10 January 2010
a whole year later...
it's January 10th again and I've definitely neglected my blog!!! a whole year later, with a whole lotta changes and no blog posts to speak of. boy, this year shall be different. for today, i just share my new photo for the blog, a lovely mountain photo of the Alps taken by me while in Switzerland for my dear friend, Suzy, wedding. I just loved Switzerland and can't wait to go back! Maybe sooner rather than later, if Rolf has any say in it ;-) but I might be jumping ahead of myself...enjoy the photo!
10 January 2009
i'm actually posting! can you believe it?!
so sorry i've been m-i-a for awhile, i finished the farmer's market and then moved inside to the pedway and then took a trip to NYC for a destressor, but then got back and the holiday season was upon me so i've been neck deep in baking, and then took another destressor/celebration trip to NYC for new year's eve. and now i am back in full swing, feeling the effects of it all but glad for the wear & tear...it all leads to wisdom and character!wow! i guess i have an optimistic outlook on things right now. usually i am that optimistic for others but not so much for myself. is this something permanent? will wait and see...
what kind of year will 2009 bring? best to face it day by day and not get too far ahead of myself. i am forever a dreamer, and have grand ones at that too. just this morning i woke in the middle of one, but fail to remember it now. all i remember is that i was struggling to accomplish something or get somewhere. i need Joseph from the old testament to help me interpret them :)
it is definitely a snowy year so far. today i got my cardio workout by shoveling snow at work. since i don't do it that often, it felt really good; but i would dread it if i had to shovel often. i feel for those with cars parked on the street and houses with driveways and such to shovel. at work today, angie said it seems like someone is up above constantly shaking something for all this snow to fall. it has not stopped all day! so heads up, east coast! it is probably on it's way to you soon! hopefully you don't get as much as we did.
photos are of my 5 nephews, gift boxes i sold for the holidays, and me with three of my favorite people: Heidi,Suzy,JinHee
02 October 2008
Flameless...Projects
i have been "flameless" for a little over 2 weeks now. "flame" reverted back to old habits, but maybe they were the usual habits that were just hidden for a few months, waiting to resurface and raise their ugly head. so on to other projects...
on September 21 i walked a mile with my twin nephews to raise money for the NICU of Rockford Memorial Hospital, the hospital they were in for 4 months. In total, they raised over $13,000!!
on October 3, ivy...uppercrust pastry is donating 350 desserts to Playdough Palooza, a charity event for Children's Memorial Hospital. 200 mini homemade Oreos and 150 mini Carrot Cakes with cream cheese icing.
there is only 3 weeks left of the Prudential Plaza Farmer's Market, so please come out and visit us before we go inside to hibernate...actually we are having a trial run inside the Pedway on October 9th for our own little "market day". hopefully once the building sees what delight we can bring to their tenants and customers, they will agree to keep us on for the winter months.
and one of my most favorite people is coming to Chicago this weekend...Hello! Heidi Hoover!!! The Champagne awaits...and it actually came straight from France on the plane with me!!
on September 21 i walked a mile with my twin nephews to raise money for the NICU of Rockford Memorial Hospital, the hospital they were in for 4 months. In total, they raised over $13,000!!
on October 3, ivy...uppercrust pastry is donating 350 desserts to Playdough Palooza, a charity event for Children's Memorial Hospital. 200 mini homemade Oreos and 150 mini Carrot Cakes with cream cheese icing.
there is only 3 weeks left of the Prudential Plaza Farmer's Market, so please come out and visit us before we go inside to hibernate...actually we are having a trial run inside the Pedway on October 9th for our own little "market day". hopefully once the building sees what delight we can bring to their tenants and customers, they will agree to keep us on for the winter months.
and one of my most favorite people is coming to Chicago this weekend...Hello! Heidi Hoover!!! The Champagne awaits...and it actually came straight from France on the plane with me!!
08 September 2008
Lawyer to Chocolatier
I just read in the new Wall Street Journal Magazine about a lawyer turned Chocolatier. Check out Askinosie Chocolate I have yet to find out where i can get a bar here in Chicago but in Park Slope you can find it in some little gourmet grocery. Reading their story and their business practices is very inspiring.
23 August 2008
Recapturing a day in Paris
Paris is such a beautiful city! The language barrier for me is hard so thank God i am around my wonderful mother who does not hold back and just butchers the language while trying to communicate. we applaud her for it all as we sit by and observe.
today, i was all on my own and managed to buy veggies, cheese, and a crepe at an open air market on Blvd. Quintet something or other, sorry i don't have my map with me right now...i walked for a good 6 hours today, and have a huge (make that two huge) blisters on the same toe on my foot. so i stayed in for dinner becuz i could not bear putting shoes on. i made a goat cheese custard for dinner tomorrow, it will be accompanied by strawberries in a red wine syrup! i am cooking dinner tomorrow night for everyone. we are having fresh shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter for appetizer, filet of salmon with hericot verts (green beans) and roasted fingerling potatoes with shallots and fresh heirloom tomatoes.
