[es-pree de less-ka/-iay] (idiom) A witty remark that occurs to you too late, literally on the way down the stairs. The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations defines esprit de l'escalier as, "An untranslatable phrase, the meaning of which is that one only thinks on one's way downstairs of the smart retort one might have made in the drawing room."
I decided before I left for Europe that I wanted to do an International Pie Field Research expedition while I was there. A savory pie PFR was discussed in Scotland, but when it came to eating them, we ate them with little discussion. By the time I got to Rotterdam, I was a little desperate. Luckily my hostess did not think I was completely nuts when I explained to her my schtick. We were got lucky when we found Proef, a small bakery that Nan's friend had suggested to her.
IPFR: Proef, caramel pie Guest judge: Nan, American expat living in Rotterdam
Now, I said I was a little desperate, and as you can see above, a caramel torte is not the normal pie I look for, but for a caramel torte, I'd make exceptions.
Nan's review: The crust was more cakey than normal pie, she described it as "dense, straight-up butter cake" topped with "clearly homemade caramel."
While I saw the crust as merely crumbly, she saw it as "a vehicle of delivery." The caramel reminded us of caramel apples, or those expensive, specialty caramels.
Ultimately she gave it a 3.5: very good, but unexpected. She thought it had "the richness and satisfaction of chocolate, but it didn't have perfect execution."
All in all, we had an excellent snack, though a bit on the sweet side. (That could have something to do with the fact we ate dense carrot cake with this torte.) It made me think about the existential question, "what IS the definition of pie?" I'm welcome to any definition that would include caramel torte.
This photo is a polaroid with some special film made for my old school polaroid camera. (It's a long explanation about the film, and far too geeky if you don't already know about it.) I only bought two packs and am regretting that (I should have splurged for more). The tones are a little sepia-ish, but I think they add even more of an old fashioned look to them. (The pug photo from below is also with this film.) Anyhow I've only got 16 shots total (14 left). I hope I don't screw any of them up!
Oh, and the car? The sign in the window boasted it has never rusted. 1950 Plymouth. For sale, if you're interested.
This weekend I've got people coming in town (including a brief visit from this fabbo lady), scouting for a photo project and it's going to be a scorcher from what I hear. What do you all have planned?
Jennifer and I have been trying to decide if we would live-blog Project Runway, as we did last season. We missed the first episode, because we are both ridiculously knee-deep in life and various goings on (as well as her new computer being not quite right yet), but we kind of miss the fun. So we're going to do it, tomorrow night, newcritics, 9pm. Tune in, and get your snark on.
I have received some fun and interesting links this week. My friend Nan sent me this link. Scroll down to "It's 10 pm. Do you know where your cat is?" She thinks I should invest in a GPS backpack for Frank, so I can track his every move. I wish I could embed something in him to track him with, because I am curious to where he goes on his little jaunts.
My friend Sharon sent me this link about a study on boy-girl twins and how testosterone may affect the female twin in utero. It sounds like the testosterone affects mice more than humans, but I guess I do like to travel far from home. (AG, I'd love to hear your opinion.)
This link I found last week and sent to my Jim Henson-loving friend. I may have to visit DC soon so I can see the Henson exhibit. It will be a couple of years before it makes it to Chicago.
The final link is to a small bit on Morning Edition from today. I almost spit out my yogurt and berries when I heard it, because I knew the pastor involved must have been related to my friend Amanda. I talked to her today and I was right.
Sorry, the posting might be sporadic for the next two weeks, as my German friends have descended for their half of the exchange. Yesterday I spent much of my day ferrying people around, and today we're going shopping. I'm a little concerned about how the day's logistics will go.
