Spring is in the air

Finally, at last, the clocks turned forward an hour, giving us more daylight. And the sun has been making a frequent appearance. If only it were warmer. Chilly temps don't deter Rio from taking off her shoes at the playground yesterday and running around the freshly greened grass.

Another reason to come to Europe this year - you'll be able to dine out for less!

I hope this will apply to the 7 euro cafe au laits in Paris as well (personally though I'm more of a noisette person). Just in case you missed - another reason to come visit us in Europe - it'll be cheaper to eat out! and fix your shoes!

The VAT tax might be reduced to as low as 5.5 percent from 19.6 percent. Hopefully they'll get around to it before our intended spring trip to Paris.

Click below for more info:

Tax Change in Europe

Things we like to eat in London: Old Cotswold Legbar eggs

We're making an easter tree. It should be ready after few more pancake breakfasts. This year we're decorating it with our favorite new egg, the naturally pastel colored Cotswold Legbar eggs. They come in different colors, but mostly this beautiful transluscent bluish green. We've had a few that were pinkish and light green. They are truly a wonder of nature and making Easter eggs out of them is just the proper thing to do, as I always feel awful throwing away those beautiful shells.

London supermarkets are also filled with special chicken breed eggs, which is something that I haven't noticed in either New York or Paris. Anyway, my new business idea is to buy a brood of Old Cotswold Legbar chicks and start a chicken farm in Vermont. I think these would take off pretty well in the States.

Sleepover

Rio's first sleepover! Here we were expecting giggling and running till midnight (ok, I was asking for it coming up with the chocolate bug cupcake decorating contest), but the girls surprised us by going to bed willingly at ten. Then again, they were up at 6 in the morning asking for pancakes and vigorously (aka loudly) resuming their coloring/ playing activities. So perhaps it would've been better for them to stay up till midnight - at least for me.

Things we like to eat in London: Lightly Smoked Salmon Fillets

London food scene is definitely in the throes of a culinary revolution. There's a lot of interesting and new ingredients that I keep on discovering, especially at our favorite supermarket, Waitrose.

One of my favorite new things are the slightly smoked salmon fillets. They're quite addictive and delicious as a sashimi appetizer, or sauteed or oven-roasted. They're actually so good that it's impossible to mess them up.

Milk Delivery

Our local milk delivery van is one of those few things that make you feel like you live in another country. Every morning the blue and red Hampstead doorways are lined with petite glass milk bottles. Once in a while you see an angry note from a disgruntled customer "Milkman please stop delivering at this address!"