London Baby!

Last weekend we flew to London for 4 days. I had a training on Monday and Tuesday so Jan came with to hang out in London. I love London! This is only third short trip there, but I always think "wow, I could live here" - after I win the lottery of course :) My favorite thing about London is the theater - so much a part of the city's identity.

This is the reconstructed Globe Theatre - Michelle Roark and I saw "Romeo and Juliet" here in 2004. It is truly an amazing feeling being here, even through Shakespeare didn't walk this stage, his spirit is definitely present. Unfortunately the season hadn't opened yet, oh well, one more reason to go back. More info: http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/

We went to see the musical "CHICAGO" while we were there. Amazing the talent of this actors - what an amazing opportunity to keep the theatre culture alive and well, I have a lot of respect for all of them.

Another London favorite of mine are the markets, we spent Saturday morning hanging around Borough Market where we taste tested many yummy foods, from cheese to baklava to chocolate to wine. It rained on and off while we were there, but that didn't discourage anyone.

Of course one thing that we also enjoyed was the historical pub culture in London. Often you hear that the food in Britain is horrible, but I find that if you quickly assimilate to their style you can appreciate their cuisine. I enjoyed their world famous ale, even if it was a tick warmer than the ice cold lager.

We also saw the key sites of Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, etc. For all pictures check out the online album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mmschroeder/London2008?authkey=LJRthWQv-vQ

London, we'll be back!

Back Home Again in Indiana...

We are in the final prep phase of our May trip and I just wanted to update our dates. If we can meet up with anyone along the way that would be great! Joerg will be traveling with us since we are all invited to the wedding in NYC.

May 10th: Arrive Wash DC, staying in Baltimore with Carrie
May 13th/14th: Train to NYC - staying with MRoark, Lindsey's wedding on the 17th, Yankees game on the 18th
May 19th: Fly to Chicago - stay with parents
22nd/23rd: Drive to Bloomington with parents - stay at IMU :)
25th: Indy 500
27th: Fly home from Chicago

Time is pretty tight this time unfortunately, but if we can work something out with any of you we'll do our best!

Taking a page out of Tara's book...

I subscribe to "Body and Soul" magazine which is published by the Martha Stewart Company. I discovered it last September when we were home and I have gained so much from reading it. It has great environmental tips as well as interesting food stories and health tips. You can check it out at http://www.bodyandsoulmag.com/. I tried this recipe tonight from this month's volume and we loved it! I can enjoy asparagus for what it is worth but I have never really thought yum...until tonight. Not sure it beats out the Wirsing, but it was really good. The nice thing is - super easy and you can easily pair it with something else. I (through Jan's directions) changed the original recipe a bit, so the one I am posting here, is a bit different than on the website.

Read about health benefits of asparagus

Prep: 25 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Ingredients

Serves 4
1 medium thick asparagus bunch, tough ends removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic cream
4 large eggs
2 ounces shaved parmesan

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet with a rim, toss asparagus with oil. Season with salt. Bake until asparagus is lightly browned and tender, 15 to 18 minutes (timing will vary depending upon thickness of asparagus).

2. Mix together balsamic vinegar and balsamic vinegar cream in small bowl.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large skillet with 2 inches of water to a simmer over medium heat. Break one egg at a time into a cup, then tip cup into pan. Simmer until whites are set and yolks are soft but slightly set, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spatula, scoop out eggs one at a time and drain on paper towels. With a paring knife, trim edges (this would have been a good idea, but I didn't do it).

4. Divide asparagus among four plates and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Top with shaved Parmesan and an egg.

YUM!