the new and improved sheesergirl

the transition

2012-01-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

"When do you think this bay will freeze over?" I asked my neighbour.

"The transition from liquid to solid is a continuum," he said, and walked away.

it's icy

2012-01-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

it's cold

2011-12-25T16:32:00.001-08:00

eating in laos

2011-12-06T04:13:00.000-08:00

the thing i love most about lao food is how multi-dimensional the flavours are. tangy, spicy, comforting... all at once.

i don't think "complex" is the first word that comes to mind for most people when they think of lao or thai cuisine. you see vendors whipping up spicy salads and omelettes at streetside stands and shophouses all over the place, and it all seems a bit easy. but watch the chefs closely and you'll often see that it's more complicated than it looks, sometimes involving 30-or-so steps of fast-as-light motions... so much so that you give up any notion of recreating them at home. lao and thai dishes are some of the least understood and most underestimated cuisines in the world. they make french cuisine seem simple by comparison.

from Laos with love

2011-12-06T03:28:00.000-08:00

from my sister's house in vientiane, a view of thailand across the mekong

london - the cool kids

2011-12-05T11:20:00.000-08:00

Londoners: i don't envy your food or your infrastructure, but i am still jealous of the way you are

canal saint-martin

2011-10-31T16:06:00.000-07:00

when you're visiting a city like paris, returning to favorite spots can be risky. whether it be a cozy cafe or a beautiful perfume store tucked in a quiet alley, places can change or disappear. and it's quite rare that the joy of returning to a special spot exceeds that of discovering it the first time.

and yet, i'm always going back to my favorites. i feel like i need to make sure i was right -- right when i discovered that the eastward view from a certain point in the luxembourg gardens was perfect. right when i felt the early morning light on canal saint martin was so pretty it made up for everything i didn't like about the city...

right?

from the fast lane

2011-10-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

when i moved into my apartment here in helsinki 6 months ago, i was handed a thick booklet containing rules and regulations for tenants. initially, i only read the section on rubbish disposal and recycling, but one day i decided to translate a random page as a finnish language exercise, and discovered this:

tenants may hang or dry out their belongings on terraces during afternoons on tuesdays, thursdays and fridays. the cumulative weight of such items may not exceed 200 kilograms at any one time
...
tenants may use their terrace to dry their rugs and carpets on mondays and wednesdays between 1 pm and 5 pm. floors 4 through 6 may "shake out" dust from their rugs and carpets between 3:30 and 4:30 pm. lower floors may do this between 2:30 and 3:30 pm or during the last 30 minutes of the period...

it goes on. i love it! it's all logical really. who wants their laundry covered in someone else's carpet dust? but would you expect people anywhere else to follow such rules? hmm, maybe japan. anyway, that's how i realised it's true what they say about finns and rules.

... which made it all the more strange to see people doggy-paddling in the fast lane at the yrjonkatu swimming hall, where i have been doing laps after work (all those salmon steaks and mashed potatoes must be dealt with somehow). there is a lane for "water-walking" and "slow swimming" so you would expect the fast lane to be reserved for swimmers doing laps free-style, butterfly or breast-stroke, right? somehow, i was more disturbed by this supposed rule-breaching rather than the fact that over half of the swimmers were naked --bathing suits are optional-- and wearing shower caps.

but if i'm going to swim, i want to swim! i put on my goggles and swimming cap and swam between the two lanes of doggypaddlers, thankful that there was enough width. i did about three, 50 metre laps of free-style and paused for a rest when i heard a whistle. i was violating the rule of rotations between lanes! i couldn't quite understand the rule that the swimming hall monitor was trying very hard to explain.

so now i am doggy paddling with the rest. it's much more tiring than proper swimming if you want to cover the same distance, but it does allow you to keep moving for much longer. perhaps it's not such a bad way to burn calories.

