The Money Supply and me.

“Give me a one-handed Economist. All my economists say ‘on the one hand…’, then ‘but on the other…” ― Harry Truman[image: Adam Smith Statue, Edinburgh]

“We’ll get you out of here.” Sympathetic to my hincillincphobia (fear of being trapped in enclosed spaces fulled with economists), concierge Mario had thrown himself into the quest of getting me as far from the conference-hosting hotel as possible. Today’s proposed escape was to the nearby island of Capri.

I’d done some research online, and discovered that Capri held two primary tourist draws: designer everything from OTT luxury boutiques, and the Blue Grotto. From reports I read, the savvy tourist would shop for custom fitted sandals, buy a bottle of limoncello, and above all avoid the Blue Grotto.

Mario and I did go back and forth over the guide issue. I’m not a fan, but he thought bus drivers…

What I  learned on my most recent trip to Italy.

• #10. It IS possible to have a bad meal in Italy. Mario, the super concierge at our hotel on Ischia, wasn’t surprised when I confessed our dinner the previous evening had been disappointing. It was, we both knew, our own fault. Instead of going to him for a restaurant recommendation, we’d tried to solo, eating at the place other economists had recommended. When Mario heard where we’d gone, he looked pained. “Was good when the papa was there. But the sons…” He shook his head. “They can’t make same food. And their wines?” His voice dropped to a sorrow-filled whisper. “I had to put them on my blacklist.” Looking around to make sure nobody was looking, he showed us an actual list, written in black ink, of places he refused to recommend.

  Mario took the failure of my day-trip to…

As writers and authors, there’s always the
stereotype of reading and writing the same day.

A
writer always needs to read something, anything, at least a paragraph to charge
the battery of the pen they own, I’ve read in countless
articles.

Like every other writer out there, I’m also a book
lover and yes I do love to spend my time curled up on my bed or my favourite
sofa with one in my pyjamas and my hair in two plaits. I also like writing in
the same attire.

But contrary to popular opinion, I really can’t
write and read in the same day.

I don’t know what it is but the result of so many
experiments is that I’ve never been able to read to my heart’s content or write
to my heart’s content when I try to balance the two on a single day.

I either write an…

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fab Foodstuff: Quesadilla Apple Bacon Cheese! Your “go-to” snack just got even better. Take a hayride through the apple orchard where farm-to-table treats are as common as animal cloud shapes in the sky. Choose a nice juicy red apple; something to sink your teeth into like Gala, Fuji, or Delicious. The cheese could be American, but I prefer extra sharp cheddar. Go meatless or go crazy and add a couple slices of Applewood Smoked Bacon, with enough crunch to match the crispy tartness of sliced apples. Get the picture? Nibble, nibble.

QUESADILLA APPLE BACON CHEESE

Ingredients:

1 apple, cored and thinly sliced

2 flour tortillas

4 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

4 strips Applewood Smoked Bacon, cooked until crisp

Instructions:

Sprinkle cheese on half a tortilla. Layer apple slices over cheese. Add more cheese. Lay two strips of bacon on top. Fold tortilla in…