Arrival!

I got here, safe and sound, not a second to lose. The trip up from NJ wasn't too bad, but once I got close, the roads got smaller and I got loster. A couple of U-turns, and round-about ways of getting up here, I finally made it to my B&B home station for the week. The owners were wonderful to get me situated in the house, and then to direct my way to the CIA in the case I wanted to make a dry run - and that's exactly what I did.

So off to the CIA, and it was a great visit. There were several parties going on at different parts of the campus, and as I strolled in the Hudson Valley sunset, I was really enjoying the scholarly environment of my surroundings, albeit scholars of palate as opposed to words. Nonetheless, it was such a good feeling here, I got goosebumps just thinking about the week ahead. Mind you, I haven't started yet, so I have a feeling that tomorrow's write-up may be even shorter than this evenings. I saw a little groundhog nibbling his way through dinner along the Hudson, by one of the buildings. The train was chug-a-lugging its way southward on the west bank of the Hudson, backed by the rising hills and the gradually changing colors of the trees. The sun was just setting. And everywhere, I smelled garlic. Oh heaven.

This evening, I went to a restaurant in Rhinebeck, about 20 miles north. Gigi Trattoria. I ordered the half-order of the bolognese with their homemade fettucini; and a salad of arugula and shaved parm to finish. The fettucini arrived, and I realized immediately something was off. Way off. I tilted my head forward to just give it a sniff - no smell. None. Not from a bolognese. Even when I wasn't pregnant, I could smell the bolognese just sitting back, and it smelled rich, saucy, dense. This, I smelled... nothing. I took a taste, and true to my nose, nothing. Homemade ricotta was good, but the sauce - oy! It really left something to be desired. I ended up asking for the salt, something I never thought I'd have to do with bolognese, but sure enough, there I was, salting this damn plate and mixing it as if for final serving. Oy.

The salad was fine - I selected something that, should the fettucini be off, could really not be messed up, as each component carries with it an inherent flavor or character. The parmesan was salty, but the flavor was not crisp; the arugula was fresh. A squeeze of lemon and their olive oil drizzle dressed the salad. It carried itself all right - but the salad was just huge. Too much for me to finish on my own - perhaps for a table of 4, but for just 1, it really was too big.

I finished the meal with a peach tart, which was touted to come with whipped cream. So, to end my evening of disappointment at Gigi's, out came a cake with peaches baked on top, and vanilla ice cream on the side. The cake was too much, so I ended up just eating the peaches, some of the accompanying strawberries, and half of the ice cream. Alas, not the perfect meal, but it filled the void.

So now I bow out, to catch some zzzz's before my morning rise and shine. Until tomorrow!