Raleigh and Greensboro

The flight from Sky Harbor was calm and peaceful. I am reading a mystery by Charles Todd, Legacy of the Dead, that made the whole day go fast! After picking up the rental car, I wanted to take the long way to Greensboro to see the scenery. What a gorgeous day - warm, but not too hot and trees, trees, trees! As a desert girl, I am so amazed at the amount of vegetation in other parts of the world. 

Things went well until I arrived in Greensboro! I was so lost. Because I flew in, I didn't have one of my detailed road maps and was trying to navigate with the map given to me at the rental agency. I was starving and lost and determined to stick to my dining rules (see below). I was ready to stop at a convenience mart and have a sandwich, when I spied a sign that said, Harper's Restaurant. It didn't look like a diner, but it didn't really seem like a chain so I decided an investigation was in order. So glad I did! Got to start out with some delicious Carolina Barbecue - with 2 sauces, coleslaw and baked beans. The meat was deliciously flavored and incredibly rich and juicy. It was a chain, though a local one, so I don't think I broke my rules too badly. I would have hated to have to go without Barbecue on my first day in NC!

Still lost, though! It took another hour or so to find a motel for the evening. Tomorrow we visit Alamance for a little history and then ????

Dining Rules
1. No Chains
2. Absolutely NO Fast Food
3. Try to find small diners, cafes and taverns.
4. Stay off the Interstate!

The Best Reason to Visit Glendale, Arizona

(This post was written a few months ago, but a recent visit to the restaurant reassures me that it is still wonderful!)

It's not the UofP Stadium -- although the Arizona Cardinal's do play there.
It's not Spring Training,
No -- in fact it's a new French/Swiss Restaurant that serves crepes,  tartines  and fondue.

http://lechalet-llc.com/le_Chalet/home.html

I watched the sign go up months ago for a crepe and fondue restaurant and wondered -- would it be soggy crepes smothered in bad bechamel? I waited and worried. Since the soft opening on Valentine's Day, this restaurant is serving some of the most wonderful French food available on this side of I-17 (If there is another, please, please let me know!)

I was a little worried, but the interior was lovely, very much an Alpine Chalet, which will be wonderful when valley temperatures top 100 degrees. I was seated by a very friendly hostess who shared a brief overview of the menu. Since I was alone, I decided to stick to the crepes, although some of the starters looked wonderful and I will have to visit again for happy hour. As I looked down the list, I was impressed by the choices, but I can make a soggy crepe sound good on paper. I ordered the Nordique, a glass of white Bordeaux and a glass of sparkly water. It was before a dinner rush, so I had plenty of opportunity to watch the staff prepare for dinner, they were both friendly and professional and most said hello as they passed my table. My wine was lovely, but I was pleasantly surprised by my "pre-appetizer" a little tatine that was perfectly grilled with just enough herbage to complement the cheese. It jumped off my plate!

I was still worried about the crepe, though? How good could it really be in Glendale, Arizona? I think my jaw dropped when I saw a traditional Breton buckwheat crepe folded gently over the edges of the smoked salmon filling. I saw there was a small amount of cheese on the salmon which caused me some concern, but when I tasted it - it worked. Beneath the salmon was a slightly tangy creme sauce with a hint of dill and lemon. it complemented the cheese and salmon perfectly. The crepe was just perfectly crisp on the outside surface but deliciously tender in the center. The small green salad was perfectly dressed (not to dry or to soggy) with the merest sprinkling of chopped tomatoes and sweet onion. I must admit I thought about ordering another!

So, I did something very unusual -- I decided to push my luck and order dessert and coffee. Salted butter caramel sauce with a light dessert crepe, cup of espresso and a tiny little piece of lemon peel. I will definitely return!
'

Today's Reading/Listening/Viewing

This is why I love Twitter!
ViaTim O'Reilly:

http://http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/your-money/27shortcuts.html
Too many choices? I was at a huge antique store in downtown Cottonwood, AZ yesterday and ended up with nothing because I saw so many books!

http://www.boingboing.net/2010/03/19/postal-workers-in-gh.html
Make a joyful noise! A reminder to go back to work on Monday and find the music in what we do!

http://vimeo.com/3624989
A haunting piece of American History.

From the Onion:
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/sometimes_area_woman_just_feels?utm_source=onion_rss_daily
I know just how she feels ;-)

And Neil Gaiman shares this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/arts/19bkids.html
Some of my favorite books on stage!

Green Chile Stew!

Pork and Green Chile Stew

3 pounds of pork butt (it’s really pork shoulder so don’t worry!) cut into 1 inch cubes.

Flour, salt and pepper in a large ( 1 gallon) ziplock bag (this is to dredge the pork before roasting so it browns and helps thicken the stew). Use ½ t salt and ¼ t pepper to each ½ cup of flour.

Canola or olive oil spray.

1 pound of dried pinto beans (or 2 cans of cooked pinto beans rinsed and drained)

1 onion, chopped

2 4-ounce cans of mild green chilis, diced.

