Squirrel Tape Dispenser

Just saw this on Anthropologie and think I need it for Christmas:

Squirreled Away Tape Dispenser

Chez McDo

We might have made a shameful trip to McDonalds aka McDo (pronounced mack dough) while we were in France this past week.  Even more shameful, it might not have been our first visit to a French McDonalds.

Bagels seem to have become a big thing in France.  This "Bagel Stories" looked pretty gross.

Chevre McWrap - Goat Cheese on a McDonalds menu.  Who knew?

They serve macarons! Fancy.

French Thanksgiving

We just got back from the South of France, where we spent the Thanksgiving holiday with my husband's family.  They sweetly wanted to do a real Thanksgiving for us Americans, and his dad insisted on making a turkey, stuffing, and yams.  My husband had to hunt for the closest thing he could find to a pumpkin to make a pie.  He ended up finding a potimarron  aka red kuri squash.  The pie was more yellow than orange with a mellower taste than pumpkin pie... it was very good and gourmet.  A restaurant could serve a chic version of it on a seasonal tasting menu.  I contributed some wine that came highly recommended by Carrefour (a French store that is similar to Costco).

Turkey and Stuffing

Potimarron or Red Kuri Squash Pie

My slice of potimarron pie

Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grain

New Sink and Running Gear

We have a bathroom sink!

I really need to start running more (am shamefully out of shape).  Tonight, I ran 3.5 miles in my new shoes:

ASICS Women's Gel-Kahana 5 Running Shoe

I bought them on Amazon for around $50.  Tonight they tore my feet up and felt like the interior was made of steel wool, but they might just need to be broken in or stretched out.  It gets really dark really early now; so I just ordered this headlamp (also from Amazon) for around $20:

Petzl E91 Tikkina 2 Headlamp

Weekend Wrap Up

The weekend is winding down.  We watched Diamonds are Forever yesterday, and are halfway through The Man with the Golden Gun.  Bond films are so messed up.  I enjoyed yesterday's movie thoroughly, and so far this one is decent if ridiculous.  When I was 11 years old (around 1996), I rode in an elevator with Roger Moore at the Ritz Carlton in Boston.  My niece was with me and, as most 2-year-olds do, was throwing an enormous and embarrassing tantrum.  We'll probably end up seeing the new Bond movie at some point.    

Dinner tonight was Hale and Hearty.  I got my usual chopped salad (romaine, chicken, cucumbers, carrots, croutons, Parmesan, and hale and hearty vinaigrette).  They currently have a Chef Series going on, and the current chef is David Burke; so I tried his "crazy corn soup," which is described as a "creamy, lush, soup [that blends] farm fresh corn with Monterey Jack cheese and Yukon gold potatoes then [adds] in even more corn!"  It was pretty good. 

We are now on a Starbucks pumpkin scone kick.  In a  little bit, I'm going to have half of one (my husband and I split one) with a nespresso.  Also in my future tonight is the Real House Wives of Atlanta.

Hale and Hearty Salad, Crazy Corn Soup, and sourdough bread.

Salad

Starbucks Pumpkin Scone

Everything but the Bathroom Sink

Our bathroom sink was just removed by the super.  The neighbors downstairs have been having water come through their bathroom ceiling vent, and the super thinks it's because our sink is jacked up.  I'll be happy to have a new sink.  In the meantime, we are left with a big blank space.

Our old sink.  I won't miss it much 

Our current bathroom situation.  Note the missing tiles
in the left corner.  That is apparently where water from our showers
has been sneaking down to our neighbor's apartment.

Triple Decker Grilled Cheese

Tonight's dinner was grilled cheese, tomato soup, and chips.  I made the grilled cheese a triple decker grilled cheese (3 slices of bread, 2 layers of cheese) to make it extra decadent.

Easy cold weather dinner

Triple Decker Grilled Cheese - Note the middle layer of bread.