following the election of 2004. <br /><br />I also feel like telling her she's right in a way, that a black man had a chance of being elected President in America because the last white man with the job bungled it so badly. I hate to say it, but I think America is still racist enough that if Barack Obama was running against Bill Clinton in 2000, that I don't think he would have had a shot. This truly was good rising from despair. Our country has taken a great leap forward, although there is still work to do for true equality.<br /><br />Nonetheless, I'm extending my American family the courtesy they never extended me in the past eight years. I'm not gloating to them about this fantastic win. I'm just quietly celebrating with my French family and happily thinking about what's possible for America's future.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5381304281113788249.post-75040381281811403242008-11-02T18:19:00.000-08:002010-10-24T15:18:18.825-07:00Senior NightOn Friday instead of celebrating Halloween by opening my door every two minutes for trick-or-treaters, I went to "Senior Night" at the football game at Marlo's school. The seniors on the cheer squad and football team were escorted through an honor guard of athletes as their names were called.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIEsS5kRjyi5no3GHmHUKfcyIXMTRbQOg7pN4jC5t3CJ9TrqXAquuhrecvTNpO6jr2P3wWFrDOLn050HVR6nUsqGkIpiI0iOxhaK1QiHZxY1VMKxUp_wiPo1EiLoND0phqOyCghJvxZI/s1600-h/DSCN3216.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIEsS5kRjyi5no3GHmHUKfcyIXMTRbQOg7pN4jC5t3CJ9TrqXAquuhrecvTNpO6jr2P3wWFrDOLn050HVR6nUsqGkIpiI0iOxhaK1QiHZxY1VMKxUp_wiPo1EiLoND0phqOyCghJvxZI/s400/DSCN3216.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264251096805399666" /></a> Marlo was escorted by her Grandma Lydia and her Grandpa John, accompanied by a dozen pink roses and a balloon bouquet that I bought for her.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3tuQwU7XnMDEds2L4GaLXbduSWJRugCBv5zLH_j-LFBJGPOesKoopDwW_nEdKyAMo9e6KmA400D7ZQPnyhVr_-V4yPa8fOXgIc9LqSxbOoS5rU1al3k4NzWqMJzTPxzj6Trxpzu-T6k/s1600-h/DSCN3250.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3tuQwU7XnMDEds2L4GaLXbduSWJRugCBv5zLH_j-LFBJGPOesKoopDwW_nEdKyAMo9e6KmA400D7ZQPnyhVr_-V4yPa8fOXgIc9LqSxbOoS5rU1al3k4NzWqMJzTPxzj6Trxpzu-T6k/s400/DSCN3250.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264251530353361570" /></a> I think she was really happy to have had such a nice fuss made over her, which she deserves.Roxannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04958442281405122975noreply@blogger.com0