Ooh La-La Paris

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We arrived at the Paris Beauvais airport about 9 o’clock this morning. After a long bus ride and a  ride in a taxi we arrived at our Hotel by 11:00. Our room is small, a little too small. I already have a bruise on my knee from banging it on the bathroom sink. Hopefully we don’t kill ourselves just trying to shower.

For lunch we headed out to the street and were overwhelmed with all our options. There are hundreds of cafes, brasseries, gelato shops, street vendors selling amazing looking sandwiches and more cafes.

I chose the restaurant that had the Nicoise salad on their menu. The first time I was in Paris these salads were my favorite thing to eat. I recreated it at home many times after that trip but it never tasted the same.

Nicoise salad

You know what else is exciting? Look at what is right around the corner from our hotel…

Laduree Macarons

Eating a macaron from this shop in Paris was on my bucket list. I got the chocolate, check!

Next we hit up Notre -Dame Cathedral, Paris’ most beloved church. Pretty amazing stuff.

Notre-Dame

After a short sieste, we headed back out into the hustle and bustle of the Parisian night life. We weren’t up for much more than dinner, what really sounded good was a good nights sleep. We ate dinner at a little restaurant that featured a prix fix menu. That seems to be the way to go for dinner here.

I had the french onion soup, shrimp risotto and ended with creme brûlée. It was all very good. Shane had the french onion soup, beef bourguignon and ended with the apple crisp, he was pleased.

Bon Soir!

Ciao!

~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment
A delicious way to end our time in Italy

Today was our last day in Rome and we started it off with a cappuccino. A very good cappuccino. We decided to head back to the Spanish steps to for one last look and to check out all the fancy shops around that area.

For lunch we picked a random restaurant we spotted along our walk. Fresh pasta can’t be beat but I wasn’t impressed with the sauce that came on it, too much olive oil and a pinch too much of salt.

Shane made a good choice and ordered the fresh Gnocchi, that was by far the best Gnocchi I have ever had. Simply delicious.

baked Gnocchi

After an afternoon stroll to see more sites we headed back to the hotel to pack up. Our flight is super early and we have a car picking us up at 4:45 am. Time for some sleep.

See you in Paris.

Italy Again.

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After our really fun first day we took advantage of being able to sleep in. I think it was close to 10 in the morning before we rolled out of bed and it was fantastic.

We decided today was the day to check out the Vatican. It was a hike to get there and hot as hell but such a beautiful site to see.

Along the trek we stumbled across some very good gelato. I later found out that this place is a must-try in Rome. Lucky us. I had the pistcahio and tiramisu and Shane had the chocolate wine and it was all amazingly delicious.

The rest of our day didn’t work out the way we had hoped. After seeing the Vatican we decided to walk all the way down the river to check out a restaurant. Da Meo Patacca has been around for years and one of my moms favorites from Rome. I really wanted to eat there, even if it was just a snack but once we arrived, we saw that it was closed. That was a sad part of the day. We decided to truck on back to Camp De Fiori to check out the farmers market and people watch but once we got there they were breaking it down for the day. Another disappointment.

However, we did see the most awesome police care ever. Check out this Lotus. I can only imagine the ego on Mr. officer.

After a snack we headed closer to the hotel to have a drink and some bruschetta before relaxing in our room

The evening was spent planning our next day and getting some reading and writing done. Tomorrow, skies the limit with a modest 97 degrees and 80% humidity.

Bella Roma!

~ Girlmom ~ 4 Comments

After a long day of traveling  we made it to our first destination Rome, Italy. We took a recommendation and stayed at the Aberdeen Hotel. It has air conditioning and is in a good location that is all we really need.

After a good nights sleep we woke up and hit the road with the Colosseum in mind.

The weather is hot, in the high 90s with high humidity.

We walked along the river to the must see’s in Rome. Stopping first at Campo de fiori for some fresh fruit and vino.

market Campo de Fiori

After an overdue break we headed out into the heat to see Piazza Navona. Maybe not the best spot to eat lunch but the view was perfect. If you are anything like us, people watching can be just as funny as going to a comedy improv.

We ate a one of the many restaurants in the Piazza, we ordered the cheese plate and pizza margherita. It was good maybe even great but not outstanding.

After lunch we checked out the Trevi Fountain {holy tourist trap}. It is as amazing as I remember it and we will go back at night to see the real beauty!

About 6 months ago, Shane, Kaili and I along with 2 of our friends ate dinner at Il Fornio in Del Mar. Our waiter was fantastic and told us about his friend Marco who lived and worked in Rome. After telling him about our upcoming trip to Italy our waiter wrote down the restaurant his friend served at and told us to stop in for dinner. That is exactly what we did.

Spanish steps

a generous snack from Marco

Ciampini is located at the top of the Spanish steps. We sat outside and enjoyed a glass of vino while we waited to meet Marco. When I showed him the note from his buddy back in the states he was thoroughly touched and went on to tell us about how they met and the adventures they had together, it was a really awesome experience.