so i saw a few street performers today that were quite entertaining--a single violinists and a jazz quartet with a singer. it is nice to just sit down on the street and listen. photos of all will follow when i am home and on my own computer. i sat on a quai in the middle of the River Seine and enjoyed a lollipop (cotton candy flavored, my favorite). and i finally found a chocolatier open!!! Patrick Roger Chocolates. most of the others are still closed for their holiday, but will be open next week, so Tuesday is a full day of chocolate shopping! I sat by a pond in the Luxemborg Gardens and enjoyed just one piece of chocolate--it had a praline center that was amazing! i could have ate all 10 pieces i had bought but i am saving them for dinner tomorrow.
oh! i also bought some wine in a shop run by an american woman. it was one on my list but i was not necessarily looking for it, i just happened upon it. the streets here are all over the place and you can get turned around a bit. even me, who is extremely good at directions, got turned around. but i just remember where my north is and where the river is and i am good. i saw Notre Dame and the Louvre but did not enter becuz lines were really long and i am not much on museums and such. i did go into the church of St. Germain des pres (the neighborhood we are staying in), that was really old and right across the street from Les Deux Magots.
i am not the best with taking photos, totally forgot to take some of the market i shopped at. and i usually don't get myself in any of the ones i do take, so i managed to get my feet in some when i sat down to rest. this city is definitely for couples, everywhere you turn there is a couple holding hands or walking embracing down the street. maybe i'll capture a few to show you...i wish i had my beau to hold hands with right now.
tomorrow is a visit to Versaille to picnic in the gardens watching the fountains and listening to music. and monday is a trip to Reims for champagne!
today, i was all on my own and managed to buy veggies, cheese, and a crepe at an open air market on Blvd. Quintet something or other, sorry i don't have my map with me right now...i walked for a good 6 hours today, and have a huge (make that two huge) blisters on the same toe on my foot. so i stayed in for dinner becuz i could not bear putting shoes on. i made a goat cheese custard for dinner tomorrow, it will be accompanied by strawberries in a red wine syrup! i am cooking dinner tomorrow night for everyone. we are having fresh shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter for appetizer, filet of salmon with hericot verts (green beans) and roasted fingerling potatoes with shallots and fresh heirloom tomatoes.
so i saw a few street performers today that were quite entertaining--a single violinists and a jazz quartet with a singer. it is nice to just sit down on the street and listen. photos of all will follow when i am home and on my own computer. i sat on a quai in the middle of the River Seine and enjoyed a lollipop (cotton candy flavored, my favorite). and i finally found a chocolatier open!!! Patrick Roger Chocolates. most of the others are still closed for their holiday, but will be open next week, so Tuesday is a full day of chocolate shopping! I sat by a pond in the Luxemborg Gardens and enjoyed just one piece of chocolate--it had a praline center that was amazing! i could have ate all 10 pieces i had bought but i am saving them for dinner tomorrow.
oh! i also bought some wine in a shop run by an american woman. it was one on my list but i was not necessarily looking for it, i just happened upon it. the streets here are all over the place and you can get turned around a bit. even me, who is extremely good at directions, got turned around. but i just remember where my north is and where the river is and i am good. i saw Notre Dame and the Louvre but did not enter becuz lines were really long and i am not much on museums and such. i did go into the church of St. Germain des pres (the neighborhood we are staying in), that was really old and right across the street from Les Deux Magots.
i am not the best with taking photos, totally forgot to take some of the market i shopped at. and i usually don't get myself in any of the ones i do take, so i managed to get my feet in some when i sat down to rest. this city is definitely for couples, everywhere you turn there is a couple holding hands or walking embracing down the street. maybe i'll capture a few to show you...i wish i had my beau to hold hands with right now.
tomorrow is a visit to Versaille to picnic in the gardens watching the fountains and listening to music. and monday is a trip to Reims for champagne!
15 August 2008
Amazon...Paris
I love Amazon, i ordered my canon digital camera and in a quick weekend, i had it in my hands! almost as good as buying in person. so goal accomplished...check!
so off to Paris in 5 short days, just have to get thru the weekend and the farmer's market on Tuesday and then Bon Voyage! ok, so i don't know really any French and i am bound to look like a stupid American about 5,000 times a day but i am going to look awfully cute doing it. just got my hair cut and other beautification procedures done and i've lost 3 lbs. too!! i picked up a book today of all the patisseries and chocolatiers in Paris, so most of my days will be spent with either something with chocolate or pastry-ladened! so Excited! goal: gain 10 lbs. of pure butter and chocolate, laced with wine!
a week in Paris will fly by in a split second, just like the Blue Angels jets are right now flying by my building (the air & water show is this weekend here).
and for an update: "old flame" has become "current flame" once again. tip: lock your car doors while "making out" in Chicago, apparently people are pretty nosy here!
so off to Paris in 5 short days, just have to get thru the weekend and the farmer's market on Tuesday and then Bon Voyage! ok, so i don't know really any French and i am bound to look like a stupid American about 5,000 times a day but i am going to look awfully cute doing it. just got my hair cut and other beautification procedures done and i've lost 3 lbs. too!! i picked up a book today of all the patisseries and chocolatiers in Paris, so most of my days will be spent with either something with chocolate or pastry-ladened! so Excited! goal: gain 10 lbs. of pure butter and chocolate, laced with wine!
a week in Paris will fly by in a split second, just like the Blue Angels jets are right now flying by my building (the air & water show is this weekend here).
and for an update: "old flame" has become "current flame" once again. tip: lock your car doors while "making out" in Chicago, apparently people are pretty nosy here!
05 August 2008
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