divine angst

Classes start tomorrow.

But not for me. I mean, I have classes tomorrow, that I’m supposed to go to. But I won’t be going to them. Nor will I go to class on Wednesday or on Thursday. Instead, I will be enjoying a very special treat, courtesy of my dad. I will be in Pasadena, watching a football game.

The whole thought of missing so much class at the beginning of the semester made me a little nervous, back when we were deciding whether or not to make this trip. But law school is three years and this trip is once-in-a-lifetime. (Well, hopefully it’s not the last National Championship game my team goes to, but it’s the first in a while, and I’m jazzed about it.) I’ve told my professors I’ll be out, I’ve lined up classmates to get notes from, and I’ve even started the reading so I’m not too far behind. (I will be in class on Friday, too, so I have to get that reading done. Not that I officially know what it is, since only one of my professors has posted a syllabus and I don’t have her class on Friday.)

So Mr. Angst and I will be enjoying the West Coast for two-and-a-half days, with my dad, two of my brothers, and a favorite cousin. Football, family, and fun-in-the-sun. Hopefully I’ll come back energized and excited for the semester, because lazing around the house for the last five days hasn’t really put me in the school-going mood.

Today is the REAL first day of the new year, as far as I am concerned.

I spent much of yesterday either sleeping or being sick. This, obviously, ruined our grand breakfast plans–eggs Benedict, mimosas, fresh fruit and french press coffee. Instead, Mr. Angst had toast and cereal and, later, pizza; I had water, more water, and, later, some chicken broth and toast. I also managed to put down some plain pasta. (I am not counting the things I ate which did not stay down. I’d rather not think of them.)

So today is the first day of the new year; yesterday, as far as Mr. Angst and I are concerned, did not happen. Our grand breakfast was not diminished by having it a day later and, in fact, included the most perfectly poached eggs I’ve ever managed as well as a lovely Hollandaise.

Can I talk about Hollandaise for a moment here? Before moving here, every Hollandaise I’d tasted included either cayenne powder or a dash of pepper sauce. It also always had a nice lemony tang (since lemon juice is supposed to be included in the sauce). Yet every order of eggs Benedict I’ve ordered in Our New City has been served with the blandest Hollandaise I’ve ever tasted. It’s like Hollandaise here is made of only egg yolks and butter, with no other seasoning. There’s certainly no cayenne or pepper sauce (and I got a STRANGE look from a waitress when I requested my Hollandaise on the side with a bottle of Tabasco so I could mend it myself).

I find the aversion to the heat a little weird, because this is not exactly a city afraid of spice. Marinara sauce around here is usually spicy; Italian sausage is, too. Most of the Mexican food I’ve had has been picante as well. But the Hollandaise? Nope, not spicy. You know, even the traditional French sauce includes paprika or some other spice.

Needless to say, my Hollandaise had cayenne in it (perhaps a bit too much, due to a slip of the wrist while adding it). Also, the eggs were just barely runny and instead of Canadian bacon and English muffins, we used breakfast sausage and puff pastry. YUM! I think, at least around here, I’ll have to stop ordering eggs Benedict since I know I can make it so much better.

So Happy New Year to all! I think my lovely breakfast was very auspicious for my cooking in 2006. I hope your year has started off so brightly as well.