A vacation project in progress and sleepelss nights

Well, I'm on my way to finish a business project through the website - a vacation research and planning for an old lady, willing to travel alone... Sounds sad in the beginning but on afterthought, why not? Isn't travelling alone a special, dedicated journey? I can relate to that 100%. My best travels, those that left lasting memories, were the travels I undertook alone. It may be only me, it may be the way I see things where everyone else doesn't see anything, but I loved my travelling alone and was never lonely.

Paris was such a travel - the first time. It was then that I found the bookinists, the artists in Monmartre, the little Moroccan restaurant which I still visit regularly, the Italian pizzeria where the wine gets better each year, the buses to take me to Versaille and Fontainebleau, the squares where the Three Musketeers spent restless nights having duels, the paved narrow streets with wooden doors in stone walls behind which I could clearly hear the whisper of long women dresses...

I think it is the perception. We are all so different. If the person we are travelling with doesn't see the same things or at least similar, the trip can easily turn into a nightmare. A fairy tale lover travelling with a master of logical thinking? I've been there. It doesn't work.

Anyways, I'm happy. The old lady is going to a quiet Provencal mansion where she will enjoy home made food, nice little excursions, village market, some wine tasting, and even sunbathing. All this in the company of a few American ladies around her age. I would have arranged some Spanish time for her too, or Portugal but it's too hot and heavy for her. The pine trees next to the Mediterranean will be better. I did such a good job, very proud of myself :))

And it's already Canada Day, so happy one to all celebrating out there! I'm off to finish the "One Year In Provence" by Peter Mayle. Being on the last few pages, I find "A Good Year" much better although my favourite book related to South France remains "Chocolat" by Joanne Harris. She should have stopped there. "The Lollypop Shoes" was not good enough, in my humble opinion.

Good night to all the world, sleep well and dream of moonwalks, waves, and secret paths in night gardens.

On child care

For those of you who, just like me, have to look for a child care, check this article: http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_childcare_selectcc

This is one of the websites I have used extensively while I was raising my baby and one of the best sources of updated and friendly written information on everything baby related - food, toys, etc. I was lucky to find a child care which absolutely meets my requirements following the advices of these guys! A big thank you to them.

By the way, do you often travel with your babies or do you prefer to leave them with someone else? My baby started travelling when he was six months old, he was exposed to the beauty of Provence first (naturally!), then kept travelling with me. I can't even imagine a trip without him now! I need his presence like I need the smell of herbs in the summer mornings.

Promoting via today's social media and my memories

Just wanted to share a great meeting I had with the even greater Shesconnected staff. You can see the link to the website on the left panel. It is a place where busy women can connect with other busy women. Very comfy and relaxed environment which I prefer to the more hectic and frantic Facebook or MySpace. Just my preferences, of course.



After I met with these nice and smart people, I couldn't help but think how much promotion has changed since I graduated (I know, I sound like my grandma!). We were wowed by Internet then and now everyone is clicking, chatting, twitting, etc. while walking, running, eating, and so on. While I appreciate the enourmous freedom it gives us, I'm also a bit concerned for human communication. Maybe because I'm a person of the south and what I love are the long suppers, even longer drinks after sunset, and of course - the meaningful or funny conversations. Hopefully, my son will have the chance to learn the same.



Anyways, my point was Shesconnected is a very nice place, and it gives me the opportunity to share without being attacked. :))) Check it out.



And last but not least, have I ever shared how I felt the first time my feet touched the fertile land of Provence? No? Then I'm sharing it now - I was breathless. The air wouldn't leave my lungs and I felt it painful. That's how I remember my Provence - like a sweet pain. Then I threw myself between two rows of lavender and my father took a picture of me. You know, they say a picture takes away your soul. It is true - my soul remained there, in this lavender field forever. My biggest problem - I can't forget it nor can I stop longing for it. Reminds me of a first love. Never consumed, ever desired.



