i haven't posted here in ages, but suddenly decided to read this thread all the way through.... i need to get on my bike!

for all of the chocolate/ marzipan lovers: Ritter's (the squares) makes AMAZING dark chocolate and marzipan bars... available at Trader Joe's. their plain dark chocolate bars also make excellent hot chocolate.

oooh! has anyone else seen the cookbook "Hot Chocolate" by Michael Turbeck?? i never imagined that there were so many variations! (you can get it at William Sonoma). the hot chocolate pudding looks super tasty, though i've yet to try it.

and Ben and Jerry's scoop shops have SUCH good melted ice cream- hot chocolate... i'm going there tonight for my birthday *yay*

re: languages-- that is so cool BMo3! I love hearing about other linguafiles!

I speak Spanish fluently (just got back from 3 months of research in Guatemala) and have tried to learn Mandarin, French, Quechua (Incan language), and Chu'j (a Mayan language)...

I speak French like a Spanish cow (as I believe the French saying goes). and oddly enough I ended up translating Quechua into Mandarin while I was studying it (the grammar is really similar at the very basic level!). i can say maybe five pretty much worthless words in Chu'j (red, thank you, long-needled pine tree, short-needled pine tree, woman). I understand French, Italian, and Portuguese, but any attempts to speak those come out as Spanish

i hope i'll have space in my class schedule next semester to pick up Mandarin again, though it's been a few years... languages are fun!! I want to learn Italian too just so i can travel there and bring my bike and take cooking classes... (notice how food and bikes are the priority)

anywho... keep drifting...