science museum, london

We expected the Science Museum in London to be primarily a place for children. We went there because we thought our 10-year old son would enjoy it.

We were very pleasantly surprised. Of course, he loved the hands-on exhibits and enjoyed the children's lecture and overall had a terrific time. But my husband and I were also delighted to find so many -- so many! -- fabulously interesting and beautiful things to look at.

I love old scientific instruments. Their beauty lies in their function and utility, and their ability to answer and ask questions at the same time. What were people trying to find out back then? Did they find the answers they were looking for?

We could have visited the Museum two days in a row and still not have enough time to see everything. I eventually stopped taking photos because it was taking too much time, and just enjoyed looking at the exhibits.

It was a good call.

mind the gap

Waterloo Station, boarding the 9:35 train to Hampton Court.

color of spring

'Tis the season of petit pois. The weather has gotten cold and gray again, but we know it's spring because we can get peas at the market!

I used to get them 500g at a time, but these days I just ask for 1kg, which is good for two dinners. The amount of peas I get seems almost unnerving, but then I shell them (volume reduced to less than half), plus I munch on them as I shell them along (volume reduced by further 10%). 

Peas have lots of vitamins A and C, and if eaten raw, provide much more vitamin C than when they're cooked. Nutritional values aside, they're so good and tasty. Early in the spring, these peas are tender and sweet, and very refreshing. I'm convinced that they are the elixir of youth. This elixir, I take with a glass of white wine.

This morning, along with the peas, I also bought potatoes, onions, brown mushrooms and three heads of lettuce. The monsieur at the stand gave me a huge bunch of parsley. It was so big -- almost as big as my face -- that I was startled, wondering what to do with so much parsely... until I snipped a piece and started munching on it.


I couldn't stop, you see. By the time I got home, I had eaten a handful. Vitamines A and C, anyone?

on easter morning

On the third day, He rose again.

From death comes life.

my french kitchen stove

A few weeks ago while I was at Les Puces, I spotted an antique toy kitchen set. It was très, très mignon, but I just wasn't moved enough to buy it.

This past weekend I was back at Les Puces, and as I was walking around thinking to myself, "Maybe I should have gotten that kitchen set....", I came across this one, much smaller and much more affordable.

The oven door opens. There's also a drawer that pulls open. The chalet we rented last winter in the Alps had a beautifully aged stove, with a drawer that opened just like this. This is perhaps where the coals went?

I've been secretly wishing for an antique French kitchen stove, although it was the kind of wish that I figured wouldn't come true. Well, guess what? It did come true -- in the form of a pencil sharpener.

And I paid only 2€ for it.