Goats on the Roof

In addition to great ice cream, cheap summer dresses and amazing cheese bread, the Coombs Old Country Market (better known locally as Goats on the Roof) has some fairly unique summer tenants. In the winter, they adjourn to cozier quarters.

Ribbit, Ribbit

There must be a frog in here somewhere.

Bianco e nero

I am feeling a bit noir tonight, so here are some black and white photos that my boyfriend took on our recent trip to Italy. 

iTunes U

I am hooked on free first year Psychology lectures from iTunes U. I listen to them while I cook dinner and do the dishes. So far, I have learned that economic theory can explain which romantic relationships last and why. It might not be rocket science, folks, but it's keeping me entertained!

Go to iTunes>Podcasts>iTunes U>MIT>Brain and Cognitive Sciences>Introduction to Psychology. 

Greek Goddess

I love this Mykonos dress from Anthropologie. I can feel hot air and smell olives and salt water. Because it's pricey, I will wear a blue dress from the closet and add that little something by snacking on hummus and dolmades - the canned kind from the International Foods section. Mmmm.

Weekend

Friday evening, friend's deck. 

Eggs benedict for Saturday morning brunch. Also, as soon as we sat down, they gave us mini-donuts. No need to pre-breakfast here!

Sunday afternoon atop the Chief with my sister.

Thinking Girl's Beach Book

Don't be intimidated. You can take it to the beach. It's full of magic, sex, history, travel, fun and sadness, as Princess Angelica makes her way from India to Renaissance Florence. Also interesting is an appearance by a not-so-nasty Machiavelli. 

If you're a dork like me, you can also check out this interview with the author here.

Sea Wall

One of the great things about my job as a college ESL teacher is the flexible schedule. Right now, I don't teach until the afternoon on Thursdays, which gives me plenty of time to rollerblade around the sea wall when it's not so crowded. Here are some pictures from last week.

The Lion's Gate Bridge

Siwash Rock above, Third Beach below with Kitsilano in the background.

Apple Crisp

Yesterday, my boyfriend and I took the proletariat chariot out to the suburb of White Rock for dinner with one of my university friends and her boyfriend. They made fab cedar plank salmon and I brought apple crisp. I think the salmon marinade was something along the lines of dill, garlic, lemon rind, and olive oil... I'll have to ask for details. Here is a picture of the apple crisp (before it was cooked), the recipe, and for good measure, a picture of their cat.

Apple Crisp

Place 4 cups of apples and/or other fruit, like berries or peaches, in a greased casserole dish.

Cover with a mixture of 2/3 a cup of brown sugar, 3/4 a cup of oats, half a cup of flour, and 1/2 a cup of butter. Bake for 45 minutes at 350. Enjoy with vanilla ice cream.

Water, water

I love a fountain in the heat. They're flirty during the day and seductive at night. I recently discovered, to my surprise, that Rome is full of fountains. Above, outside the Pantheon. Below, the Trevi Fountain.

This chap is more morose than anything, but still charming.