Folger Shakespeare gala April 2016

The Folger Shakespeare Library has the world’s largest collection of First Folios, the first publication of Shakespeare’s plays.  (They are stored in a huge vault, which is way cool to visit.)  It is an organization that provides scholarly resources for academic research, concerts and plays, and education curricula for K-12 teachers.  One of its missions—and the one that resonates most with us—is to make Shakespeare relevant to the 21st century.
The First Folios are currently on tour as we celebrate the Wonder of Will, otherwise known as the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s life.
I’m on the Board of Governors for the Folger, and the annual black-tie gala was held on April 18.  We raised over $400,000 for the Folger and its programs.  The kids came along and invited some of their friends as well.
I’m including some photos, including a fabulous shot by the Folger photographer of the Reading Room, which looks like it walked straight out of the 17th century (but with plumbing!)

Jim with actor Wendell Pierce

Jim with actor Wendell Pierce

with Denise Levy

with Denise Levy

the gang of 11th graders

the gang of 11th graders

the gang of 8th graders

the gang of 8th graders

the Folger reading room

the Folger reading room

You can find out more about the Folger at www.folger.edu, and you can find out where you can go see a First Folio on tour at http://www.folger.edu/first-folio-tour.

Dinner at the Inn at Little Washington (April 2016)

When our family arrived at the Inn at Little Washington a couple of weeks ago, we were asked if we were celebrating a special occasion (which does happen). This time, however, our response was: “Dinner!”

And dinner that evening was definitely worth celebrating. We started off with the well-known (and delectable) popcorn with black truffles and a series of amuse-bouches. And then the restaurant got down to business. The amuse-bouches that arrived after the first course of amuse-bouches were:

Tempura Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce

tempura asparagus with hollandaise sauce

tempura asparagus with hollandaise sauce

and White Bean Soup with a Chive Gougère.

white bean soup with a gougere

white bean soup with a gougere

All of us had the Mousse of Foie Gras in a Golden Egg Shell with Sauternes Gelée and Blood Orange Rhubarb-Preserve (yum!);

foie gras mousse

foie gras mousse

one of us also had the Carpaccio of Herb-Crusted Elysian Fields Baby Lamb Loin with Caesar Salad Ice Cream (a perennial favorite);

lamb carpaccio

lamb carpaccio

We also all had the Toro with Radishes and Coconut Tapioca Beads and Wasabi Sorbet (the toro was melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness);

toro with wasabi sorbet

toro with wasabi sorbet

Some of us had the Pan Seared Sea Bass with Roasted Romaine and Sauce Choron (the fish was perfectly cooked);

sea bass

sea bass

Jim and I picked the Inn’s Morel “Meatloaf” with Potato Purée and Jalapeño Ketchup (the fact that I did not regret one moment picking this vegetarian dish over the lamb demonstrates just how good this dish was);

morel "meatloaf"

morel “meatloaf”

The son had the Veal Shenandoah: Prosciutto Wrapped Loin of Veal with Country Ham and Fontina Cheese Ravioli;

veal

veal

and the daughter had the Parsley-Crusted Loin of Jamison Farm’s Lamb with Green Lentils.

lamb

lamb

A quick break to ease the transition into dessert with an Orange-Vanilla Creamsicle with shortbread crumbs;

orange-vanilla creamsicle

orange-vanilla creamsicle

And we finished our lovely meal with the Inn’s Southern Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwich with Bittersweet Chocolate and Hot Caramel Sauce

butter pecan ice cream sandwich

butter pecan ice cream sandwich

and A Painter’s Palette of Sorbets;

painter's palette of sorbets

painter’s palette of sorbets

and the Inn’s Spring Fling: Limoncello Pudding, Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt, Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet

spring fling

spring fling

It was indeed a meal that definitely celebrated dinner!