For more lovely pictures of France and all over the world, visit this website (where this photo is taken from): http://www.voyagevirtuel.co.uk/provence-riviera.en.php You can even send any of these photos like a postcard for free.



I'm celebrating this memory today with



Eggplants in tomato sauce



2-3-4 eggplants (choose deep coloured but still hard ones)

1 kg tomatoes (preferably the plum ones)

2-3 cloves of garlic

fresh parsley

all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of sugar

salt



Cut the eggplants into circles half an inch thick. Salt them slightly and roll in flour, they should be well covered. Bring oil (preferably olive oil) to high heat (5-5.5 on my stove) and fry the eggplants. Never deep fry vegetables. Use really high heat and keep the eggplants or any other vegetable in it only for 5-7 minutes. This will keep the vitamins inside and the fattening oil outside. The eggplants are ready when they turn golden, don't wait till they become brown. Meanwhile stew the garlic in some olive oil (4-5 tablespoons), add the grated tomatoes (I use my blender to turn them into puree). Bring to boil. Add the sugar and the salt, wait to boil again and finally add the parsley. Now remove the lid and let it boil at low heat for at least half an hour, it should thicken.

Put the fried eggplants on a big tray and pour the sauce on top of them. let it rest for about an hour. Run to the bakery for some warm baguettes and enjoy with many friends, on an outside table with cold white wine!

Summer is here!

Hello everyone! Summer is here! I'm excited and a little sad. The latter is a result of the fact that I won't have a vacation anytime soon. I'm also getting a bit tired of the endless job search. Some ideas about my own business cause me sleepless nights but in the absense of any capital, there is little hope for my ideas to become true. However, I read a blog a few days ago where the author was explaining this trend in the USA - the financial and employment crisis increased significantly the number of people who decided to take the risk and start their own business, despite the fact that banks are far more difficult to lend money these days. Isn't that interesting? It may turn out the crisis will bring some good luck too...

Otherwise, I've been cooking some light food lately as the warm weather doesn't motivate me for heavy meals. If you haven't tried the traditional South European cold soup Tarator, now is the time. It is light, refreshing, and very healthy.


*The photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

Tarator

one yogurt

one cucumber

one-two cloves of garlic

one handfull of crushed wallnuts

two-three tablespoons of sunflower oil

dill

Beat the yogurt very well until it is liquid, add the grated cucumber, the finely cut garlic and the wallnuts. Add the oil and mix all very well. Add one-two cups of cold water. You can add ice cubes too. If you prefer it a bit salty, add some salt. At the end add finely cut dill - just a spoon. Enjoy!

Is summer coming anytime soon?

I freely admit the cool weather which reminds me more of October than of June is killing me! I'm eager for sun rays, heat, long evenings and velvet nights. My thoughts are running towards beaches and sea coasts where women walk in the dusk leaving a delicate trace of perfume and men in linen pants share the last sport news after an aperitif. But here I am, still studying, still looking forward to having a vacation.

Last week I went to a huge book store and instead of some professional literature, I found myself out carrying two books about provence, one book about travelling in the Mediterranean and one book on Gipsy magic... Now, the last one I didn't buy and that was the curious thing. I found it under the other ones only after I was already on my way home. The cashier put it there. I wonder if I look that much in need of magic?

Do you consider such events just coincidences or do you believe everything that happens to us was meant to happen and has a purpose? I'm willing to believe the latter as I definitely need some magic right now.

Other things started happening too. Like more people talking to me about one particular place where I want to be. Or having a fortune cookie which tells me something related to this place. Of course, my mind may consider them all natural but my heart doesn't want to believe.

And in addition, my best friend told me to watch "The Secret" to get an idea on how magic could work. I guess I'm one of the few who hadn't seen it yet as I understand it was very popular. It sounds OK although I find all these people quite overreacting at times. In general, I know energy comes and goes and there is logic in assuming that positive would bring the same and vice versa. In any case, I'm practicing visualization every day. And I come from a place where all this was known long ago but never had commercial success. may be the people didn't want it to have. May be it was supposed to remain a secret.