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.

I feel like running away.

Have you seen the "Runaway Bride"? That's how I've been feeling lately. There are three more months of studies ahead, a part-time job which turned out to eat far more time than half a day, a house to care for, and most important of all - a toddler to look after. I need a break. Desperately. I know writing fragments is unprofessional but this one pleases me. It is dramatic.



Aside from the hectic everyday life, I'm feeling guilty. I had to send my son to a daycare and despite the fact that I found what I believe to be the best existing centre in the city, I still feel a lump in my throat every day. It is me who is lonely and needs him. I can hardly wait to 5:00 p.m. to take him back. Sometimes he is playing and doesn't feel like going home yet and I feel so proud and sad at the same time. He is walking his own path already, I know. Where does my path lay I wonder?

Have you ever had the feeling that someone/something is pushing you back only to make you realize you're going in the wrong direction? What do you do then? Change your ways or keep going like you always did? Tell me!

I tend to think that negative trends are trying to tell me something. I've been in the middle of such for the last two years and can't help but feel like I must make a turn and look for other opportunities, elsewhere. It scares me though. Because this time I think it will be a major change. Roots will have to twist and ground will be lost, cracks will appear...

I'm in a travelling mood again, does it show? My dreams won't leave me alone. As usual my travelling is not simply vacationing but means new life, new places, new people, all from the beginning, and so on. Some people tell me they envy me. Others just shake their heads in contempt. I can't figure out how to treat my own folly. Still, I adore these dreams. They keep me standing on my feet when all around seems dull and lacking perspective.

Have you ever found yourself at a place where you suddenly realized you belonged there? Would you share the story? Were you able to leave? Forever or did you go back there?

It seems I will go back, sooner or later. This restlessness is so well known to me. I've felt like that before. It always ends the same way - something is ruined, another comes to life. There is a little of nostalgia, of course, but the overwhelming happiness covers it with golden patina. Until the next dream hurts the eyes with its unbearable honesty. And "the road goes ever on and on," as my most favourite author Tolkien once wrote.

Meanwhile I translated a book - teen fiction. Hopefully, it will be published and will bring success to its author. I miss writing. I've been coming up with different stories for my son and may be some day will sit and write them down. As about the book I started about a year ago, it is still in my head but somehow words don't come out smoothly these days. After days of heavy thinking, I decided it needed a break.

Me too.

The time I start dreaming of my fairy land has come!

We were all terribly sick at home - the baby, the husband and myself. It was really scary as I thought of all this flu news and took the baby to the ER twice a week! Thankfully, it was just what they call "common cold" and which turns out to be neither common nor cold, but a sickness caused by more than 100 viruses, can you believe that? Well, our virus was not only cruel but also very resistant to any over the counter pills. Anyway, we got out of this at last!





When the spring comes I always feel an urge to go back to the sea where I've spent so many happy hours, days and years. It is my big love and I miss it badly. It is curious how things haven't changed over the years and Provence has never left my heart. I can smell the lavender even now, sitting in my living room at the other end of the world. The sun rays touch gently my skin, the grapes melt in my mouth and the brightly patterned dresses of the women run in front of my eyes... And I love it, this land of fairy tales, princes and princesses, elves and gods of old. I still hope one day my feet will take me to my own house there.



So, I've been quite nostalgic lately and my craving for the sea and Provence led me (no wonder!) to a good portion of Ratatouille! Here is a recipe I make which is slightly different from the original and is closer to my personal taste without being too far from the real stuff:

1 kg tomatoes
1 average to big eggplant
2-3 average zucchini
3-4 bell pepper (I prefer 2 green and 1 red)
2 big onion heads
3-4 cloves garlic
herbs - I use thyme and parsley, or parsley only, or thyme only, and don't use basil
olive oil
salt, pepper

Grate the tomatoes. Originally you should peel them but I don't do that. I simply buy well riped tomatoes and grate them with regular grater. Chop the onion and garlic. Clean the bell pepper, cut into small pieces (bite size). In a big pot with thick bottom, put the olive oil, onions and chopped garlic. Add the bell pepper. Cover to keep in the moisture and stew, don't fry! Cook for 20 minutes, stir regularly, and add olive oil as necessary to prevent singing. Add the tomatoes and the herbs. Stir well and cook more. The mixture should thicken before you proceed. Cut the eggplant into circles. Cut the zucchini same way. Originally you should not peel them but I don't like it this way and I peel both the eggplant and the zucchini. Add them to the pot. Cook until they are soft and ready. Enjoy! Or check the highly original recipe and preparation given on this website which is at my links section: http://www.beyond.fr/food/ratatouille.html