one block away from our "temporary" apartment, is home to a wonderful smell. every time i walk by my nose goes straight towards the source, a warehouse sandwiched between a uniform cleaning service and a condo complex that is under construction. ABN and i have had an ongoing argument about what is producing such a captivating smell - he argued sticky buns while i rationalized that maybe the smell wasn't coming from the unmarked building at all but rather from the uniform cleaners (you never know, cleaning solution could have that freshly baked yummy goodness smell). but then yesterday, as we were driving past, en route to a special birthday dinner (i know, my birthday is in march, just go with it), there was a truck outside the warehouse...panOrama bread company. using my trusty iphone (my best friend in these here parts) i tried to figure out where one can purchase this olfactory heaven but alas, i couldn't figure out much other than a couple of random farmer's markets. if you know the secret, please let a hungry red head in!
we have spent the last 24 hours embarking on a new challenge - painting our new apartment. we don't move in until the 1st, when our truck arrives from boston full of our stuff (!) but thought it would be a good idea to get the painting done before the heavy furniture is placed. although some might not totally understanding painting a rental (ABN) painting this fabulous apartment (and it is fabulous, but i'll wait to share more until we move in) was not open for negotiation (brown living room, maroon bedroom, brown hallway...you get it, i know you get it). yesterday we measured and picked paint. today we put up tape throughout the apartment and primed one room. i'm not going back to PN until wednesday (i did work this morning, there was a quarterly training) so i'm pretty much painting until then.
living room: caramel sugar
bedroom: dreamy clouds
hallway: scarlet sun
ABN has been sorta crabby about the whole painting scene and the more i offer to take the lead, the crabbier he seems to get. after many hours of him sulking and me prodding it was finally revealed that most of his hesitation has to do with the fact that the only painting experience either of us has ever had is me with a certain $10 set of drawers from ikea. when i moved into 52 egerton i had the brilliant idea that i could make it fabulous and bought paint and stencils. i painted it fine but then the paint peeled off (it was after all not much more than lacquered cardboard). so i started over again and primed it and then painted...and again the paint peeled off. the final result was living two years with a primed, peeling, set of cardboard drawers. so i guess i hear where his hesitation is coming from, and yet...i see the two instances as having little to nothing in common.
so while parts of painting are trying i try to keep this moment in mind (it lifts my spirits): i came to the apartment to paint straight from work so i had asked ABN to bring my "painting clothes" and since i he prone to forgetting these types of things i placed my painting clothes directly on top of his but under the car keys. guess what he forgot? in order to not delay the painting any longer, but in order to not get paint on my one pair of work pants, ABN let me wear his shorts and he painted in his boxers. so picture a huge window, looking out on to our peaceful street and ABN standing on a chair in the window painting the trim, in his boxers. funny. funnier is when our new neighbor walks onto the driveway and begins to introduce himself to ABN (the windows being open for ventilation) who is only wearing boxers...well boxers and a tshirt...but very clearly, boxers. all of a sudden painting isn't really so stressful after all.
so birthday dinner last night...so full-filling.
we went to the greens and both enjoyed the tasting menu - paired with wines
our first course was andante dairy crottin; cucumber, radish and frisee salad; olives and acme bread - paired with lucien albrecht cremant d'alsace brut rose
next i had a wilted spinach salad with gravenstein apples, goat cheese, roasted onions, pumpkin seeds, cider vinegar and hot olive oil - paired with dehesa gago tempranillo 2006,
and ABN had heirloom tomatoes with green gulch lettuces, curly cress, lemon cucumbers and creamy point reyes original blue cheese dressing - paired with b rose of pinot noir, 2006
for dinner i had a filo purse with japanese eggplant, summer squash, peppers roasted tomatoes, torpedo onions, asiago and basil. served with warm cannellini beans and broccoli di ciccio with pine nuts and pepper flakes - paired with the best glass of wine i've ever tasted: domaine vieux telegraphe 2006, chateauneuf du pape
and ABN had a chanterelle mushroom and leek tartlet with gruyere and roasted garlic custard. served with roasted green gulch potatoes, carrots and cipollini onions - paired with alma rosa pinot noir
we also had dessert - me: pluot brioche bread pudding with lemon verbena ice cream and brown sugar caramel; him: chocolate angel food cake with bittersweet chocolate sauce and raspberry ice cream...but i can't get the pictures to load...you'd be too jealous anyway :)
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