BRIGHTY.CH

Due to a tight schedule, I treated Vic to a scrumptuous lunch at our local Migros restaurant today (actually, it was one of the worst meals I have lately had to suffer: a microwaved – c’mon, you can’t expect fresh food at 12:50, can you? – minute pork chop and chips laden with a greasy herb butter sauce which turned my intestines into a methane factory for the rest of the afternoon).

As we were escaping leaving the place, Vic noticed the following ad placed strategically next to the elevator:

“Get your free gift with every Lilibiggs kid’s menu: a wolly hat, a pair of gloves, a scarf or………….an icecream“.

Someone definitely has a screw loose!

We all needed a week’s holidays in the sun. All of us: even the two who “only” spend their time dozing at school the whole day.

But none of us could bear the thought of sharing our meals with a myriad other guests who’s intellect is reversely proportional to the amount of food they can pile on their plate in one go. Not mentioning the parents of little kids who consider an eating hall to be synonym to a kindergarten playground.

So we went hunting on the net.

And found this gem: a two-bedroom self-catering apartment (including two bathrooms: VEEEERY valuable when sharing a pad with two teenagers) on the Costa Blanca, Spain (average temperature in October 25 degrees C).

Save $$$ on the accomodation and invest in the cozy little restaurants of our choice was the general idea.

Before we discovered the seafood counter at the local supermarket, that is..

You’d be AMAZED by the amount of stuff I managed to cram onto my plate!

It can be tough at times.

Have you ever stood in front of the buffet of a 5-star hotel and wondered what you should choose?

That’s the great thing about spending your summer vacation at home: Japanese? Italian? WTF: how about both?

Grilled Pepperonis, grilled Oyster Mushrooms, and a hell of a lot of California Rolls.

Magic, pure magic!

Today was the last day of the girls’ Spring Break.

So I thought I’d take a day of work and treat them to a day out, something special, just them and their dad. I accordingly made a virtual list of places we could visit and “fun” things to do: nothing out of this world, mind you, just the usual stuff kids enjoy such as Europa Park, etc…

Those were the days: I could have suggested a trip to the Moon!

Sarah’s reaction was:

“I want to spend the last Friday of the holidays with my boyfriend”

(…which kinda figures as she had just spent the last Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the hols with said individual).

Vicky, sensing my upcoming defeat, offered:

How about lunch at the Brasserie Lipp followed by an afternoon of shopping?

Pragmatic, eh?

So that’s what we did. I ended up only having to take the afternoon off (didn’t want to wake the little darling before 11:00 on a day off!!!), having a GREAT lunch with my favorite youngest daughter at our favorite restaurant,

where we gorged on cockles, whelks, muscles and other delicacies before waddling off towards the Bahnhofstrasse.

I then spent the rest of the afternoon, wallet in hand, visiting such establishments as H&M (3x), Tally Weijl, Claire’s, Jelmoli (had to buy some Sushi, you know), Clockhouse, as well of a bunch of other places whose name I simply cannot remember.

Enjoyable? Definitely! I now know why my brother enjoyed playing with Barbies so much..

Since watching Alive, that movie about Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 which crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972 and resulted in the survivors eating those who didn’t make it in order to survive yet another day, I’ve always wondered if I would have had the stomach to eat my fellow-passengers if placed in the same dilemma.

According to JustSayHi.com, it’s pretty obvious.. Somehow I feel it’s going to be rather difficult to find someone to share our holidays within the near future..

Isn’t it amazing how creative the French can be when it comes to foodstuff (and Presidents):

Found this great gadget which I can’t wait to try out:

You simply stick it into one of your USB ports and gain instant access to the best crûs there are!

Brilliant!

Seen at Teuscher’s on the Bahnhofstrasse, this afternoon:

Oh do I love globalisation!