I suppose leaning back is an adequately simple move to appeal to everyone in the house.

[aruan]

After all, we can't all be Beyonce.

While fiddling around with my desktop today, I found out two things. One, and the fastest way to trip your brain out, is that you can have animated GIFs as the desktop image, and two, for you Windows users, the 'Chateau' background? I've been there.



It's in the Loire Valley and has a double helix-shaped staircase at the center that was allegedly designed by Leornardo Da Vinci. What's funny is that the entire time I stood outside it, I had the oddest sense of walking into a dream and kept trying to place it. I even took a photo of it from the same angle as the one in Windows.

Been working on a fic I started in February 2002 and haven't touched since, that's exciting. Although, as always, I'm stuck on the dialogue.

Somewhat less excitingly, unfortunately, I also went to see Collateral. Wasn't bad, but I was bored in a couple of places, the "philosophy" wasn't clever or particularly thought-provoking, and the final irony of the film didn't much get me, either. However, the company, one xalxuffasch, was good.

The theater upheld established Muvico tradition, with a Taj Mahal facade and wrongly tempting overpriced food. Luckily, I was still pretty set from lunch with my mom at this place called Crazy Buffet. Mmm, Thai noodles. Green see-through things that taste outrageous. We went for three helpings and came back with some each time.

There's been "a lot" of media sorting on this end. It's really kind of absurd how much footage I've accumulated over two years yet still see stuff in songvids that's new. Of course, as everyone who goes through his/her footage ultimately gets around to, I am compiling a fandom induction disk. That's right, just one CD to convert even the most stalwart cynic. But then, you really have to go out of your way not to like these boys.

Aaand project! I hung out at the plaza near the theater for a while which had a Whole Foods Market. I've never been to one and had my camera on me, ergo picture essay. I call it, Jules Goes to Whole Foods Market, because I am a veritable fount of originality. Or you know, something.



Dude! I knew about shampoo and clothing, but waffles?



I'd not yet learned the proper microfocus (for distances three feet or less) setting, but the point of this one was the Cultured Soy brand. But does it open car doors and know the difference between a Merlot and Cabernet, I wonder.



Now there's something that'll stay in the family for generations.



I may have shed a tear. Especially since it's spelled correctly on the packaging.



Still ragingly inadequate in the face of my camera, but this. Oh, my friends, I've not come across this utterly perfect combination of nuts since the Netherlands. Almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, and pecans, roasted and unsalted. This was also not be the last of my euphoric finds.



They're called Zoinks! I hope Shaggy is living large off of them somewhere. This picture is also brought to you by the fact that I do sometimes go for the cheap jokes. *is five*



Aah, better. You can't have expected me to walk past this one. Fruity Booty! Where do you do even start with that? Personally, I like the brand name, and this little treasure (as it were) in the lower left:



Bwah! A natural follower to Crunchy and Good Provisions, no?



That's gotta be one heck of a sunburn to merit that much aloe. Wouldn't want to be you.



I didn't even know one could make bread out of millet. And spelt. Whatever those things are. Also, is it even still technically bread without wheat? It's like calling meat products made out of tofu by their conventional names.



Now that's what I call a real cheese section. Smelled like one, too.



And I couldn't leave without finding these, which will forever and until the end of days be callmesandy's Many-Roomed Houses of Wood series.

Which brings us to the find of my trip:



*insert choirs of angels singing* I don't know if I mentioned it, but Orangina is a thing of goodness and light, of pure joy. It is also very, very French. Like, rarely found on the rest of the continent much less here French. But while there, it became a staple in our apertitifs and to-go baguette lunches alike, and I've been missing it something fierce. And it's here! It's right here in my neighborhood (well, as much as anything that requires a 45-minute commute can be called "in the neighborhood.") It's such a simple thing, just carbonated orange juice (ergo the settled pulp at the bottoms of the bottles) but mmm, Orangina. Such a simple, happy thing.

Aaand coffee calls. Judiciously not going to think about the fact that by this time next week, I'll be drinking it for the more practical purpose of staying awake for the drive back to Gainesville.

Comments

[carta.livejournal.com]

Oh man, Orangina. . . got hooked on it in the high school "If it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" tour, and have longed for it ever since. Excellent Whole Foods trip. *g* I remember right after PoTC when everyone was gushing over Pirate Booty.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I only passed through Belgium as a train-changing point, though my roommate did bring me back some chocolate from her weekend there. And I entirely missed the Pirate Booty, but that wasn't my last trip to Whole Foods by a long shot.

