Swine flu vaccine?

I am debating about getting the swine flu vaccine. My ob-gyn recommended me to get it. I have an appointment with my family practioner, who would administer the jab (as it is called here), on Monday to see what he recommends. I think it depends a lot on where you live and your lifestyle.

I have been doing some research and I am not convinced either way. My only doubts about getting it is that I don't feel that it has been tested enough to know if it is safe for pregnant women. I haven't ever gotten a regular flu shot and haven't suffered from a bad flu in the past. I know this is different, though. Also, there are medical professionals in the UK that have made public statements that they personally are not getting one, which isn't very encouraging.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Restivo Pizza

Oscar could eat pizza everyday, if I let him. He'll eat just about any kind but his two favorites are Joe's Pizza and my mom's. Pizza is pretty much a Friday night affair at the Restivo house. Even if it was just Oscar and me and my parents, Oscar and my dad agreed that we still needed two extra large pies, salads, and subs. They loved the leftovers the next day. One year, we even threw Oscar a surprise birthday party in Joe's party room with my family - party hats and mom's cookie cake included.

When my mom came over the summer, she really wanted to make Oscar pizza. I didn't know how we were going to do it because I don't have a bread machine and they don't even sell frozen bread dough (a shortcut) here. My mom - being the smart person that she is - came up with the idea to use a cibatta bread mix. It was perfect! The dough was nice and thick and made for a great Italian pizza. So now everytime I make it, I think of her :)

Oscar has only a few requirements that would classify me as being a good mom - two are directly related to food - being able to make chocolate chip cookies and homemade pizza. At least now I have that going for me!

Restivo Pizza
1 Cibatta bread mix plus 1 extra tblsp olive oil
1 can crushed tomatoes (the regular size - not the 28oz can)
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp sugar
1 tblsp olive oil
1 red pepper
Pepperoni
2 c mozarrella cheese
Salt

For the sauce
Chop half of the onion and clove of garlic. Sautee the onion and garlic over med-low heat in 1 tblsp of olive oil until onion are translucent. Season with salt. Add the can of crushed tomatoes and 1 tsp of sugar. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.

For the dough
Follow the directions on the package and add 1 extra tblsp olive oil to the mix. After letting it rise for 30 min, lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil and stretch out the dough to make a nice crust. Top the dough with a little sauce and put it in the oven for 12-15 min at 35o.

For the pizza
Take the crust out of the oven and top with the rest of the sauce, pepperoni and cheese. Then, top the cheese with the sliced red pepper and the other half of the onion. Bake for another 15-20 minutes at 350 until the cheese starts to brown.

Me making pizza while I talked with my mom :)

Rock-a-bye Betsy

I have always, always, always wanted a rocking chair. And, now that I am pregnant it was the perfect excuse to get one. I knew exactly what I wanted but couldn't find it anywhere. They don't seem to make too many of the tradtional ones anymore. The rocking chair has evolved into a glider. I tried out a glider and it is nice but not what I was looking for. Plus, they weren't cheap.

When we were in Burford over the weekend, we stopped in a cute little shop. We went upstairs where they had a display of wood furniture. I wasn't thinking of finding a rocking chair at the time. But then ... I saw it from far and it was love at first sight. I sat in it and rocked and knew it was perfect. I was hesitant to look at the price because it was almost too good to be true. Luckily, it was very reasonably priced and was on sale - a plus for Oscar.

So now ... how do we get it to London? We had rented a car and crossed our fingers that it would fit. It was our lucky day because it did. So we became proud owners of a rocking chair and I have rocked in it everyday since then. I love it!

I was so excited to make our first purchase for the baby. Oscar said that it is really more for me than for the baby. And, you know what ... he might be right! :)

The Cotswolds

Oscar and I had the most amazing weekend in the English countryside this weekend. The Cotswolds is a group of small villages in the country about an hour and half west of London. They are the cutest little towns that are known for their honey colored cottages and picturesque landscapes. It was incredible.

The best way to see The Cotswolds is by car so we took a chance and rented a car. We decided to get an automatic (and extra insurance!) since it was our first time driving on the wrong side of the road. Oscar drove the whole way and did a great job. I was very impressed :) We got up bright and early Saturday morning and were back in London by late Sunday afternoon. It seemed like we were gone for much longer, which made it really feel like a nice vacation.

Our first stop was Bath. Bath is famous for the Roman baths, which we had to visit. We also visited the Abbey were the first king, King Edward, was crowned; then, just enjoyed wandering about the town center. We found the cutest little coffee shop, "The Boston Tea Party", where we had lunch. It was a quaint place packed with locals having a late, late breakfast, lunch, or tea. I loved it!

View from the town center.

View from the terrace of the exterior bath.

One of the interior baths.

Fresh hot spring water.

After Bath, we headed north to Castle Combe. A friend of Oscar's had recommended it so we had to stop. It had so much character. We had perfect weather for our trip - crisp, and cool with a few clouds, sunshine, and no rain. It made our experience even more authentic. I think this village was one of my favorites.

