I just finished watching the movie Julia & Julia. Philip was so exhausted he feel asleep, or just hated it. In the morning he will surely give me the run down. The food alone made me hungry. He never had the love affair with Paris that I did. Of course it is obvious to me at this time it isn't always the place I am physically in life but mentally. Most people see one perspective and off in a complete opposite I would be with stars in my eyes. Julia & Julia did Paris well for it captured the back garden in one scene of what appears to be Notre Dame. A church I found to be totally overrated until I saw the back garden and just feel in. It took me to a memory of my mom reading The Secret Garden to me and my brother when we were about 9 and 11. It was his favorite book. I don't remember ever finishing it with them. Mom has the most beautiful reading voice. Even now I enjoy reading as she did to my boys. There is something in sharing a story, like a hug, that wraps you in warmth.
Julia & Julia also made me think about how the idea isn't that original at all. Philip and I were married and moved to Panama the year after I graduated high school. He worked in a special duty Postal job for the Air Force then. The amount of bulk mail ( catalogues and magazines) that consumed his day kept him from ever allowing me to order much. He was not about to add to his work load. Gourmet magazine did capture his attention. We were the only married couple at the time that was our age. All the single guys had him hands down in the party dept but when it came to food he carried all bragging rights. Each date we had always tried a new restaurant which continued when we got married. While living in Panama we didn't trust the local food for the first two years we lived there. It was his idea that since employment was not an option for me that I cook a new meal at least once a week. I remember the first time he chose the recipe for a London Broil the price made me almost cry. Back then he didn't know how to give compliments so it was just good. I believe that issues is still floating around in a box 18 years later.
After the movie the special scenes talk about how people experience life with food. We sure have, in every country my best memories have some unique culinary story to move the listener down memory lane. In these memories are beautiful people who I hold in my heart still today. Although some are no longer "friends" it is well for they have not been forgotten.
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