[digital-diva.livejournal.com]

We have Orangina here as well. I remember I had a friend once who used to date a girl called Gina. When they broke up, he refused to mention her name. Ever. So when he ordered the drink, he kept calling it "Oran".

Glad you were able to find it over there :)

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

he kept calling it "Oran".

Must've given the wait staff a time, but wow, that must've been some breakup. *ducks and covers*

Mmm, Orangina. It is to sing about!

[beatpropx.livejournal.com]

Orangina and good cheese, that's life right there. I have the most insane craving for some Lemon Zest Stilton right about now.

Managing to get your introductory primer down to one disc causes me to go into spasms of joy. I utterly failed at the effort and mine is 15 discs, I have zero ability to make the hard choices. A one disc, sure-fire, rope'em into fandom collection is superb, I can't wait until you sway the masses to the sparkly side.

Morningstar Farms! Mmm, tomato and basil veggie burgers, I think I know what's for dinner, *grin*.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

I made several meals out of Orangina, good cheese, and fabulously simple baguettes that nonetheless tasted better than a thousand "gourmet" ones Stateside. *le sigh*

Aah, see, I was careful about my wording. It's not an "introductory primer" but a "fandom induction" because I'm not trying to give the intended an overview of *NSYNC but rather a highly concentrated sample of the best stuff that this fandom is built and congregates around. The memorable moments, the antics, the silliness, the love. They're mostly short clips, so it's not hard to keep it to a single CD. Though I'd love to know what your fifteen discs encompass.

I've never had it! If I weren't going to the movie, I would've done a bit of shopping, and might just make good on that before leaving next week.

I have no food icons. This saddens me, but on the other hand, you get JC, and really, the effect is comparable, wouldn't you say? ;)

[beatpropx.livejournal.com]

Stilton is a beautiful cheese, I highly recommend getting some next time you have a good selection. Straight up has a clean, sharp taste but it's the lemon zest studded version that knocks my socks off.

[mscat42.livejournal.com]

wow. thnx for sharing..:) and wholefoods is cool especially when they give out samples of cheeses amongst other things.. the best way to go food shopping is to eat your way through it.. they have good sushi too.. it was great to meet you at cftc, although we had met back in dec, we never got to talk.. :)

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked the "essay." I remember many an afternoon spent wandering Costco with my mom spoiling my dinner doing that very thing.

We met in December *and* CFTC? I'm thinking this is gonna be another Boston? Boston. conversation. Had several of those over the weekend where I tilted my head at people as they did the same. Heh. Good times. Yes, we should see about more formal introductions next time around.

[marrymehowie.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness. I have to tell you how great the Fruity Booty is. I don't eat that particular one, but I do eat Pirate's Booty, Spinach Booty and Potato Flyers, all from the same brand. They're all awesome, lots of different tastes, and all the wording on the packages is great:)

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

I was so amused. Fruity Booty! They looked interesting, but good to know they serve the more conventional eating purpose as well. And Pirate's Booty! As any PotC fan worth her salt, I need me a bag of that on principle alone.

[marrymehowie.livejournal.com]

Hey, to each their own:) lol

[saturn92103.livejournal.com]

How do you say Loire Valley? Give it to me phoenetically. It's been bugging me for ages.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Hm. This will be interesting, as the French 'r' is the bane of my existence - they don't actually articulate it the way we do. It's the same letter but sounds different. The 'Lo' is the same as in 'low' and the rest is 'aarh,' like what you say when the doctor gets out the tongue depressor and tells you to open your mouth. The 'r' aspirated - it's more air than sound, all in the back of the throat. It's really not something I can successfully explain because it's not a sound or articulation we have in English.

[saturn92103.livejournal.com]

*sobs*

I'll never know, will I?

Low-ahhh Valley?

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

We glide - stretch and nasalize - our vowels where the French decidedly do not. The first syllable is like 'low' but clipped, like 'Lo and behold!' The second is close, but the 'r' is pronounced, just very, very Frenchly. I'm so sorry I don't have anything I can liken it to - the closest thing is the sound some people make when they're trying to get phlegm out of their throat.