Book review: The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn

The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy (Smythe-Smith Quartet, #4)The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy by Julia Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There has been a lot of hate in the reviews for this book because of the (huge) deception the hero of the novel played on the heroine. However, one reviewer in particular nailed the issue on the head by describing this book as being about forgiveness.
I love Julia Quinn books–I love her witty dialogue, I love how her characters are fully fleshed out characters with (mostly endearing) flaws, and I love that despite the obstacles, the hero and heroine will end up together happily ever after.
But what I particularly love about her books is that they go beyond the typical Regency romance. She writes with more depth than the typical romance writer. And this book is perhaps the poster child of that principle.
Yes, the hero acted like a world-class jerk. But that’s not what the book is about. The book is about whether one (admittedly colossal) mistake is worth jettisoning a lifetime of love. The book is about the meaning of forgiveness. And the book is about the sacrifices you make for love.
Did the hero do something horrendous? Yes. Does that define who he is for the rest of his life? The heroine makes a decision about that. The reader may disagree with that decision, but that question is the crux of the book.
If what you want is a light and frothy romance (and I often do), this book is not for you. But the genius of the author’s writing is that her books (and in this one, particularly), you get the frothy romance, but you also get heroes and heroines that act like normal human beings, with all of their quirks and flaws. Life doesn’t always work out the way you think, and it’s how you deal with that fact that makes you the person that you are. Kudos for the author in making that point in another deftly written Regency romance.

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Spring Break in Costa Rica

Spring break planning was interesting this year.  Our son had opted to go on a school-sponsored sea turtle conservation trip in Costa Rica the week before spring break officially started.  After some discussion (and verification that a Four Seasons resort existed in the country), we decided to join him in Costa Rica and spend spring break there.
We started off in the capital city, San Jose.  Highlights there included the National Theatre, the Museum of Gold, the National Museum, and the Museum of Jade.

Special highlights included the (extinct) giant sloth bear in the National Museum (which 3 out of the 4 family members thought bore a distinct resemblance to our daughter),

giant sloth bear (theoretically extinct)

giant sloth bear (theoretically extinct)

and the Museum of Jade sign (because not every girl has a museum named after her).

Museum of Jade

Museum of Jade

After a few days in San Jose, we flew to Liberia (on a plane that seated maybe a dozen people) and headed off to the Four Seasons resort.  (You knew you had arrived at the property line when after miles of wild brush and corrugated tin roof houses and barely paved roads, you hit beautifully manicured grounds complete with palm trees and roads made of pavers.)
The Four Seasons resort is not unlike a cruise ship.  You can get off the ship, but it’s not easy.  We were mostly content to stay on the ship (with only a half-day escape to Coco Beach).  The resort itself is beautiful,

Four Seasons resort

Four Seasons resort

Four Seasons resort

Four Seasons resort

Four Seasons resort

Four Seasons resort

complete with iguanas

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and howler monkeys.

DSC_0842
There is also plenty to do.  Highlights included stargazing where we saw Jupiter and 3 of its moons (photos were impossible to be had for that one, unfortunately);
jet skiing,

DSC_0833
chocolate making,

freshly ground cacao beans

freshly ground cacao beans

and ziplining.

getting ready to go ziplining

getting ready to go ziplining

DSC_8940

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(Note that I said nothing about the food.  The breakfast buffet was lovely (complete with rice and beans and limonza sauce to put on it), but the rest of the food was good although uninspiring.)

It was a highly relaxing vacation (especially for us), and it came at a good time, as both kids were pretty burnt out from school and needed a break.  Costa Rica is a beautiful and friendly country, and we very much enjoyed our stay there!

Book review: Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood

Cocaine Blues (Phryne Fisher, #1)Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first book in a mystery series set in 1920s Australia. Phryne Fisher is a very self-reliant young woman who grew up poor in Australia and whose family came unexpectedly into a British title and money after the death of more direct heirs. Armed now with money and influence, she returns to Australia at the request of a couple who suspects that their daughter is being poisoned by her husband. Various adventures and misadventures ensue, as Phryne ultimately breaks up a cocaine smuggling ring and unravels the mystery surrounding the daughter’s poisoning.
The tone of the book is lighthearted and informal. And while the mystery was not particularly difficult to solve, Phryne is an unusual heroine–on the surface a stereotypical flapper but whose character and upbringing give her unsuspected depths. The secondary characters were also interesting and well-written. I know very little about 1920s Australia (very little meaning nothing), and the book gives some interesting historical background on the time period.
I liked the book well enough to plan on reading the second one, so stay tuned…

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