OK, just to set some parameters for myself on what the hell I'm going to blog about, I thought I'd start with the definiton of an epicurean: fond of sensuous pleasures, particularly eating and drinking. Well, that's ME! I love to cook, and eat what I cook, and what others cook, and drink lots. Love it all. Love other sensuous pleasures too - I'm acutely tuned to all of my senses and strive to be surrounded by softness, warmth, beautiful things, lovely sounds, yummy smells, preferably all at the same time, as often as possible. But I also don't want to be a broke, fat, alcoholic, whining control freak, therefore the balance aspect. A moderate epicurean, that's my goal. My reason for journaling about my EFFORTS toward SAVORING will be apparent in these postings - as in, it's HARD for me!

For example, birthday was FABULOUS and completely indulgent, so much for starting my 39th year in moderation! To be fair to myself, I started the day thinking, hey, it's my birthday, I'll enjoy whatever I feel like today, no guilt. Should I have pancakes for breakfast? Sausage? Turned out no, I didn't feel like cooking, had a bowl of Cheerios, ha! For lunch Nathan, my 9-year old son, and I went bowling with my dear friend Susie and her daughter, Vivian, who is Nathan's good friend, and Vivian's little brother Sullivan. We had a blast! And I enjoyed Tuttle's Bowling Alley's bar food-ish type of food, fried cheese (having gone to college in WI, a MUST-HAVE acquired taste, along with beer and brats, although I skipped the beer since I was driving), fried mushrooms, burger, with - what else - FRIES! Then over to Susie's for a home-made birthday cake. Better-Than-Sex-Coconut-Cake, no less! With candles, my name on it, the whole nine. AWESOME cake, and so fun and special. Drinking coffee and chatting with Susie is DEFINITELY one of life's little pleasures. At this point, it was about 4:30 p.m. and Nathan and I were heading out to dinner with my husband John and stepdaughter A (she'd rather remain unnamed...), age 12, for a 6 p.m. birthday dinner at the Dakota Jazz Club. Nathan and I were STUFFED, but soldiered on, and had a lovely, albeit light, dinner, just the four of us. Here's my - birthday - version of a light dinner: salad of greens with warm goat cheese, two glasses of Riesling, and foie gras mousse and preserved quince on toasted brioche. Whew. The honeyish wine/foie gras combo is one of my favs, prrrrr... A, a soon-to-be epicurean, managed quite nicely for a tiny person and former picky eater with a Caesar salad, strip steak, potatoes, lots of bread and butter, and chocolate pot de creme for dessert. I want HER metabolism, ah, youth. After getting home, I spent until 12:30 a.m. preparing for Nathan's first day of all-day skiing with Skijammers ski club. Since I consider almost anything related to parenting also one of life's little pleasures, I didn't mind a bit. And today, tonight to be exact, will be an epicurean's delight - unfortunately I may fail at moderation again, sigh - dinner at our friends the Williams' home. OMG, Stu Williams knows WINE, he's a genius, actually, and Rudy Maxa, the Savvy Traveler will be joining us as well. I haven't met him yet, but know he's a major food/wine man himself, so we will feast on amazing food and drink fabulous wine and I'll call it an extended birthday celebration, yeah, that's what I'll do! So Happy Birthday to me...AGAIN!