last weekend and today

[ursula]

This morning I wandered around U. Village, the trendy outdoor shopping mall down the hill from me. I bought a pair of shoes that I've been yearning after for a while, since they're the summery version of the little red shoes I'm very fond of. It's still strange to me that I'm grown-up enough to want more than summer sandals and winter boots-- and grown-up enough to pay for them! Such luxury! But the real purpose of the expedition was to pick up a plate I made for glasseye from one of those places where you paint your own dishes. I painted his device, a green shield with an ermine chief and a white sun. The shield came out a lovely glossy green, but I'm most proud of the stylized leaves round the border.

I was at Paint the Town a week ago, for a birthday party for my officemate, S. I don't think I've talked about S much here, but I've definitely enjoyed sharing an office with her and I'm very sad that she's leaving. She'll be moving to Michigan in just over a week! S is sweet and kind and friendly and has any number of talents, including the harp and yoga and drawing. I wish I had gotten to know her when she first came to this city, two years ago, instead of waiting until we did share an office. It's so sad to realize friendships too slowly.

S's birthday was just the start of a busy weekend. Saturday morning I walked to the farmer's market, and bought whole-wheat bread, spinach, chard, fresh garlic, and feta cheese. I spent a quiet afternoon, but in the evening J&L arrived, bearing riches from China! They gave us a gorgeous little teapot shaped like an eggplant with a miniature eggplant for a lid. glasseye and I and J&L stayed up late into the night, sharing -- variously -- beer, Scotch, and ginger-lemon tea, and talking about China, Philadelphia, and old times together. The next day we all went to Folklife, along with J's mother, aunt, and grandmother. We all wandered around together, so I didn't get to dance. :( But we did hear all sorts of music, in particular Spoonshine, bluegrass with string bass! And I spent a long time looking longingly at silk coats, made by a local artist from Indian sari materials. Wonderful thick material with a twirly skirt -- but the best pattern, with little swirling rosebuds, was on a coat one size too small, and I wanted to be absolutely in love before I bought one. (The booth was called Silk Dragons. I got a card, but she doesn't have a website.) I celebrated Memorial-eve by making elaborate pizzas, two with leeks, mushrooms, and white wine, and two with spinach, olives, and the feta I bought earlier in the weekend. Yum.

That brings me back to tonight's culinary adventure, which was Persian rice with barberries. Barberries are incredibly sour, like the dried-fruit version of Sour Patch Kids. I love sour food, but two cups were a little much! And I forgot part of the tah dig step, so no crunchy buttery bottom layer to my rice. But it was one of the most beautiful dishes I've seen in a long time, all white and red and yellow (the recipe asked for a teaspoon of ground saffron), and small amounts with yoghurt and garlic were wonderful.

[Same game.]

Comments

[tejolote.livejournal.com]

The whole weekend sounds scrumptious. Makes me happy to hear it.

[ursula]

I'm glad! (One of the points of the game is to write more about food ;) )

[aryanhwy.livejournal.com]

Writing about food is a good thing. :) I've gleaned many tasty recipes and tips from friends LJs. If you hadn't already done me in this game, I'd guessed that this was me! :)

[ursula]

You do seem to have an affinity of style with the person I'm thinking of. Maybe when I'm done being mysterious I should formally-by-lj-standards introduce you!

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

are you starting over with the f-list or still working through it the first time?

[ursula]

I'm working through the list of people who asked me once (seems like it could be a mean game if someone didn't want to play!), with maybe a couple repeats if someone didn't guess the first one.

[flammifera.livejournal.com]

No smiley faces, which gives me pause ;), but is it me? It's lengthier than your usual post, and seems to contain vocabulary and sentences I use. (e.g., spelling 'yoghurt' with the British spelling...)

Plus, I believe I remember that the previous entry in the game that franzeska and I both thought was me turned out to be aryanhwy. You have interesting friends anyway, and the similarity in our style would make me even more happy to be introduced-via-lj.

[ursula]

It is you-- there is a frowny face for not dancing, after all!

aryanhwy and I have never met, but we've been geeking out about medieval names for years now. She's doing a Ph.D. at the University of Amsterdam, concentrating on medieval logic.

[flammifera.livejournal.com]

It is you-- there is a frowny face for not dancing, after all!

Ah yes. Somehow I'd forgotten about that by the time I wrote the comment. Very appropriate, indeed. :)

[ursula]

As flammifera observes below, this is her, but she thought that yours was her originally. So there's a bit of an overlap. flammifera and I know each other from undergrad-- she did her degree in Greek and Medieval Studies, spent time in Wales & Spain, and learned a million kinds of dance.

[aryanhwy.livejournal.com]

Definitely sounds like my kind of person. :) Nice to meet you, flammifera!

[flammifera.livejournal.com]

Yes -- hearing that you're doing a Ph.D in an area of medieval studies makes me think you're definitely my kind of person! Nice to meet you too. :)

I will browse your journal and possibly write more extensive geeky comments at some point when I'm not at another law firm for a couple days, which means I should actually make efforts to work hard...