1 2-ounce can of diced jalapeños

2 teaspoons of cumin

2 teaspoons of dried oregano

1 quart of vegetable broth

2 large potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes

1 large can of green enchilada sauce

Toppings:

Grated cheese

Pickled jalapeños

Chopped cilantro

Chopped green onions

Preparations:

Rinse and clean beans. Bring to boil with 1 qt of water. Turn heat off and allow beans to soak during the rest of the preparations.

Coat the pork cubes with the flour by shaking in the  ziplock bag with the flour and the salt and pepper. Remove cubes onto a oiled cookie sheet and spray with canola or olive oil. Roast at 450 degrees until brown (about 15 – 20 minutes).

Fill a large crock pot (10 – 12 hours on low) or a large stock pot (4-6 hours) with the pork, broth, seasonings, onions, chilies, potatoes and beans. Allow to simmer.

Stir in the can of green enchilada sauce and served with toppings and tortillas.

Catching Fire!

Part 1: I am thrilled to have a three-day weekend! Of course for all the normal reasons: I get to sleep late, be lazy, skip work ... But even better - I am going to finish the sequel to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The first novel was one of the best of the year. I will write more later, but I must stop writing and start reading.

Part 2: 3 days later and I find I am still not done with this book. It is quite intense and thought-provoking and it's not the kind of book I can fly through. The characters are so well drawn and face so many physical and emotional challenges that it's sometimes difficult to participate in this story - yet I must keep reading. Truly one of the most interesting reads I've had lately.

Books! and Food!

Two of my favorite things: Books and Food. So, to make my year more enjoyable, I am going to spend some time each week revisiting the best and worst of the books I am reading and the best and the worst of the meals I have eaten.

Stay tuned for more!

Scuba Adventure

I've just registered for my Open Water Certification Class. I have always loved the water and can't wait to have my first dives. I still have to pick up some different equipment and complete the book work but I can taste the sea already.

I've selected a Dive shop near my home that gets excellent reviews and is recommended by my doctor. So ..ready for lesson 1!

http://www.scubaspecialties.com/

Such a lovely evening at the Desert Botanical Gardens. We entered the garden just before sunset to see the setting sun highlight the beautiful pieces of the Chihuly Nature of Glass Exhibit. It was a perfect ending to a busy week.

http://www.dbg.org/index.php/chihuly

Social Networking and Publishing

O'Reilly Media and Yahoo! authors, Christian Crumlish and Erin Malone, invite user participation in a wiki that explores patters and best practices in the design of social interfaces. Both authors have been in the forefront of Web 2.0 design and practices and I look forward to publication of their book. In the meantime, I can follow along on the wiki.

http://www.designingsocialinterfaces.com/

Red Room

Yet another wonderful site that connects the reader with favorite authors!
http://www.redroom.com/

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

My favorite things in the whole world (besides my friends, family and loved ones, of course!)

1. Reading and books. I could spend days laying on my couch reading amazing stories! Here is a 30 second stream of some of my favorite books/authors. Dune. Lord of the Rings. Ursula Le Guin (Second Hand of Darkness). Stephanie Plum. Faulkner. Ernest Hemingway. PD James. Diana Gabaldon. Jean Auel. Italo Calvino. Anne Maccaffery. Ian Falconer (Olivia). Harry Potter. Martha Grimes. JD Robb. Julain May.... Times up, but you get an idea, right? http://www.goodreads.com
2. Cooking/Eating. I'm not sure which came first, they go together in so many ways! I can tell you that while I enjoy eating great food at restaurants, delis, cafes, what really makes me happy is cooking, eating and sharing relaxing moments with friends and family. www.foodtv.com
3. Travel, driving, seeing new places, meeting interesting people. I love unplanned travel. Go to a destination, rent a car ( or a bicycle) and just see what or whom you can find.
4. Learning new things. I love to take classes, to challenge myself so that I really feel I have come through the fire! http://www.nbpts.org/ www.arizona.edu

Right now, I am struggling with the fact that one of these things, the learning new things item, has become so central that I cannot enjoy my other favorite things. But I am trying to balance ....

One of my New Years Goals was to start showing up for my blog on a weekly basis. Here it is, January 18th and I'm finally here. I'm taking an idea from one of my favorite online librarians, Jessamyn West, http://www.librarian.net/ and making goals for 2009 rather than Resolutions.

On the work tab, my goals are:

• Complete National Board Portfolio by March 31 (a good date because it's the deadline)
• Finish Collection Development Plan for the Library
• Weeding focus: exceptionally old books in Non-Fiction
• Work on a successful Friendship Festival
• Plan for Accelerated Reader teacher training for 2009-2010

In the school section:

• Complete 5 courses (1 in the Spring, 2 in the Summer and 2 in the fall.
• Begin the process of obtaining an Internship at University of Oxford in 2010 http://www.ox.ac.uk/

The Personal tab of my life notebook:

• Don't work so hard I forget to stay in touch with people
• Scuba Certification
• Last 10 pounds!
• Master the art of Facebook and Twitter
• Start reading again!