Anyhow, before I disappear, let me point you towards this column by my old professor Shayla Thiel Stern. Shayla's research is on girls and new media and she's great. I took two excellent classes with her at DePaul, before she got a better gig in Minnesota. The column is about Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville's legacy, feminism, the music industry, and Shayla's own response to the music then and Phair now. I wasn't exposed to Phair until I was in college, about 8 years after the album's release (I think my brother put some songs on a mix for me). I never got the entire album, but became obsessed with certain songs. Shayla takes an interesting look at how women owning their own sexuality became just dressing sexy. It's an interesting column, so read it already. (Shayla also blogs here.)
(Also, I decided after the fact to add the photo above, because it's raining here. Again. It was the rainiest June on record, and apparently July is jealous of that title.)
Scotland was the perfect antidote to the frenzy that was the week before I left – the week of finals and papers and late night stress sessions. Scotland was full of remarkably nice weather, excellent friends, excellent friends of friends, lovely drinks (from Pimm’s to special beers to exclusive whiskys), and so much good conversation and laughter.
I went to visit my friends Mariah and Matt. Mariah and I met long ago on our study abroad semester in Prague, where I learned to love her dearly. She and her partner Matt are two of the easiest people to be around. No surprise to me, but their friends are just as lovely. (And check their light-filled flat - that couch is a divine place to sleep.) Highlights include a visit to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a vegetarian haggis (that was much better than that might sound), a storytelling night, and a failed berry picking expedition.
All in all, I was completely charmed by my hosts and by Edinburgh.
I am a super lucky person, because I have met some really neat and generous people due to the internet. Look what came in the mail for me today. Two packages, one giant and heavy, the other tiny and light, holding these two things.
Jennifer sent me the tiny goat as a talisman to carry with me on my travels next month. I had told her that I was going to have to sacrifice a goat to the travel gods to make sure all of my crazy flights on my itinerary worked out. Her solution is much more humane, and cute! Plus, no blood to clean up.
My flickr friend Nickleen sent me the camera. It's a Polaroid 250 and it's in beautiful condition - complete with its manual (from 1968). I cannot believe it - it's such a nice gift. She even threw in some film, as well as a beautiful pola. Her photostream is a constant source for inspiration and beauty. Her photos are often atmostpheric and moody, and I think her portraits are sublime. Her collection of cameras will make my photo friends (I'm looking right at you Sharon) drool, as will her eye. I am always a little embarrassed to how many photos of hers I want to favorite. I need to figure out how to repay her (and how to get the camera to work).
Recently I also received a wonderful mix from another internet friend Sara. We met on a music forum we both used to frequent and have become friends. I owe her (and a couple others - I haven't forgotten - I swear!) a mix in return. I'm planning on sending a bunch of stuff Thursday.
I admire my bloggy friend Ms. Ana Blackburn for her style, wit and charm. But seriously for her style. She has a fantastic eye and she's gone and landed herself in Apartment Therapy's Small Cool 2008 contest. Check out what she has done to 440 square feet. And then go vote "Super Cool!" for her so she can make the semi-finals. I love her ceramic collection, the red in her kitchen, her custom made headboard. I even love her bathroom. Go vote SUPER COOL!
The internet is such a fun thing. Out of the blue I got a message from a friend from elementary school who moved back to Chile in the fifth grade. We were pen pals, but that petered out after a while and we lost touch. I had just found an old letter from her when she messaged me through Facebook. It is *so* great to be back in touch with her! I love how small the world can be.
Also through Facebook I tagged a person from high school to be friends. We knew each other, and I always thought she was cool, but we didn't know each other very well. We started messaging back and forth and found a mutual love for Josh Ritter, Nina Simone and photography (check her photo blog here and a photo collaboration with two of her friends here). We might do our own photo collaboration together. (Too cool!)
Today was warm with patches of short bursts of violent rain. I was stuck in a long staff meeting this afternoon, but had a view onto the parking lot, watching the weather unfold. It had cleared by the time five pm rolled around. The world was that type of bright after a rain storm - not bright so it washes everything out, but bright so the light seems to enhance all the colors. The air was sweet with freshly cut grass and rain. Although it's supposed to drop 20 degrees tonight. There's vague talk of snow, but I think we'll be safe at this latitude. I'm afraid for my friends in Chicago, though.
