Rebecca A. Foster

I'm revisiting my last letter, I realized I had more to say about it. My last two posts were pretty serious, so how about something more light-hearted for now? 1. Old Things. My mom abhors old things, so I know I get this from my dad, in some cases literally. This little desk was his nightstand during college, but I remember it as the place he stored wiring and electronics, etc. He gave it to me, I painted it black (not well-- needs to be redone) and I use it to store toiletries/medicine cabinet stuff. I reckon this little chest is about 40+ years old now. I love it because it was my dad's. He also gave me his Army toolbox, and a really cool old Army messenger-type bag from the 1940s. I think he got it at a surplus store, but he used it as a fishing bag and I cherish it. It's in storage right now and I have a cold and am too chicken to venture out in the snow for it. I'll share a picture another day. I bought my bed at a used furniture store for $200. It's b...

Two stories: R. went to Beijing last week with some visiting American family and friends. They were on a bus going to the Great Wall, discussing China, Chinese culture etc. They were also jockeying for new seats and started talking about an empty seat next to a Chinese guy sitting in front of them. R. to her sister, in English: "Do you think that seat is available?" Chinese guy, in English: "Yeah, this seat is available." R., in her head: "Oh crap, he just understood everything we've been saying about China!" R., to the Chinese guy, in English: "Your English is really good! Which [Chinese] province are you from?" Chinese guy: "Ontario." Hahahaha, this still makes me laugh! And it reminded me of the time last year when N. and I were checking into our hotel room and having trouble with the card key. These two kids, and their mom, were opening the door to their hotel room across the hall at the same time we were struggling. T...

In Spring of 2007, I went on a solo vacation to Ottawa and Montreal, Canada. Ottawa is a beautiful and charming city, I highly recommend stopping by if you are in the area. Although Montreal is a bit more cosmopolitan and well-known, I actually preferred Ottawa. If I had to do it again, I would cut back on the days I spent in Montreal and spend more time in Ottawa.  I stayed in Byward Market , which is within walking distance to Parliament, restaurants, shopping, pubs, the National Gallery of Art, the Musuem of Civilizations , the Canadian War Museum and an all around enjoyable entertainment district. There is also a large mall in the Market area, if you are intersted in that. I stayed at the Marriott Courtyard because I had some connections for a room discount, but there is also the Byward Blue Inn B&B  nearby. I walked by the Inn and it was very nice, on a great street. If I were going back, I'd have no problem staying at this B&B.  And, the Market is ringed with delicio...

I hate being scared, but I love historical ghost walks or "haunted walks". Several U.S. cities have them (Boston, New Orleans) and I went on a great haunted walk in Ottawa when I was there last year. On a haunted walk, a guide takes a group on a walking tour of buildings and places that have haunted ghost stories. It's a great way to see the city you are visiting, as well as hear history about the buildings and people. Next time you are traveling to a major city, check and see if they offer a haunted walk. Really fun! Also, the Bowery Boys ( my favorite podcasters) have several podcasts about haunted and creepy places in NYC. Check them out on iTunes the next time you are there.

I came across this photo on a photography website . Gorgeous color and symmetry. I aspire to take something this good. Places I'd love to visit and take pictures of architecture: The Czech Republic and Cambodia. (And Scotland, Ireland and Iceland, but for different types of pictures.) And back to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, with a better camera. One of the most breathtaking buildings I've been inside of. (And yes, I find buildings breathtaking. I'm a nerd.) This photographer got a great shot . This is one of my favorite building pictures I have taken myself, Parliament in Ottawa. Lucky shot getting the moon/Venus? in there, but I like the city peeking out in the corner as well. (Slightly blurry, I didn't have my tripod yet.) (Click pictures for a larger versions.)

