Hey there. Been a while, I realize. I have been busy sorting through myriad life changes - some good, some not so good, all necessary. And I had a birthday in July! Not a milestone birthday, although I suppose every birthday is a milestone in its own way, yes? Nonetheless, this particular birthday had me in a pensive mood. Not to wax too corny poetic, but these lyrics have taken on some new meaning for me of late: Half the time goes by, suddenly you're wise. Another blink of an eye and 67 is gone. The sun is getting high,... Continue reading

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!? Yeah, me neither. I don't have strong feelings one way or another about the outcome of Super Bowl 2014, although I suppose I'll cheer for Denver because Peyton Manning is a force to be reckoned with, even at the ripe old age of 37. Impressive. In any event, what I really love about Super Bowl parties is the opportunity for some good eats. Still wondering what to make for today's game? I've got some ideas to get you started. Did you know vegetarians make the best party food? It's true. Just click the title... Continue reading

Whoa. When I posted my last entry*, I wasn't sure what the reaction would be. At the time, I felt it was right to share what I was feeling that day, in that moment. Later, I worried perhaps it was just too personal, too much. And maybe it was. But then hundreds of you visited my site and read my story. I opened my email and Facebook accounts over the following days to find numerous heartfelt, encouraging messages from caring readers, friends and family. Surprisingly, the messages revealed that a lot of you have, at one point or another, for... Continue reading

I can't seem to get it together lately. So many things to say, yet I often find it maddeningly difficult to convert my thoughts to actual, coherent, spoken-out-loud words. Even writing them down seems like a monumental task most days. Hell, who am I kidding? Getting out of bed this morning was a monumental task. {Insert heavy sigh.} Be that as it may, life goes on. Work must be done, bills must be paid, dinner must be cooked. And that last one, dear readers, is something I can do. This colorful, hearty chili is a winner. Literally, a winner! As... Continue reading

Here in my world, lots of friends have been posting the latest version of "Five (or 10 or 20) Things You May Not Know About Me" on Facebook. I haven't posted mine yet, although I was "tagged" a couple weeks ago and apparently am supposed to do so. One of these days I'll get around to that. In the meantime, here is one thing you may not know about me: I haven't eaten meat since July. Here's the deal. Although I cut most dairy from my diet nearly 25 years ago after being told I was lactose intolerant, it wasn't... Continue reading

I'm not going to lie to you: I've been feeling pretty down this week. For one thing, my dog died, and it has hit me harder than I ever expected. There are moments when my chest aches from the heartbreak, and I've come to realize that it may take more than a few days to completely work through the grief. But rather than listening to my head - which is telling me to curl up in my cozy bed with a jar of peanut butter, a bag of dark chocolate chunks, a spoon, and a movie - I've been listening... Continue reading

Yesterday, we said goodbye to our beautiful dog, Ranger. By the time he was diagnosed with bone cancer in June, our vet told us it had already spread to Ranger's lungs, and that he would probably only be with us a few more months, at most. It was hard to believe. Despite the large lump on Ranger's front leg that had appeared out of the blue and prompted our vet appointment, Ranger seemed perfectly healthy. He was only 5 years old, still such a young dog. He wasn't even limping. Our family was determined to make the most of the... Continue reading

The first time I can remember tasting a fresh Medjool date was two years ago, at the downtown farmer's market. I was walking by the stand of local organic grower Del Real, and they offered me a taste. After just one bite, I fell in love with the candy-like fruit. Over the following months, I tried them in sweet and savory recipes, snacked on them, and basically giggled with delight every time the dates' sticky sweetness passed my lips... and then I never blogged about them. Bad blogger! That I've never shared a single date recipe with you is a... Continue reading

Jordan Winery Chateau. Once upon a time (what seems like an eternity ago), I spent part of a summer in France as an exchange student, living with a French family in Chonas-L'Amballan, a tiny town in the countryside outside Lyon. My host family took me to visit Alsace, with its picturesqe towns and beautiful Strasbourg cathedral. We went camping along the Rhône River, and attended a jazz concert in Lyon. My host mom, Marthe, was an excellent and frequent cook who introduced me to Raclette, among other delicious dishes. I tagged along as my host father, Romi, gathered honey from... Continue reading

Today's post - Part 2: The Food - is the second of two posts in which I share my experience at a recent dinner and wine pairing. You can read Part 1: The Wine, here. As you may recall, I had the pleasure of enjoying a wine pairing dinner at Enotria Restaurant|Wine Bar recently. But before I share my dinner experience with you, let's talk a bit about Wine Road, the organizer and host of the event. Founded more than 30 years ago, Wine Road is an association of more than 150 wineries and 50 lodgings in the Alexander, Dry... Continue reading