Catching Up
We are back from vacation and getting into the swing of things again, and I thought I would write a quick update before our legions of fans start to wonder what became of us.
Asheville was incredibly relaxing, we had a very cozy (if somewhat poorly decorated) cabin that was pleasantly close to town without being in the middle of everything — it was on a road with other cabins, and no spectacular views, but it was far better than staying in a hotel. We got to make use of the hot tub a couple of times, though it did rain a bit while we were there, which put a bit of a damper on the whole sitting outside in hot water. When we weren’t lounging at the cabin, we were usually eating or thinking about where to eat in Asheville. We went to the Noodle Shop twice, and to Salsas, and had dessert at Old Europe, and of course had our New Year’s Eve dinner with Julie and Tracy at Zambra’s. Zambra’s was the first time I’ve ever been responsible for any portion of a $350 tab for four people, so that was quite an event — but the food was good, as well as the company. Melissa and I headed back to the cabin a little before midnight and watched Dick Clark count down to the new year before, I’m told, I promptly fell asleep.
On our way back home we stopped at my bank to create a long-discussed joint account, with the help of a very nice man named Napoleon. For the last few months we have been begging cashiers to split our total between our two debit cards, and trying to keep track of who owed who what for purchases that were obviously joint. By the end of the vacation, it was clear we needed a better way. We snuck it in on January 3, while I was still 29, so now I can say I had a joint account before I turned 30. We are still in negotiations about how I will turn in my receipts so that Melissa can track our funds in the rather robust spreadsheet she has created. These things are her domain, and it is better that way.
When we finally did get home, it was time to celebrate my birthday, my 30th; Melissa got me a very, very, very nice Kitchen Aid food processor, and so I have been looking for opportunities to chop anything and everything for the last few days. Right now I am roasting some garlic as part of an effort to replicate this white bean spread/dip/stuff that Tracy made for a party last night, which will put the food processor to some good use. Tonight’s meal will be food processor-less, though I may use it to chop the onion for the Chick Pea and Tofu curry I’ll be making from my new Moosewood Cooks at Home cookbook.
Enough for now.