after swimming, i usually go upstairs, where i get a nice view of the entire swimming hall and its art deco interior. they offer a choice of three different saunas and personal cabins for resting, and the cafe serves champagne and a variety of drinks as well as snails in garlic and a nice beetroot and goat cheese salad. i feel like i'm in a thomas mann novel, perhaps an aristocratic tuberculosis patient at a posh davos sanatorium, circa 1920...

cameras aren't allowed because of the nudity, but i couldn't resist!

autumn in helsinki

2011-09-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

is turning me into a strange person.

in the middle of a rush-hour tram, i am hissing: "is that you, winter?! not your turn yet!" and i'm doing bikram yoga! crazy!

on the silja line to stockholm

2011-08-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

i've always lived in cities near rivers or oceans, but i've never felt so close to water as i do here in helsinki. my apartment has a nice view of the kaisaniemi bay, and the fastest way to work is along the water.

i think of something my late grandfather once told me at our old apartment on 52nd street overlooking the east river. he hadn't gone out all day, so i asked if he wanted to get some fresh air. he said no, it was okay, he had spent the whole day by the window, and watching the river made him feel connected to the world and helped him forget he was in a strange country where he couldn't speak the language.

alvar aalto's house

2011-07-19T16:36:00.000-07:00

alvar aalto's house in munkkiniemi is full of familiar objects: the savoy vase, the beehive pendant lamp ..... but to see all of them together, in the way they were used by the designer himself, is something special.

aalto's works and many other iconic finnish designs are from the 30's - 60's. what's interesting is that these were decades of great instability, with the country ravaged by wars and war debts. that people could embrace new, modern aesthetics even in such times says a lot about finland.

the long days of summer

2011-07-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

it's 10 pm and i ought to go to bed because i have a 7 am start tomorrow. but how can i when it looks like this outside?

my favourite finnish phrase right now is aurinko paista, which means "it's sunny." doesn't it sound beautiful? i wish i could say it every day!

lilacs in full bloom

2011-06-23T15:04:00.000-07:00

it's like the whole city is wearing an amazing perfume. it's quite dreamy.

someone i recently met told me that living in finland changes people. foreigners who experience its harsh winters and gorgeous summers can't help but change, she said. and how? i asked a bit apprehensively.

"they become extreme," she answered. "maybe they become a bit tough and a little crazy, withdrawing a bit in the cold months and then being totally mad-happy in the summer."

tomorrow is the eve of midsummer.

the cat doesn't know

2011-06-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

the best part of cod is the cheek. in japan, it's called neko shirazu, which translates to "the cat doesn't know." apparently, even japan's fish-loving cats miss out on this bit because it's so small and hidden behind the eye and jaw cartilage. which is a shame really.

i ordered the cod cheeks at oaxen krog. i normally find table-side service a bit embarassing, but i was quite happy to watch this preparation, the cod cheeks and tongue combined with lobster and a nice rich broth.

ohh kitty... you don't know what you're missing

helsinki

2011-06-19T09:35:00.001-07:00

it's been 2 months since i moved here, but this weekend was the first time i had a chance to look around and appreciate what a gorgeous city it is. and realise that it's summer already! where did spring go? i'm struggling to get my camera settings to adjust to this sudden explosion of light.

various shades of pale at suomenlinna:

mid-century fika

2011-04-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

cafes say a lot about a culture. in tokyo you often see salesmen napping between client visits, and in new york, you might find yourself next to someone talking loudly, at a mile-a-minute, about yoga, dating or politics.

the fika, or coffee break, is a big part of stockholm life. i'm glad i stopped by the very classic cafe valand, where time seems to move slowly and quietly. the interior is a mid-century design lover's dream... i felt like i could sit here forever, but alas, i had a flight to catch. yes, on to finland!

stockholm

2011-04-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

goodbye astoria

2011-04-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

i will miss your laid back ways, and the smell of your kitchens.

it's official!