The main road through the village.

The cottages all had really short doorways.

The local church. It was a little spooky because the cementery was right out front. Then, when Oscar went to open the front door, it started to open itself and freaked him out. We didn't realize someone from inside was trying to leave. I was hysterical laughing.

The gardens at the Manor House Hotel. This hotel was unbelievable. It looked like it came right out of a storybook. I had tea (Oscar had a beer) inside in one of the old sitting rooms. So much fun!

After Castle Combe, we headed to Bibury where we were going to stay for the night at a great Bed&Breakfast, The Swan Hotel. By the time we got there, we were exhuasted and it was already dark. So we rested before we went downstairs for dinner. Sunday morning we had a traditional English breakfast at the hotel and then headed out to explore the village. The hotel owned a small trout farm right infront of the hotel, where they catch fresh trout for the restaurant. The brook was filled with trout, ducks, and swans.

Our hotel with a view of the brook. The water was so clear you could see trout.

When they turned down our bed, they tucked in their signature bear. Very cute idea!

Wildlife in the river.

A view of the village from the local church.

The local church and clock tower. The clock is over 500 years old and still works.

Just a beautiful view.

We followed a public footpath through the forest ...

... and made some new friends :)

The famous honey colored cottages.

Our last stop was in Burford. It was only about a 15 minute drive from Bibury and on our way back to London. The main street in this town was filled with antique shops, cafes, and adorable little stores. We had fun just going in and out of the shops and enjoying the views. For lunch, we found another great treasure. An intimate cafe that has been in business since the 1800s. The food was great and it was the perfect end to our wonderful trip. We picked the best time of year to go because all of the leaves were changing colors and the contrasts were beautiful. I would love to go back again - there are lots of other villages still left to explore!

The main street in Burford with a great view of the countryside.

Coming Soon ...

... pictures from our amazing weekend in The Cotswolds.

Fall is Everywhere

Paddington Gardens

Dorset Square

Regent's Park

Farewell Fr Terry

Our parish priest, Fr Terry, is moving to a new church after eight years at St. James'. While Oscar and I have only been attending this church since June, we have come to love it. We normally go to the noon Mass on Sundays and Fr Terry normally gives the 10:30 one. However, there were a few times that we were fortunate enough to have him as our priest. He was very charismatic and connected extremely well with the parish. I found his homilies to be very timely and inspiring.

They had a farewell Mass for him last night at our church, and even though I didn't know him that well, I decided to go. I am so glad that I did. It was a beautiful Mass and the entire church was packed. It was obvious that he was very loved and going to be terribly missed. One of the scriptures during the Mass is one of my all-time favorites:

Mark 5: 3-10
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blesssed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Brighton

Oscar and I went to Brighton on Saturday. It is a small coast town about an hour train ride from London. My sister had told us about it but we didn't get there when she was here over the summer. We woke up on Saturday to nice weather. Since we keep thinking that each nice Fall day is going to be our last, we hopped on the train and spent the day on the coast.

Brighton is a really cute town that has a great boardwalk and a fun pier. It is also known for its crazy nightlife but, since that's not really my scene these days, we took the first train back once the sun went down. We took a chance on a restaurant that had a great terrace and overlooked the water. We weren't expecting great food but decided to go there for the sunshine and the view. The food was actually pretty good and we were pleasantly surprised. We spent the next couple of hours walking up and down the coast and were beat by the end of the day. I am so glad we went because it just wouldn't be the same when it is cold and rainy.

On the pier. A lot like American piers with carnival games and rides and lots of fried food stands.

Brighton town behind me. The beach is not sand but rocks. It was really clean and well kept.

A nice view.

It was so sunny!

Facing the sun at lunch without my sunglasses. Homemade ice tea was delicious!

14 weeks and 1 day

A very special gift

The kapok fairies descended on the southern land

Turning the branches brilliant once every year

When the glory of spring left its imprint on paper

There were enough remnants to fill a book

From a very special person.

When my mom came to visit over the summer, we went to Cambridge for the day. The town is absolutelycharming and we had really nice weather but, aside from that, there was just something about that day that was very special. I can't even explain it; it's just a day that I was always remember with much joy and love.

As we were walking around the campus, we found an intimate art expo. There was a single Chinese painter, Lianchoo Liang, who had her work on display. There was a small reception room and we wandered in. (At first, we thought it was an "invite only" and we had crashed the scene; but we didn't.) We each went our separate ways to check out the pieces. And, separately, we all fell in love with the same piece. It was so neat to hear eachother say that it was all nice but there was this one ... and it turned out that we all liked the same one!

We spoke first with the painter's daughter, then got to meet the artist. They were both delightful people. We were hesitant to ask if the piece was for sale but finally did ... and it was! So my mother so graciously bought it for us as a house warming gift. We were all so excited! We didn't get to take it home that day because the expo lasted through the weekend. So later that week my mom and I ventured out to meet the painter's daughter at her office in London to pick it up ... in the rain!

