My To-Do list for the week of 9/27:

Put classical music podcasts on my iPod
Buy not-too-expensive noise-reduction headphones
Buy another memory card for the camera ("film")
Ration out multivitamins, anti-jet lag pills, and melatonin pills
Print out several Google maps and travel info
Go on a massive Target excursion (that one has its own list)
Pull my fall/winter clothes from under my bed
Plan 11 days of outfits that span work and play
Break in a pair of beautiful (comfortable) boots
Photocopy passport 3x
Inform bank to expect international charges
Ask my boss to bring a saw to work to cut my poster tube
Cut poster into 4 pieces to fit in tiny tube
Stock up on gluten-free snacks and bars
Try to go to sleep and wake up earlier
Do laundry
Work out when/where to meet up with my sister
Pay rent before Thursday
Finish up experiments in lab
Get lunch for journal club
Get gas
Paint nails
Run dishwasher
Eat the rest of the eggs and cottage cheese in fridge
Charge cameras
PACK
Get some euros
Fly to Amsterdam (Thursday!)

I'm happy to report that I've crossed off everything except the last 12 items. I'm off to fold laundry now.

I'm not a vegetarian, it just seems like it.

Garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) are awesome. So healthy and versatile. This stir-fry adaptation that I made up turned out delicious! Cumin + soy sauce (or tamari, for the gluten-challened) = magic.

Sauté minced garlic, chopped onion, and ~5 dashes of cumin in a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large wok or pan. Keep it on medium or slightly above medium. Add chopped broccoli, garbanzo beans, and bean sprouts (optional -- I had some left over from making spring rolls again -- but you can really add whatever else you want here). Add more cumin. Add some more cumin. Stir everything around and then add a mix of 1/3 C soy sauce and 1/4 C water and cover, letting it simmer until the broccoli is cooked. Add more cumin and perhaps some red pepper flakes.

Practicing for Europe...

Holy cow, I leave for Europe in 25 days!! There is so much to do before then, I'm afraid. Anyway, this is my sis (who is leaving for France in 8 days!) sporting a tee-shirt that used to be my mom's. I wore it once in HS, and now she's wearing it in her oh-so-fashionable way.* I'm actually looking forward to the fall weather in Europe, since it won't really feel like fall here until, oh, November. Scarves and boots here I come!

*Translation: Mom and Dad went to California and all they brought back was this stupid tee-shirt.

Feast for the senses

*Early morning light courtesy of jet-lag*

My mom hosted a French-themed dinner party (hence the mustache stuck to the wine glass) and prepared an aioli feast -- everything served could be spread with her homemade garlic-infused mayonnaise and/or basil creme fraiche. The color palette reflected the sunflowers -- I've never seen more beautiful carrots, beets, or tomatoes! Everything was cooked simply: hard-boiled eggs, green beans, sliced tomatoes, potatoes, broiled salmon, etc. The simplicity was delicious! Also, she made her own aperitifs pictured in the nearly-empty bottles: wine, vodka, and orange essence aged 40 days. Parfait! I'm going to do this someday when I have a kitchen and space large enough to feed 22 people.

Keeping cool

I just got back from a week-long visit home to NorCal! It went by entirely too fast. It got pretty hot one day, so we escaped to the natural air-conditioning of the redwoods and the ice-cold Pacific Ocean! It is hard to get an original shot of really tall trees, especially when confined to the designated walkways, but the light was so pretty that afternoon. And it was definitely a good 12 degrees cooler among the redwoods!

I named them Falcor 1, Falcor 2, and Mercury.

All about toppings

Greek yogurt mixed with mango-orange yogurt, topped with nectarine slices.

Quinoa topped with grilled onions, roasted zucchini and eggplant, and basil.

Ricotta mixed with a splash of vanilla and a spoonful of honey, topped with sliced strawberries.

Delightful!