The Dumbest Generation?

A continuation of my stream of thought on literacy and definitions of literacy.
http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-book5-2008jul05,0,3980465.story

A discussion of the book:
The Dumbest Generation
How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future, or Don't Trust Anyone Under 30
Mark Bauerlein
Tarcher/Penguin: 272 pp., $24.95

Has the growth of social networking substantially changed the nature of adolescence or is it just another expression of teens need for interaction. How is this use of the Internet affecting the intelligence and the learning of today's youth? I must read this book for myself.

Gaming in the Library

The American Library Association is beginning a study to find out the impact of gaming on literacy. Interesting when you start thinking about the definition of literacy and how it has changed over the last 20 years. How do you define literacy? What do graduates need to be able to do to be successful in the world of Web 2.0?

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6575782.html

What Came Before He Shot Her by Elizabeth George

I have always enjoyed the mysteries of Elizabeth George. She writes the types of stories that are more about the characters than the mysteries. She invites you into the lives of the detectives, the victims and even the perpetrators. In this novel, she leaves the mystery genre to explore the life of the 12-year old boy responsible for the murder of one of her primary characters. She takes you deep into the live of North Kensington, a poor, working-class neighborhood in London and shows the struggle for survival that is the daily life of millions of children in urban settings all over the world. It is a gut-wrenching reminder of the impossible choices that face so many people as they seek to negotiate the complex social layers of life in the city. She brings the characters of Joel Campbell and his family to life and makes their struggle real and immediate. You will not forget them or their stories.

Good Eats on the Weekend

A new car calls for a road trip (even a 2 hour road trip). So we headed north into the mountains to visit Prescott, Arizona. We took the long way around through the old west of Arizona and arrived in time for lunch!

We had an amazing meal at The Palace, where Steve brought us a delicious, crispy deep fried Catfish Sandwich with Louisiana Hot Sauce, Ranch Fries and Chipoltle Mayo (South Beach be damned) and one of the best burgers we have had in a very long time. You could taste the freshness. Add some avocado and some green chilies and a couple of cold beers and you have the finest restaurant meal we've had in some time!

Weeks go by...

There have been many transportation issues this month. I have crashed my car and need to get a new one, I have had a flat tire on my bicycle, and it has been hot! hot! hot! I have been able to return to my bike riding habits, though. I have also learned to use my new cell phone as an MP3 player so I have been transferring all my music to my phone. I am almost done and I can start buying new music.

Today's favorites were:

• Lady Marmalade by LaBelle
• No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley
• Bad for Me by Danielle Peck
• Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood

Today was also bagel day! This is the day I reward myself for getting up early all week. I stop at the bagel cafe for a bagel with smoked salmon schmear, a coffee and large OJ. It's the little things that often get me out of bed -- breakfast, lunch dinner and what am I going to read today.

This Morning's Bike Ride

It was an odd, bluesey morning topped off by Gwen Stefani! How interesting. It is also getting slightly warmer ever day -- the temp creeps closer and closer to blood temp -- that means getting up at 5 AM.

The word for the day, well - there are three. I found them while I was cleaning my little office, so that must mean something: Laughter, Communication and Simplicity!

I give up on the number of the day.

• Sweet Escape Gwen Stefani
• High Water Evcerywhere Charlie Patton
• Feeling Way Too Damn Good Nickelback
• Far Behind Candlebox
• Susie Q CCR
• Stay
• Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana

A Great White Wine!

My Dad and I drove to the Verde Valley to visit our favorite local vineyard (yes, there is good wine in Arizona!) and we spend some time with the Whites. This one was so fragrant, perfume of fruit and flowers, the wine was lively and so full of flavor! I had some last night with shrimp, tomatoes and feta cheese, and tonight with a lemony pasta dish with mushrooms and thyme and is was so complementary to both dishes that it jumped right into my glass and right back out again!

Page Spring Cellars
2007 Vino de la Familia Blanca

Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley

This is my first finished book of the summer. My goal was 40 books - that's 5 books a week and I am way behind. I think cleaning my house and playing with my new notebook are making serious inroads into my reading time. Luckily, I have 4 days of fishing (reading) coming up for vacation.

This book is so much more than I expected. There have been so many fairy tale stories lately, I wasn't prepared for the depth of this story. It is about Bella, a noble knight's daughter who is left with a peasant family for fostering after the death of her mother. The story deals with some of the very difficult issues of medieval life - childbirth, death, disease and the challenge of behaving with strength and character despite the perfiidity of others.

The story is told in multiple voices and reveals many of the classic Cinderella elements, stepmother and stepsisters, handsome prince, a disguise, glass slippers; but what a change in how the elements fit together.

You are going to have to pick this book up to read the rest!