Aloha from Sicily!: October 2008

Summer Fun with Friends!

It's already October and I'm just getting around to organizing my summer memories. It went so fast. What made this summer even more special was that it was my last where I was completely foot loose and fancy free.

I went from part-time freelance consultant at my leisure. To two jobs - by day as MWR marketing director. Only to get home, take off my shoes and head for my virtual office, where I'm working nearly full-time again. Funny how both engines kicked into full gear about the same time. And both give me a tremendous amount of energy and passion in such different ways!

Before I update you on our summer adventures. Wanted you to meet some new friends we made. This is Del and Medy and they live down the street. Medy walks the dogs since I'm not home by day and they love her so much. And I come home from work and find food in my refrigerator like homemade manapua...and that just gets my tail wagging too! We love having these two in our lives.

This summer we headed back to Sciacca for the Menfi wine festival for the 4th of July weekend. It was so good to see Steve in Sciacca. It was our first weekend trip with Pat. Amy and Chad went to!

Each summer (just like each year) is better than the last. And it makes me wild with joy to think about what's ahead because our summer was just so wonderful and fun. This time in our life is so amazing.

Here I am with Mary, my landlord and friend. And we talked her into giving us a scaciatta cooking lesson, which is a typical Sicilian dish often seen at tavola caldas. It's like calzone but better.

Summer Fun with Friends!

Sue and Medy go knife to knife in the kitchen over scaciatta!

The finished product was heavenly!

Summer Fun with Friends!

We hosted another cooking night at our house with the gang. And Sue taught Rob how to make eggplant parmesan, which is one of his favorite dishes.

Summer Fun with Friends!

Miranda taught Pat and me how to make sushi. I miss Genki Sushi so bad it hurts!

Rob finished his University of Maryland Italian 101 course.

Pat fed us all in style one hot summer nite!

And Rob and I celebrated my adoption day (my second birthday!) with Vietnamese lemongrass porkchops, jasmine rice and Vietnamese spring rolls. With no local Vietnamese restaurant to enjoy, we had to learn to make my favorite dish myself. I found lemongrass in Chinatown in Amsterdam and schlepped it all the way home to Sicily. It's one of my favorite spices.

Summer Moonlight Lava Chase

While Rob was in Hawaii, Matt and Christine took me on a night hike. By the full moon, we hit the donkey trail on Etna and scaled the black sand craters to see the lava flow up close.

My camera did not do the lava justice but it's a memory I'll never forget.

Summer Moonlight Lava Chase

Ribs with Thomas

Our friends Thomas, Joe and Matt -- all found themselves wife-less in Sicily on summer day. So without their better halves to keep their smiles perked and bellies full of some decent food, we decided to have a barbecue at the rib master's house.

We brought all the food, and Thomas fired up the grill.

And we all enjoyed a hot summer day together.

Summer Fun with Friends!

Damn good fun in Amsterdam!

We geared up for summer with five days in Amsterdam with five friends!

I'd been before but not like this! I fell in love with the city on the water all over again! Amsterdam has the same vibe as San Francisco - progressive, diverse, cosmpolitan and free!

Damn good fun in Amsterdam!

Chris is allergic to shrimp but we found plenty of great things to eat in Amsterdam. It was so ono-licious to be somewhere that appreciates the many wonderful cuisines of the world! We ate Thai curry, sushi, pancakes, real pub food and even Argentinian steaks. What a delight!!!

Damn good fun in Amsterdam!

Our apartment in the Cat Museum was just around the corner from the flower market, where we bought bags and bags of bulbs!

Our

Damn good fun in Amsterdam!

I love wax museums. They're a whole 'nother world of creepy good fun!

Damn good fun in Amsterdam!

Some nights we'd come home early and cook up some of the fun things we'd find in the local grocery in Amsterdam. And spend the evening hanging out the window watching the world go by!