expat on the go...

IT'S SNOWING IN NEW JERSEY!

It's snowing in New Jersey.  That means 2 things:

1) I need to get going MUCH earlier, to get the kids to school on time.  As I was driving my son to school,  I couldn't brake (I was sliding everywhere), AND I saw 2 accidents.  You see, people have summer/4 season tires and no winter tires... hence, the slipping and sliding into everything!  I also have no winter tires, so I go at a speed of  8 - 12 mph.  Pretty scary and not very amusing!

2) I need to (and I already have) shoveled the sidewalk and walkway for anyone who will step on the sidewalk, in front of our house, or on the walkway to our house.  If by, 'chance', someone were to slip and slide on the sidewalk or our walkway - cha-ching, cha-ching - here come the lawyers!!!  I have also put salt on the driveway, the sidewalk, the walkway and the steps, leading to the house.  Phewww!  One less thing to worry about!

I'm hoping it won't start to rain, when I have to pick them up at 3pm!

Never a dull moment!

THE GRAVITY VAULT, NJ

My honey and the little guy went 'rock climbing' yesterday.   While in NYC, a few weeks ago, we stumbled upon a sports store that sold mountain climbing equipment, but for the winters climbs (!) - with the shoes with the 'pick ax' at the end and the heavy harnesses, etc... He told me he wanted a harness for Christmas, forget the X-box, legos, etc...  His beautiful blue eyes lit up, like I've never seen them light up.

The honey decided to take him 'wall climbing' to see if he would, indeed, like it.  He LOVED it!  He got a little scared on the last climb, but wants to go back and finish it.

Here are a few pictures:

 

 

Looks like he had fun!  He wants to go back on Sunday.  They have a group of youngsters that meet on Sundays.  Here's the info:

THE GRAVITY VAULT

107 Pleasant Ave, Upper Saddle River

(201) 934-ROCK (7625)

www.gravityvault.com

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND HALLOWEEN...

Okay! So I've been a bit busy!!!

Here's the little guy on the first day of school with the neighbor's children:

 

Grade 4:  He looks soooo happy, he's about to get up and do a jig!  ;)

And here's the Teen's first day of school picture - grade 10 - oh, I forgot, she's too cool for that! ...

This is why I LOVE my neighborhood - on top of having a wonderful block party, every September, we had a Halloween hot dog party, where everyone brings something:

The 'little guy's disguise:

 

 

Halloween Hot Dog Party:

VILLAGE GREEN, RIDGEWOOD, NJ

Hello from New Jersey.

The house is NOT yet finished, though we are getting closer.  Will post pictures soon - I promise!

Last weekend, honey and I went out on a date and ate at "Village Green" in Ridgewood, NJ.  It was a 5 course meal.  It was, after having lived in France for 3 years, not bad at all!!  Of course, in Ridgewood, it's bring your own booze - so honey brought a bottle of wine - not from his 'fridge' (read = expensive wines) because he couldn't find his key (!)  That's my honey, you have to roll with the punches (he did find it this week, at the office - phewwwww!!!).  My honey had, as a starter, chanterelle mushrooms with frisee salad and I had beets with arugola greens.  It was very good.   We then ordered the escargots bourguignon - OK, 1) the escargots were in a shell and in the shell was bar-b-queish sauce and on the bottom of the plate was the traditional persillade - BUT no garlic!!! What, escargots, NO garlic.  No. That was not our favorite.  Either you go western (with an caramelized onion 'compote' and forget the not so tasty persillade) or you go French and do a persillade with garlic - NOT bar-b-que sauce.  For the next course, he had monk fish in a creamy sauce (that was delicious), and I had red snapper in a fresh tarragon-citrus sauce - equally delicious and lighter.  We then had our 'meat' dish.  Honey had the crispy duck AND that was something to write home about.  I had the rabbit.  It was the 'special of the day'.  I love rabbit, though, I have to say, it was a little dry.  My honey ended with a peach crumble and, of course, I had my cheese plate.  The cheese plate was very nice.

All in all a very nice restaurant and great service.  I would definitely go back.

36 Prospect St.
Ridgewood, NJ  07450
Tel: 201-445-2914
Fax: 201-251-9510