Recipe for a wonderful day

Happy one year anniversary to this blog! I’m proud to look back on dozens of recipes in which I learned about neat new-to-me spices and revisited familiar ones.  I’ve accomplished my goal of cooking through the spice rack but am still searching for a recipe with anise that doesn’t taste too much like anise (one of the few flavors I really don’t like). I’ve realized that I’d like to blog more about travel and photography, so I’m putting together some posts about past trips which have included great food.

Here is the recipe of the day:

3 good friends (they do not have to live in the same state*)

1 airplane ticket (round trip, in our case)

1 coffee shop with cases of pastries

1 free on-street parking spot

2 cute neighborhood shops with interesting specialty items (spices, etc.- gee, what a shock!)

4 short drives around town on "Memory Lane"

1 helpful museum docent to share information about art 

4 healthy lunch items shared among each other

2 kind parking meter enforcers down the block from your car when                

  your pile of quarters in the meter is runnnninggg ooouuuutt... 

3 shops including a stupendous cupcake place

30 fingernails brightly painted (optional ingredient for men)

1 phenomenal new restaurant with more shared plates (no comment  

  on nutritional value; suffice it to say DELICIOUS)

2 walks through parks

6 tired feet

Lots of laughs, some sorrows, new hopes and dreams

hugs all around at the end of the day

To prepare: add ingredients in any sequence, mix gently while allowing time to rest between adding ingredients. Repeat at least annually. Top with cupcakes brought home to family.

* feel free to modify number of friends, adjust remaining ingredients proportionally