An Ode to Cheese!

An Ode to Cheese - salty cheese, sweet cheese, smelly cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese! - turned into a dance party with Tanti Selia.  Hearing the music I was playing around with for this video about syrniki - a most delicious ode to cheese - Tanti Selia couldn't help but be moved to dance.  And so what started as a celebration of the wonderful aspects of cheese in the form of this delicious dish, turned into reliving the times of Selia and my grandparents' youth... 

US Tour Videos: 1st Episode - Portlandia!

Thought my first video from this US Tour deserved it's own separate post, especially since it's taken three months to process.  Come with me through Portland, catching up with friends, discovering live music, and more!

0:00 VooDoo Doughnut*
0:49 Driving through Portlandia*
2:39 Champaign for brunch?
5:45 Jam Session hosted by Ron Steen at Clyde's Prime Rib - "In A Sentimental Mood"

PLUS, my theme song!

Southern Oregon: Making my way down I-5

Tricia and Holly with Grandma Liz Budbill: Look!

After four straight days and nights of dancing and socializing in Portland, I made my way south down I-5.  A contrast to the non-stop adventure in Portland, Beth (a friend from Jobies - we go back at least 15 years!) and Chris Robinson welcomed me into their home with their adorable daughters, Holly and Tricia, and Beth's mother (and grandmother!) Liz Budbill, who was down for a visit.  Kids' giggles, TV, computer virus remedies, catching up, and home cooking - I was delighted to take a night off from even one of my most favorite things: dancing.

Home in Philly *Pause*

Russian-Moldovan dinner - first course

"Home" in Philly at my adopted family's house, I'm being a hermit for a few days and taking some time to align the past three months - reflections, photos, and videos, too (coming soon!) - with my present.  Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew.  Not necessarily meaning that we can't chew it at all, but just that it might take a bit longer and a little more effort than anticipated to process.  And if the object of one's biting and chewing grows in the meantime and blooms into something even bigger than expected, well, it might take even more.

But it's do-able, it is.