Celebration! - Seafood Paella and Clam Chowder -

My dinner tonight: Seafood Paella, Clam Chowder and Champagne with Strawberries! I worked SO hard today. Usually, the first week of the month it the busiest week, but it got worse this week because of a sudden schedule change. I had to finish certain work today, which was originally due next Monday, and I was not supposed to work overtime. Imagine how much pressure I had, having to get everything done in a great hurry. When I got out of the office, I told myself, “I deserve a gorgeous dinner tonight.” When I visited my parents’ for the New Year’s days, I scrounged around in the kitchen and brought back some foods, liquor, seasoning materials and coffee. Among them was, believe it or not, a bottle of champagne!! (Actually it was an end-of-year gift that my aunt received from someone, with 2 bottles of wine, but she doesn’t drink so she left them at my parents’ house for me to take.) Today, I decided to open it and celebrate. I felt like seafood today, so I made seafood paella and clam chowder. And… I bought some strawberries. OK, I admit it….it’s an idea I got from the movie, “Pretty Woman.” Did you watch that movie? Do you remember the scene that Julia Roberts and Richard Gere had champagne with strawberries at a hotel room? He said something like “Strawberries bring out the flavor of champagne” or something like that, IIRC. That was one thing I really wanted to try out myself, and today I went for it : ) The seafood paella and clam chowder were OK, except the clam chowder didn’t have as much clam flavor as I wanted. (I should have bought more clams.) What was magnificent was the combination of the champagne and strawberries!! You know what? I’m feeling like Julia Roberts right now : ) Now I’m ready for some ice cream…