There are a few things I like a little too much for my own good: Diet Coke, Ambien, men, and luggage. Or travel bags, as I like to call them. Because unlike a set of matched luggage (ick, btw) you can never have too many travel bags. Here are three I love: 1. My North Face messengery-type bag. I got it because it had flowers on it, a bit cuter than the utilitarian styles, but not so cute it looks like I wear a fanny-pack too. (In general, it's important that things be cute, but not too cute. I err on the side of not-cute.) It has a couple of zippered outer compartments, very good for not getting pick-pocketed, as well as interior mesh pockets and more zippered compartments in logical and helpful places. My favorite thing is that the front flap closes with magnets, so no tearing velcro or snapping sounds when you open it in public. I use this one all the time. 2. 27-inch wheeled backpack. The best feature of this bag is the removable mini-backpack on the front, which turns into an...

Okay, not crack, just maple cream, but these cookies are my current "eat more healthy" resolution downfall. Two cookies with a layer of maple cream in the middle. So simple, so perfect, so the reason I'm still going to be chubby for another few weeks. I'm trying to ration them. It's not going well. My Canadian friend bought them for me in Canada. So when they're gone, they're gone. Because I'm sure you can't buy them on the internet. No, you can't. Not even gonna look. These are the last maple cream cookies on earth. Phew!

I don't wear a watch. I just figure out in my head what time it is. I can even take a nap and tell myself to wake up at a certain time, and I do. But knowing what day I'm on? Sometimes takes a few tries. Days seem to sneak up on me and then fly right by. So an easily accessible calendar, especially at work, is a must-have*. As always, I had several options for the new year: Girls In Bikinis Should I get a calendar that forces me to stare at well-lit, well-toned and well-enhanced women all year as a way to motivate myself to eat fewer nachos and make my work-outs at the gym last just a bit longer? Maybe it could work. But really, using a bikini calendar as a realistic indicator of progress only works if I also have an air-brushing and lighting guy following me around all day. So, maybe not. (Side note: you know how in movies when the hero is about to seduce the heroine, the lighting turns all soft and flattering? Yeah, that should happen in real life too.) Kitten s an d Puppies ...

My favorite candy is real maple sugar candy. My last trip to Canada, I bought a little piece of maple candy every night after dinner. And a small bottle of overpriced real maple syrup at the airport. (My Canadian friend Lindsey has a huge bottle of the same brand in her fridge. This is the difference between Americans and Canadians. I only need a small bottle.) I don't make pancakes or waffles, but I love adding a teaspoon or so to a cup of plain (not vanilla) yogurt, along with some wheat germ. (This is also good with honey instead of maple, but I think the maple is better.) I also brought home a small supply of maple sugar candy from Canada and I love sucking on it until it dissolves on my tongue. I only have two pieces left, and I'm rationing them. Who knows when I will get back to Canada? I love the sweet yet tangy aftertaste of maple. It's a complex flavor. I'd rather eat maple candy than chocolate, except for doughnuts. Maple doughnuts are nasty. And people talk a...

I first tasted a Nestle Aero Bar in Canada. Very light and fluffy inside and the chocolate, being non-American, is exceptionally smooth and of good flavor. Not terribly rich, and the bubbles give it an interesting texture. I buy mine locally at the British import store for double the price. Totally worth it. In Canada they also sell Aero Singles, which I cannot find here. Same thing, just smaller. I brought home a dozen or so from my last trip to Canada.

I have a geeky fascination with urban landscapes. I love exploring new cities and the unique flavor that results when a large number of people have congregated to build on a commonality of work, recreation, love, family, or whatever it is people are looking for when they choose a place to live. Natural landscapes are beautiful, but what interests me about urban landscapes is the very fact they are unnatural. As in, here's what we did to try to make our living space beautiful, or interesting, or functionally livable. I especially love cities where these various ideologies overlap, and sometimes, clash. For example, Montreal is a Catholic settlement trying to be a world-class center of finance, business and artistic expression. The tensions tethering these different functionalities are expressed beautifully in the dichotomy of their architecture. It was a pleasure trying to capture the reflection of a centuries-old church spire in the sanitized glass of a modern business tower. I ge...