We decided on dinner near the Pantheon, the food was fine, nothing spectacular. I do hope to have one amazing meal before we leave. I threw one more coin into the Trevi for good measure. The day was fun filled and I can’t wait to do it all over again!

Getting her to Eat

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Kaili’s appetite is hit or miss these days. She also doesn’t do well with leftovers but who can blame her on that? Eating the same thing meal after meal is plain boring. I remembered something I saw on Pinterest and gave it a shot. I put a variety of cut up food in an ice cube tray and let her have at it.

I started small with just three options.

I didn’t give her much credit going in, I thought within the first 2 minutes the food would be dumped out but she proved me wrong.

hmm, what do we have here?

She was intrigued and carefully chose what she would start with.

I think this was a hit because it was a fun new way to eat lunch. I imagine the glory will fade but hey, she ate  it all but the crackers.

Tried and true. If you have a toddler who loves a meal time battle,  give it a try.

Arrivederci! Au Revoir!

~ Girlmom ~ 1 Comment

Tomorrow the hubs and I  are leaving on a jet plane. In 24 hours we will be on our way to Rome, where we  will celebrate our 6 year anniversary  by frolicking through the Colosseum, throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain and sipping wine on the Spanish steps. Then we are going to head to Paris to play on the Eiffel Tower, eat Nicoise salads and check out the art at the Louvre. At the end of our solo vacation we are going to stop in on Brussels to eat  chocolate and drink some beer.

September 9, 2006

I am excited and really looking forward to some alone time with Shane. We only see each other 3 days a week and those days are shared loving our Kaili. This getaway  is going to be really good for us. However I am going to miss this face more than words can express.

My little love

As much as I will miss her, I know she will be in great hands and have so much fun with her aunt and uncle and both sets of her grandparents. I worry she will miss me but kids are resilient, I am the one who  will have the harder time.

At the end of the month our folks are flying Kaili out to London where we will meet them at the flat we are renting in Camden. I am already excited about being reunited with my sweet babe.

what? you don’t eat breakfast with your shades on?

As wonderful as mommyhood is, it doesn’t come with much time off , this trip is exactly what I need after the past few years I have had. I am a very lucky girl to be able to go on a vacation like this and I intend to enjoy every second of it.

Stay tuned for some Italian fun!

Chili Chicken and Basil

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This recipe is an old favorite. I think I got it out of one of my magazines years ago.  The nice thing about this dish is if you are like me then you probably  have most if not all the ingredients in your kitchen already. It’s low in calories and can be served over rice, couscous or quinoa.

I use 2 serranos like the recipe calls for but I can’t imagine everyone liking it that spicy, because it is hot! So if you have a heat tolerance I would start with one.

Ingredients

1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breast ( or 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs )
3 cloves garlic
2 Serrano’s
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tbsp red chili paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
2 cups fresh basil

Directions

Cut the chicken into small pieces, then finely chop the garlic and chillies.

Preheat a wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil, the garlic and the chilis and fry for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the chicken pieces to the pan, cooking them until they’re lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, red chili paste and sugar, and continue to cook until the chicken is done all the way through, another 3-4 minutes.

Add the pepper and basil and cook until the basil is just wilted, about two minutes. Serve immediately.

We Went to the Animal Fair, the Birds and the Beasts Were There….

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Kaili and I went up to OC to visit my parents and check out the Orange County Fair, I can’t remember the last time I went.

As soon as we got through the entrance we hit the petting zoo. Goats, pigs, Llamas, miniature donkeys and 90 degree weather, who wouldn’t love it? Kaili was a little timid and not terribly sure about being left on the ground with these “gigantic” animals. At first she was enjoying a real life animal adventure.

And then she wasn’t sure anymore.

After a lunch of corn dogs and gyros we let Kaili play with the water area. She approached it with caution but then went full force getting completely soaked. She also met a little friend, she seemed to think this little boys nipple was a button, just kept pushing it. How embarrassing.

Kaili was a trooper and ran out of gas about 4 hours in but so did my dad, so it all worked out.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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This original Cooking Light recipe calls for a Salsa Verde  sauce and  great northern beans . This time I decided to try it with enchilada sauce and black beans and I was pleased. It’s an easy way get your Mexican food fix without blowing up the calories, and it can feed the family for days! However you decide to make it, green sauce or red, I know you will happy with the results.

*Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.

Ingredients

 1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup prechopped fresh onion

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Dash of ground red pepper

2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken

1 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided

1/2 cup sliced ripe olives, divided

18 (6-inch) corn tortillas, divided

Cooking spray

2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided

1 cup non-fat milk

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 (16-ounce) can enchilada sauce

10 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream

Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Directions

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add prechopped onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in beans; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chicken, 1/2 cup green onions, and 7 tablespoons ripe olives; stir well.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Layer 6 tortillas on bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas; sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 6 tortillas.

Combine milk, chopped cilantro, and enchilada sauce in a blender, and process until smooth. Pour over top of tortillas.

Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining 1/2 cup green onions, and remaining 1 tablespoon olives. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with sour cream. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.