Back to life, back to reality…

After three weeks of quasi-working, it’s hard to get back into the swing of things. First, we had the bad weather which had work canceled and/or I was working from home. Then we had Christmas week and New Year’s week… what’s this? 5 consecutive days of work? My brain is struggling to catch up.

It’s January 6th. Every muscle in my body is a wreck thanks to my Jillian Michaels exercise DVD, I can still taste my dessert chocolate, and I have been speaking a bit more slowly to try to avoid my “like”s. I think I’m in good shape, being that we’re only 6 days in. We’ll see where I am in 3 months.

This weekend Jim and I took a field trip to a store in North Portland called The Meadow. The Meadow is a lovely store on many fronts. First off, it’s located on a strip that includes one of my favorite quick-food restaurants, Laughing Planet. After eating my favorite meal there (vegan Caesar salad, hold the parm and a cup of chili with focaccia) we wandered into The Meadow.

The Meadow is a gourmet store, specializing in fine chocolates, finishing salts, exotic olive oils, wine and fresh cut flowers. The smell as you enter is absolutely intoxicating. Yes, the idea can border a bit on pretentious-foodie, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And a wall of high quality chocolate is what’s really important, no?

Their selection of dark chocolate is impressive. Overwhelming to be exact. I stood there, with my mouth agape, while Jim gave up and sat in an overstuffed chair, while I tried to make a selection. I settled on one bar, given all that I have at home to work through. I selected the Belgian Dolfin Dark Chocolate with Earl Grey. It’s very aromatic and melts nicely. Next time I will be investing in the sampler pack of some of their finishing salts. You’ve never tasted salt like this before.

For my post-workout dinner tonight, I whipped together a quick but satisfying meal. I sauteed some purple kale in a little bit of olive oil with minced garlic. I threw in some chickpeas and quinoa and called it good. Topped it off with a sprinkle of Parma and a slice of garlic bread on the side, it was a great meal in under 5 minutes (the quinoa was pre-cooked). Yes, the bread is naturally that alarming shade of yellow from just some Earth Balance and a little crushed garlic.

In the background you can see my favorite dinner-time drink, chocolate almond milk, displayed in a vintage Welch’s jelly jar. Jim’s mother found them in some box while purging things she’d saved from his childhood and brought them the last time she visited. I am pterodactyl and Jim is brontosaurus, no exceptions.

Well, that’s all I got for now. I have a textbook calling my name upstairs so I’m off to study!