For those people who might get crappy weather this weekend, here are some photos from a greenhouse in Indiana, from a couple weeks back. (Sorry the photos are so small - I'm having issues with sizing them from Flickr - click on them to see them larger.)
It's Friday night, nearing 11, and I've been sick all day (all week really). My sinuses are clogged, I'm clammy and headache-y, but I've cat snuggled up at my side and I have two things to look forward to. One of them is that Battlestar Galactica is back next week. (Yes, I'm watching the two mini specials on SciFi right now. I knew Joss Whedon loved it, but how great that Jesse L. Martin and S. Epatha Merkerson of Law and Order love it?) I'm sad I won't have a buddy to watch it with me this season. Nonetheless, I can't wait to see what happens.
The other thing I'm looking forward to is a trip to New York at the end of April to see Josh Ritter play on my birthday. I'm going with Miss Natasha and we're going to visit our friend Allison and celebrate our birthdays. I'm really, really excited. (Plus, I get to meet Kathleen of Diary of a Heretic!)
I hope everyone has wonderful weekends - full of good health.
Her response: Umm - yay! It kind of makes me want to MOVE to Paris and spend my days doing something kind of pointless and yet employable. Publishing? Floral consultant? Then I could spend my days being modestly fabulous and rubbing elbows with the man. How much do you love the little horse lapel pin? And the stars tie? I truly truly love him...
My response: Yes, I have to love anyone that is thoughtful about the little details of their life. Let's move to Paris. You can arrange flowers. I'll push croissants in the bakery next door. We can meet beautifully dressed ex-pats from elsewhere, marry, have little babies with French accents and multiple passports.
PART TWO: Thoughts on the weekend
My weekend was full of friends from different eras/spheres of my life, though they all overlap, even if they don't know each other well. Thursday I got to spend some quality time with my friend Kristen. We hiked around Lake Griffey, and we paused often to admire the brown trees and the silence, and to discuss the finer points of movies and books we liked and disliked. We spent the evening eating pizza, watching Northern Exposure and with me reading her BtVS comics. (I'm totally hooked - damn you Joss Whedon!)
The rest of the weekend was mostly spent with a group of six to seven other girls (the number fluctuated slightly), in celebration of our friend's impending wedding in Ireland. I felt a little out of step, which makes sense since of the girls I do know, I had only seen/kept in good contact with the bride and I hadn't really seen the rest since we graduated college five years ago. In some ways it was easy, as it is with old friends. In others it was hard, since most of the party was coming from NYC and knew each other on a more regular (if not daily/weekly) basis. Plus I was the only one of the group that did not have some major long term relationship. All of this coupled with nostalgia, heavy drinking and poor sleep has left me a little depressed.
I did duck out of the estrogen fest to visit with my friend Anthony, whom I've grown to admire more and more. We shared easy conversation over lunch. Instead of driving me straight back to the Union, where I was staying, we buzzed over to his place to show me the color samples for the walls of his new/old house, because he knows I'm a dork when it comes to thoughts of home decorating. I'm jealous of his squeaky wood floors and his killer vintage stove.
PART THREE: Random thoughts on music
According to iTune's email today, the new Death Cab album out in May is supposed to be good. I don't know how much I believe an ad that doesn't cite its sources, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless. I heard the tail end of its single this evening on the radio. Really, though, "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" has been in my head for days. Maybe that's because of my demographic. According to AllMusic's review of the album on which that song appears, "Thematically, Plans is the Death Cab for Cutie suitable for graduate students, world-weary and wiser from their experiences, realizing they can no longer be love-starved 20-somethings without a clue yet hopelessly cursed to face the same issues." Yep, that nicely rounds out how I'm feeling. Watch the video below.
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