Drooling About Food...

...I must be hungry.

If you haven't visited Almost Frugal's blog (or its companion food blog), you're in for a treat. She's an American living and going to school in France with her French husband and family. I lived in Austria and Germany for a summer, and whenever I get homesick for a Continental take on things, I visit AF. She has some very la francais points of view, in spite of her USA origins.

Her latest includes a contest to win five French foods, including a bottle of chartreuse liqueur. (For medicinal purposes, she says.) All you have to do to enter is add a comment on her post...or register for her 'Friday is for Food' section.

Here's the giveaway post:

http://almostfrugal.com/food/2008/10/09/french-food-giveaway/

And AF's regular blog is at:

http://www.almostfrugal.com

Vive l'Almost Frugal!

* * * * * * * * * *
Stock Market Musings: I must be crazy ,too-- I actually looked today. Pretty much everything is down, some of it within gasping distance of the big $0. Sigh... but I am going bargain hunting, once a check gets deposited in the account. Mostly for blue chips: COKE and GE are still looking good. Maybe the eventual gains (I hope) will make up for this scariness.

Have a great weekend! We'll be spending ours (as usual) up on the roof...but at least tonight, we're going for an elegant dinner (pronounced "dinnah") at the Broker:

http://www.thebrokerrestaurant.com/

They're in a former bank building -- and we'll be dining in the Vault. Very cool, as you pass through a huge round lockbox-type opening. Very romantic, too. They have what's termed as a 'never-ending' shrimp bowl, and their entrees are very meat-and-potatoes style. Dave's favorite, by far...he'll put up with some fussy stuff, but give him a steak and a loaded baked potato, and he's in heaven. I'll snag the kale garnish off the plates -- chopped fine and simmered in chicken broth with onions, potatoes and bratwurst, it will make an outstanding soup for tomorrow night.

Now if you'll excuse me, a cup of hot coffee and Judge Judy are waiting...it's chilly out here.