2011-02-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

i'm moving to finland! i'll start work on april 1. there's so much to plan and think about, and i'm a bit overwhelmed at the moment... but very excited.

and i guess i should stop complaining about the cold now.

i love (+new yorkers who love) liszt

2011-02-03T22:03:00.000-08:00

last night jean-yves thibaudet opened the franz liszt bicentenary concert series at carnegie hall. the program began with the consolations, followed by les jeux d'eaux... some of my favourite pieces.

as i sat down in my balcony seat, getting ready for some moody 19th-century romanticism, i heard from one row behind me a true newyawk (ok, i don't know exactly which) accent: "so let's see here, the program says he's gonna start with the consolations, which is, frankly, a warm up piece, and that makes sense because after that he's playing jeux d'eaux which is one helluva knuckle-buster... " he made me chuckle, reminding me of the scene in annie hall, being stuck in a theatre line next to a man holding forth on fellini and samuel beckett.

but rather than annoy me, this enthusiastic, pre-concert commentary made me quite happy. i love the way many new yorkers are ready to share their thoughts on just about everything, and that they have no shame or inhibition.

as the last applause was winding down, i heard this gentleman tell his companion: "just amazing! he's got so much refined technique but he's also got this wild verve... a genius, i tell you! that last encore alone was worth the price of this ticket!" i almost turned around to tell him "yes, yes, i agree!!" you don't find people like that anywhere else, really.

oh no, i'm getting a bit sentimental about new york! it's because i've been thinking about moving. to somewhere quite far! i'm dying to tell you everything. soon, i promise...

photographing tokyo

2011-01-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

often, i'll see a photo and know right away that it was taken in japan. but it takes a while to figure out what it is that i recognize, the give-away in the picture.

sometimes it's simple -- a vending machine, a stop sign -- other times it's more subtle, like electrical lines that criss cross the skyline, or a decorative cement block. it's something i think about when i take snapshots of tokyo. the scenery is so familiar to me that i need to make a conscious effort to recognize what's beautiful or interesting. it helps to be away for a while and have the eyes of an outsider.

recognizing the extraordinary in the every day seems to come naturally for my friend hidemi, a photographer whom my friends refer to as "that crazy friend of yours..." it was a treat to go for a walk with her around ebisu and shibuya, stopping here and there to take photos of the weird and beautiful.

happy new year

2011-01-07T19:23:00.000-08:00

everybody in tokyo seems to be talking about one thing this new year, and that's "danshari" -- a word using the three chinese characters for "refusal", "abandonment" and "separation" (断捨離). it's meant to signify the pursuit of a simple and uncluttered life, by throwing away things you no longer need and learning to live with less. there's no doubt that a decade of deflation and economic stagnation is forcing people to re-evaluate their behavior. about a dozen people i met this past week have cited it as a resolution for the year.

but i'm all for new year's resolutions, and here are mine:

- read books more slowly. book-devouring all-nighters are a bad habit from high school.
- more japanese cooking!
- more photography. maybe try landscape this year? which means i'd need a new lens (danshari, danshari...)
- get back to swimming.
- learn a new language. i'll keep you posted on this one...

paths and rivers

2010-12-13T21:19:00.000-08:00

"It's funny about paths and rivers. You see them go by, and suddenly you get upset and want to be somewhere else... wherever the path or river is going perhaps." -Sniff, from Comet in Moominland

older than charlie parker

2010-11-30T21:41:00.000-08:00

not a very good day, today. i lost a glove, and a few other things... so i go home, put the "charlie chan" quintet's jazz at massey hall on the turntable. then lie on the sofa and wait to be transported elsewhere.

but instead of 1953 toronto, i find myself in a certain bar in kyoto. a bar that casually serves 30-year-old talisker, where the bartender looks after an immaculate collection of jazz records and usually ends the night slightly more drunk than his patrons. it's called slow boat.

the other day i turned 35, a year older than charlie parker when he died.

avocado memories

2010-10-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

when i was growing up, we had huge avocado trees in our backyard. in season, we'd hear them at night, dropping thump-thump onto our roof. and after school i'd invite my neighbors marky f. and jen to avocado fights, where we'd sling rotten pieces at each other (and occasionally, when we're feeling mean, some hard, young ones as well).

