Catching Up and Quizzes

My Aunt Betty and Uncle Howard are in town from California for a week.  They're staying with a friend on the south side of town.  Connie and I were invited to a very small dinner party in their honor.  Within a few minutes of our arrival, our hostess Pam and I discovered that she works with the sister of a blogger from Indy that I know.  Small world!!!  Pam served us a fantastic dinner with lots of opportunity for great conversation. 

Coming up this week, I've got dinner with clients on Monday, teaching a Social Security seminar on Tuesday, a Financial Planning Association grip and grin on Wednesday and a Kappa grip and grin on Thursday.  That means tonight (Sunday) is my night to cook and blog.  Thank goodness for a big backlog of photos and recipes!

One of the important things outstanding is a quiz from my friend Christiane at MomChef.  She writes one of my favorite blogs.  Once I respond, I need to pass on eight questions to seven other bloggers.  So, here are my responses:

1. What's the best live event (concert, comedian, etc.) that you've ever attended and when/why? 
That's easy.  Robert Dubac's show.  The Male Intellect.  An Oxymoron.  You can buy the dvd on Amazon.  We bought it after the show and have watched it probably 20 times.  I laugh until I cry every time.  He's brilliant and I can't wait until he comes back somewhere near Indy.  He's also got a Facebook page.



2. If you were given the opportunity to cook alongside any one professional chef, who would it be? 
Alive or dead?  It'd have to be Julia Child.  If the chef had to be alive, probably Cat Cora.  She's able to tweak everyday recipes to make them very special.


3. When you were growing up, what did you want to be? Are you doing that? If not, what?
I really wanted to be an architect.  But, fate intervened and I got a BS and MBA in finance and spent oodles of years as a commercial loan officer in a bank.  21 years ago I escaped banking and entered the world of financial planning.  Making a living helping people, having the freedom to work with whom I want and still having numbers in my life.  Absolutely perfect. 


4. If your house was on fire, what one item would you grab from the kitchen to save?
My great-grandmother's recipe box.


5. Coke or Pepsi?
UGH!  Neither.  We were allowed one Coke a week when we were kids. It was after Sunday school from the Coke machine under the stairs at church.  Consequently, I never developed a taste for pop so I never drink the stuff.


6. How many years have you been friends with the person you've known the longest?
My mom - lifetime :-)  If you're talking my age group - I'm still friends with some folks from kindergarten.  And, one of my closest friends and I have known each other since 5th grade.


7. What food dish do you consider the most daunting and have not yet gotten up the courage to attempt it yet?
A real cassoulet. 


8. If you were an animal, what would you be?
One of my cats!

And my questions of seven of my favorite bloggers.  I've tried to avoid repeating anyone who I know has already received this...

1. What is your favorite food?
2. If you could star in a foodtv show, what would it be about?
3. What is your favorite season and why?
4. If you could save one thing from your kitchen, what would it be?
5. What is the one place you've not visited that you'd most like to visit?
6. What and where was your most memorable meal?
7. How many places have you lived and which was your favorite?
8. What got you to start blogging?

And seven of my favorite bloggers who've now been tagged :-)
Chef Dennis at More than a MountFull
Lauren at Foodie House
Lizzydo at That Skinny Chick can Bake
Monet at Anecdotes and Apple Cores
Raven at RavieNomNoms
NanaLana at Never Enough Thyme
Sara at Caffe Ina