List of Things

Since Erik and I are both overwhelmed with work, here just a list of things we did and saw and ate during the last week or so, while our friends Emma and Stephen were visiting us (coincidentally and independent of each other):

1. Looks like chick flick, smells like chick flick, walks like chick flick: but it's not a chick flick. Watch Away We Go, if you get a chance. It's a bittersweet comedy about two 30-somethings without a real job or home, and because they are pregnant they really want to have both before their baby girl arrives. If you're in grad school, you know the feeling of "Oh Gosh, I'm a loser, 'cause I'm so old but haven't really achieved anything yet!" It's that kind of movie...



2. We watched three other movies on DVD; Gran Torino (with Clint Eastwood) was quite good; How to Lose Friends and Alienate People was quite awful; and xxxxx was so bad I don't even want to admit to having rented it.

3. Culinary highlights:
(a) In restaurants: Casual dinner at Zaftigs, our all-time favorite delicatessen; and fancy dinner at the Washington Square Tavern, which was out! of! this! world!
(b) In backyards: The 4th-of-July BBQ at Norah and Matt's house included a very fabulous banana pudding that Norah claims is a tradition in her Montana home, although I've had it only in Mississippi before. Paired with Jenn's delicious (French) apple pie---mmmmm!! On July 5th, John and Tom invited us into their backyard for another round of tasty BBQ that included homemade cole slaw and Greek beer.

4. John's two nieces joined us on Sunday, and we forced the older one, Eva, to play Tom's piano. Boy, she knows how to play! The music highlight of the summer so far, really.

5. Norah brought back a present from Paris, where she's spent two weeks this summer: I now own a Paris apron!!! (Remember, I blogged about how much I wanted one.)

6. I showed Emma around Harvard Yard, and we walked almost the entire length of the Freedom Trail (we skipped the U.S.S. Constitution). And because it was the 4th of July weekend, we were joined by 200.000 tourists and about as many tourist guides, the latter dressed in period outfits. It was very crowded but fun.

7. I took Erik and Emma to Brandeis campus to show off my new office. Yes, I need to brag: I have an office, all to myself, with a giant window. All I need are the keys to it... :)