It has finally been framed and we found the perfect spot for it in our living room. When we are home, we spend most of our time in the living room so now I feel like my mom is with us each and everyday. I truly adore my mother and look up to her in so many ways. I miss her so very, very much and am so thankful for the times that we have together.

The painting is water colors and black calligraphy ink. The chinese writing running down the left side of the painting is a poem written by the artist about the tree and is translated underneath the picture above. While I am sure it doesn't translate nearly as beautifully in English, it captures the essence of what the tree represents.

In Cambridge with Lianchoo Liang and the Kapok Tree.

Eat Your Greens

Ok, this ad cracks me up. It says "Eat Your Greens". When I think of "greens", I think of fresh, healthy, nutrient-packed vegetables like spinach, cabbage, broccoli, fresh mixed salads, and green beans. Apparently, the British think of potatoes. Potatoes aren't even a vegetable; they are a starch. And, maybe it's just me, but I've never seen a green potato before. The best part of it all is that this huge ad is posted in my gym :)

An ad for oven "chips" (aka - frozen french fries).

Richmond Park

Oscar and I went to Richmond Park over the weekend. It's not far outside of London and just a couple of trains and bus ride away. It is the largest of the Royal Parks (almost 2500 acres) and is filled with hills, woodlands, ponds, gardens, grasslands ... and free roaming deeer!

We packed a picnic (homemade chicken cutlet baguettes!) and made our way out there. I think it was our last day of nice weather. We anticipated that it might cool after later in the afternoon so I brought an extra sweater. Thank goodeness I did because it got quite chilly when we were sitting still to have lunch.

There were several great hiking trails that we explored. Most by chance - not that we were "lost" or anything :) We eventually found our way back to the bus stop. On our way back, we spotted some of the free ranging deer. It was so neat. They are used to having people around so you can get pretty close. I was exhausted by the time we left but we had a really nice time. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

View from a look-out point. With the telescope, you can see Windsor Castle. In the other direction, they cut a path through the forest and you can see St. Paul's Cathedral. Amazing!

Free roaming deer.

My "dear" with the deer :)

If you can't tell, I was a little cold.

Simple Lentils

My family and I love lentil soup. Over the years, it has become a tradition that I make it on Christmas Eve. So now whenever I make it, the smell always reminds me of Christmas ... and it smells good! The weather is turning cooler here and it is the perfect time to break out the best soup, stew, and legume recipes.

I decided to make lentil soup the other day and stopped halfway through the recipe because the lentils already had so much flavor that they didn't need any extra seasoning. Since I have a baby on board, I couldn't add the chorizo sausage like I normally do. Then, I also left out the fried bread, fried tomato sauce, garlic and parsley. So it turned out to be a super healthy dish. No fat added and a lot less calories. It really is so easy to make. All you do is throw everything in the pot and stir every once in a while. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Simple Lentils
(About 6-8 servings)

1 lb lentils (most don't need to be soaked over night)
12 cups water
1 onion, quartered
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thick chunks
2 bay leaves (or 4 small ones)
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into thick chunks
Salt
(See ... nothing but good, healthful ingredients in this recipe!)

Rinse the lentils then add them to a big stock pot with the water. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then lower to simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. About halfway through, add the potatoes. Stir every so often. You can half cover the pot, if you would like. Then add a decent amount of salt to taste and that's it! Pretty simple and absolutely delicious.

Notting Hill Carnival

Last month, a friend of Oscar's at work mentioned that she was going to go to the Notting Hill Carnival over the weekend and that we should check it out. It is supposed to be a big music festival with parades and festivities. When Oscar said that it might be like Mardi Gras, I wasn't too keen on the idea but I still agreed to look into it.

We picked up the paper to see if we could find out more information about the festival. There were articles about public transportation and road closures, maps, and opening hours. But my favorite article talked about how London police had already confiscated weapons, including two Samurai swords, that were part of a gang war that was going to place at the carnival. Oh, and I liked the article that said that you could pay to be on the "Ass-Shakin' Float". Now, if that doesn't sound like a good time ... I don't know what does.

Later, Oscar saw that the big Carnival day was Monday (the Bank Holiday) and that Sunday was more for families and Carnival virgins. I agreed to go on Sunday. We took the bus instead of the Tube and actually didn't have any problems getting there. Before we even got off the bus, I could see the masses of people on the street and knew we had arrived.

We made our way through the crowds, avoiding "mines" from the London police horses, and took it all in. All we saw were lots of drunk people (at 5pm), trash, and impromtu food stands along the streets. We finally made it to a main street where there was a band at the end of the road. We didn't even know who was playing and didn't care either.

It didn't take long for me to say I wanted to go home. Fortunately, Oscar understood and we made our way back. If nothing else, it made for a good laugh. We did hear that Monday is much better because the parades are supposed to be awesome. Maybe next year?! I don't know ...