Where did April Go?

by Valerie on May 9, 2011 · 7 comments

wed 024

I cannot quite believe it is May starting today yesterday a week ago.  I started writing this post on May 1, because I wanted to start something new this month – or rather I meant to on the last day of April, but close enough – part of why I like to journal and blog is that I like the idea of having a retrospective of what I do and cook and enjoy in my life outside of my job, seeing as my job is 1. not bloggable material and 2. takes up a large amount of time, all of which is generally accounted for with billing records (read: it is very easy for me to look at my time entries to see what I have done in a given month).   

There is no easy reference tool to capture my life outside of work, and I want to change that. Sure, journaling and blogging means that some months I have a better retrospective than others to look back to, but overall, not enough for my liking.  So I decided to start a monthly recap but, unlike the lists and goals posts I wrote a few times last year, this is more about memories than goals.  Who knows, maybe eventually this will become a weekly series here?

Actually, that is so getting ahead of myself considering that I am at week overdue in this post. At any rate, here was my April 2011.

Fun, Family & Friends

Weekend Oct 044

My husband’s birthday was in early April- it was stormy and cold and, well, April-ish, but we did have a fun lunch at Mitsitam (review from another visit here), spent the whole day together, toasted his birthday with his (regular) and hers (gluten-free, vegan from Red Velvet) cupcakes, and went out to dinner at Estadio. A quick note on Estadio – there is a gluten-free menu, but two dishes on it turned out to have gluten when I inquired. Also two of the gluten-free vegan dishes I ordered arrived covered in cheese, as though I had ordered their vegetarian counterparts. Bottom line – they still need some work with the gluten-free vegan thing. 
It was a lovely day, despite the ugly weather and problematic Estadio menu (bonus: I did not get glutened) and I even got a nap in that day. I also wore bright pink to make up for the ugly weather (I am studying the menu at Estadio there):

Weekend 017

A couple of days later, I also visited my parents in Switzerland.  While I am kicking myself for not having made it to la Fete de La Tulipe, I did enjoy lots of time with my parents, meeting another blogger,Jenn of Jenn Cuisine (who has stunning tulip pictures, incidentally, which set off the kicking myself).

Switzerland April 2011 035

It was a very restorative vacation.  I spent time with my parents, met up with Jenn,I made a fun chocolate fruit tart and a delicious new chocolate drink.   Oh, and I slept.a.lot.  And stared at Lake Geneva. It was fantastic.

Switzerland April 2011 086

I got back to Washington, DC refreshed.  In the second half of the month, work was busy, but I saw the tail-end of the Smithsonian’s Orchid exhibit and had a fun double date with my husband and our friends Christina and Mark.  We went to Rasika, which was completely gluten-free-friendly and had numerous vegan dishes.  A return trip is in order.

And at the end of the month, I also had lunch with the witty and wonderful Katie of Quick Cook Rice


layered mousse 007

Mind/Body

The first two weeks of the month I did not once go to the gym or yoga – or do anything on my own other than walk – I was ok with that approach for my time in Switzerland, but that was only a week of those two weeks, while the other week was consumed by work, and this was on the heels of a sedentary month of March, also known as the month where I took 3 days off from work, total, in the entire month.  They were for the joyous occasions of a friend’s bridal shower and wedding festivities, but March was a month where my approach to catching up on yoga and working out on the weekends was not an option since I was working all.the.time.
I decided to take a
new approach to the remaining two weeks of April, including something I rarely do, i.e. work out or practice yoga in the early morning.  I would say, it has been so far, so good.  Well, except for the green juice stains on my yoga mat. Oh well.

Cooking & Food

In April, based on a quick lunchbox survey, I was particularly obsessed with these recipes from other bloggers:

Of the recipes I created, I think my favorite was the Almond Mocha Chia Pudding, but the chocolate tart and the brown rice risotto are strong contenders.

I also bought this pan, or really, two pans – I had been eyeing it/them since last year, but this ode to said pot from early March is what pushed me over the edge.

Wednesday lunch 028
It took me 6 weeks to actually make the purchase, but I love it. See, it does this too:
Wednesday lunch 041
I heart it.

I also heart-ed April – the good bits at least. Fortunately, there were many of those.

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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty May 9, 2011 at 4:18 am

I enjoy extra stuff!! I love getting to know my blogger friends!!

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2 Iris May 9, 2011 at 4:24 am

I like this too! Especially when I'm too busy with exams to keep up with all your posts, but I want to know how you're doing!

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3 bitt May 9, 2011 at 5:28 am

I'd love to go to Switzerland someday. my dad is obsessed with it and has gone every year for the past several years in October. One day I will tag along with him.

Sorry you missed the tulip festival. But the orchid one sounds great.

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4 sarah (SHU) May 9, 2011 at 11:42 am

i love how the vacation was restorative!

and, i really REALLY want that pan. like, now.

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5 Heather May 9, 2011 at 12:18 pm

What a lovely recap! Love when bloggers give a little insight into their lives…the person behind the yummy food. :) Hope your May is as sweet!

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6 sofia May 9, 2011 at 6:37 pm

beautiful le creuset pots! my mom has a bunch of those le creuset pots in a bright orange. they make me think of my childhood kitchen and country home. enjoy them :)

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7 Katie (quick cook rice) May 12, 2011 at 1:49 pm

Even if it took forever to make the decision, buying the beautiful purple pans was totally worth it! I love them and this recap of good memories from April!

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