Tuesday, March 24, 2009

We started the week off right, tripping down to the Marylebone Farmers’ Market (foodie delight), after Mass. (BTW we think we’ve found the church for us – nice feel to it, mix of families and otherwise, religious ed for the kids, etc.) And, currently, at least, no major construction projects! Built in the 1960’s, it isn’t your typical old world European church. It’s circular, brick, very modern stained glass windows on one side. Walking distance from where we’ll most likely reside and Claire will be able to make her First Holy Communion the same year she would in the U.S.

Regarding the market, great place to spend a couple of hours – lots of organic and natural meats. (What, pray tell, is unnaturally raised meat? Something comprised in a beaker with 80 different chemicals?)

Anyway, we snagged some lamb steaks (which were fabulous, had them tonight for dinner), hand made sausages (also delicious), two different kinds of cheeses (half of which Ava polished off before we left), some homemade bread and brownies that Claire picked out and some cheap, incredibly fresh veggies. Word to the wise: do not go to the market hungry.

We also had sandwiches while we wandered. The salt marsh lamb people, who raise sheep on salt marsh areas in the English countryside were grilling and selling their meat on ciabatta rolls with fresh greens and various chutneys. DELICIOUS. (Salt marsh diet -- sounds appetizing, doesn't it? -- gives the lamb a different flavor and makes it more tender, we were told.)

This particular market is a subway stop from us, located in a car park near all kinds of great cafes, a cheese shop to die for and renowned butcher shop. Suffice it to say it’s definitely on my radar.

On Monday I zipped down to the Saatchi Gallery, which opened 20 years ago to “provide an innovative forum for contemporary art, presenting work by largely unseen young artists or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK.”

My interest in checking it out stemmed from reading about what’s currently on exhibit there -- Unveiled: New Art From the Middle East. The exhibit, with artists from Cairo, Tehran, Beirut, Jordan, Dubai, etc., was laid out throughout the entire three floors of the building, a lovely, modern facility with an airy feel to it.

The works were thought-provoking, some disturbing, many intense and political in nature. A somber experience, at least for me, it was enlightening and well worth seeing. And an ideal solo trip (not kid friendly material, plus let’s face it, my children are museum-ed out. Unless it’s the chocolate museum, which I mentioned the other day as we discussed our upcoming Easter trip to Belgium).

Re: our spring break plans...originally we were thinking Paris but frankly Brussels sounds like a better short getaway, less costly than gay Paris in springtime and fewer sites so I won’t feel like a rat on crack trying to see everything.

As for school, we're settling into a nice routine, I think. Though I’m still puzzling over Ava’s Abercorn days. For example, today I asked about lunch (she is fed at the cafeteria, where a chef whips out lunch for all the kids daily), wherein I was told the cafeteria is closed and "they bussed us to McDonalds." Previously I was told the menu for today included pasta, hot dogs, apples, peas, bread, potatoes, rice, chicken...

And you wouldn't believe what they pack in each day there: gymnastics, ballet, numbers, letters, library, French, art all day long, PE everywhere, etc. Good thing the kid has a schedule so I do have a sense of what happens there! What an imagination.

Today I had great fun with 24 other women from the International Committee at the American School; we got together to watch a demonstration on Mexican food and eat some incredibly great homemade salsa, queso, tortillas, fajitas, guacamole, tamales. Naturally sampled with margaritas.

From there I marched off to the grocery store and have since decided margaritas before shopping might not be the most prudent move. For example, I’ve yet to figure out where the chicken broth is in that store. I’m sure they devote half an aisle to the stuff…canned, boxed, organic, free range, bullion cubes, low salt bullion cubes, organic bullion cubes, broth mix, you get the picture… it’s no doubt the tequila’s fault that I missed them all.

It’s also responsible for all the heavy stuff that found its way into my cart (it’s all fun and games to purchase a bunch of food but then there is the transportation of said food when one is car-less).

I do exaggerate a bit; I got nearly everything I needed with a few extras (who doesn’t like ben and jerry’s ice cream, esp. when it’s on sale). Next thing you know I’ll be writing about taking a bus to Wendy’s for frosties.