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by PAM
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| Crisp outside, light and airy inside... and many more... that is all good! |
A very long introduction...
Living alone has its benefits, the most important of which - at least, for me - is the opportunity to savor solitude.
I like solitude, I enjoy it. These days, I realized that the one company I never get bored of is my own. No, that is not being self-important, self-centered nor being selfish. It's just my love for the quiet. I'd much rather listen to the sound of my own silent thoughts, and of others' whose quiet thoughts are in harmony with mine, than to be confused in the dizzying chaos of a many multitude of opinions and 'great ideas' from so many, many (many, many... many) 'brilliant individuals'. Today's basis of 'brilliance' has eluded me hopelessly... and I do not believe I have the energy, nor the time, to embark on a greatly futile journey and the great hopelessness of ever finding it. So, I decided to just take the opposite route... the route of quietness - the beautiful moments of stillness of an unhurried living... with ample time to walk silently as one pays attention to one's surroundings... and be filled with wonder. That is not to say that I don't enjoy being in the company of people with whom I share the appreciation of meaningful conversations... and fun endeavors that touch the soul and make the spirit soar!
I like reflection, quiet reflection... and I enjoy discernment. I like long walks... and prayers while I walk. These days, as I walk around my new neighborhood, I like admiring those green canopies above me that those marvelous trees make as they reach out to join their long and graceful branches from each side of the road. I like sipping coffee quietly as I read a good book at the front porch, and once in a while looking up to marvel at the clouds and the incredible beauty of the blue skies behind them. Yes, I do have time to contemplate these days... or, rather, I can afford to make time for contemplation these days... and I am, indeed, very grateful. But that is a story for another time. Today, I am just being the foodie me.
Finally, the 'foodie' part...
As I mentioned in another post on this blog, I now have a 'second home', which is very close to a new 'second work location'. I usually live alone in the second home. I was dreading it before... but now, I am beginning to appreciate it.
These days, I am discovering that another benefit of living alone is being able to choose to eat what one craves without having to feel guilty that others may not appreciate one's cravings. The other day, I was suddenly reminded of Italy, and the unforgettable trip that I took over there some years back.
And that made me crave Italian food... specifically, my favorite Italian bread: ciabatta. So, I dropped by one of my favorite specialty stores, Santis Delicatessen, to pick up a loaf of ciabatta and a box of spaghetti pasta. Ah, ciabatta is so good, especially when dipped in olive oil with a dash of balsamic vinegar. While I love this very Italian bread for its light and airy texture inside and its crisp thin crust, I decided to make my spaghetti 'Filipino style', which is with red sweet sauce. I tried re-living my childhood days, enjoying sweet meaty spaghetti complete with slices of hotdog. I 'cheated' a little... and bought a ready-to-use spaghetti sauce... just to save time. Again, this is one of the perks of living alone, you can decide whichever way you want to prepare your food without making anyone roll their eyes. Uhm, wait... are you rolling your eyes right now? If you are, well... aren't you glad you're not living with me?
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| Spaghetti - Filipino style |
Ah, the mind meanders and stopped at the 'Bridgerton station'...
All and all, I had a splendid time eating my Mediterranean-meets-Southeast-Asian meal while I watch "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" (QC) on Netflix for the nth time... which is a story for another time. Ah, dear reader, you didn't think I'd stay quiet about Bridgerton - the version so 'mangled' by Netflix, huh? No way! I am a fan - of the original and authentic Bridgerton book series by Julia Quinn (JQ)... but not so much of the 'mangled' version by Netflix. But I do like QC, which is not a part of JQ's Bridgerton series. I think that the reason why QC was so good is because it stole, er, 'borrowed' many of the good things in the original Bridgerton series by JQ... which were omitted in the Netflix (mangled) version. Especially noticeable for me was how QC borrowed many beautiful moments from "The Viscount Who Loved Me" (TVWLM) - the second of the Bridgerton series by JQ. The reason why I know... well, it's because I so loved TVWLM in the JQ series. I read it at least five times! And the feeling I got while reading the tenderly special moments were the very same feeling that I had while watching the special moments in QC... and which I never felt in the Netflix 'mangled' version of TVWLM. And, the young King George III (KG3) in QC, uhm, on his sane moments, that is, is almost the exact same image of Colin Bridgerton in my head, except that KG3 did not have green eyes and his hair was not longish and curly. But the beautiful smile, the wit, and all that charisma... ah, they're all so Colin.
I hope that Netflix does not mangle "An Offer from a Gentleman" - Benedict's story - as much as they did the previous books in the upcoming Season 4 of Bridgerton. In case I have not been clear previously... let me be clear this time. This is a 'warning' from us, avid and loyal Bridgerton fans, Netflix! Leave the beautiful story alone!
But I digress... I did enjoy my spaghetti with my ciabatta. I think that is all the point I am making here, which took me forever to say. Hahaha... sorry, 'gentle reader'.
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Image credit: I own all the photos in this post as I took all of them.
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