and of course we ate a lot of them. i still love avocados, ground into guacamole or sliced and dipped into soy sauce like sashimi. they're the flavor of my childhood but i'm also happy to eat them in new ways...

such as this avocado ice cream with a mango and tapioca pudding at the slanted door in san francisco...

and this salad of cantaloupe, avocado, cucumber and watercress with a drizzle of vinegar, sea sea salt and olive oil. such simplicity, and genius, at chez panisse.

you shouldn't live alone

2010-08-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

once upon a time in tokyo, i lived in a little shack made of wood, paper and a little bit of concrete. none of the windows or doors shut properly, so the room (there was only one) was always drafty. during the winter it would get so cold i'd have to read books, write letters and work on my laptop in the bathroom on my temperature-adjustable "washlet", the warmest place in my 200 square-foot apartment. but the apartment had a certain charm, "omomuki" as they call it in japanese. i loved it.

my parents were initially baffled that i'd choose to live in such squalor rather than with them, in the suburbs, just an hour away. but i think my mother secretly came to like the place, as she'd visit quite often just to have tea, and we'd chat for hours until she'd suddenly glance at her watch and say "oh my, this apartment of yours is so old it makes me forget the time!"

she was the one who told me to always have flowers and plants around. it's always nice to have other living things in your room, she'd say, "you shouldn't live alone." i think it's good advice...

on summer mornings...

2010-08-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

a few hours of cool and quiet before the heat sets in and the asphalt begins to sizzle

august in new york

2010-08-10T18:51:00.000-07:00

the early bird... gets first pickings of fresh produce at union square market on saturdays. so which one looks best?

why do my favorite summer dishes...

2010-07-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

like soba (i don't feel like eating anything else once temperatures reach 30 degrees celsius)...

blanched bean sprouts pickled in a mix of sesame oil, vinegar and japanese "dashi" (the perfect combination of crunchy and sour)...

and cold, marinated eggplants...

... require so much boiling and grilling? my kitchen is like a sauna!

summer dishes to cool you down -unless you're the cook

postcards from cinque terre

2010-07-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

cinque terre

2010-07-18T19:04:00.000-07:00

the highlight of our 2-week trip in italy was cinque terre. built into the cliffs along the ligurian coast, the 5 towns that comprise the cinque terre aren't just postcard villages dependent on tourism, they're real, wine-growing and fishing communities.

some highlights: "trofie" with pesto genovese (below left), and seafood pasta (right), and (further below) a classic ligurian dish of layered seafood called "cappun magru," which is also the name of the restaurant itself... "cappun magru in casa di marin" is in groppo, a 30 minute hike up from manarola, where we stayed. our server christiane gave us such knowledgeable and thoughtful advice on wine, and the vino da tavola by carlaz was the most interesting vermentino i've ever tasted. i do think ligurian wines are under-appreciated. the 5 terre wine cooperative sold some very reasonably-priced, good wines, and i'm really regretting not buying a bottle of the local dessert wine, sciachettra!

we enjoyed hiking up to volastra and corniglia, and on to vernazza. the views of the vineyards and ocean from the hills were fantastic. but nothing beat the view from our b&b, la torretta, in manarola. i sat on the terrace for hours, watching the sun settle into the mediterranean, trying to burn the image into my mind so i could revisit it when things get tough at work.

eat like locals do in firenze

2010-07-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

i tried something new in firenze this time: renting an apartment with a kitchen. the main reason was that my parents, who were joining me, don't like to eat out very much. restaurant food is too salty, too oily, too much everything, they say. and while i enjoy eating out, and love some firenze restaurants like il santo bevitore (above is their zucchini souffle), i agree. it's a bit much to be eating out for every single meal during a 10-day vacation. and what's funner than shopping like the locals do?

so i chose le tre stanze, an old florentine palace that's been turned into apartments. our room came with a basic kitchen and cute little garden. we shopped at the san lorenzo market for fresh vegetables, fruit, gorgeous cheese and prosciutto, and some ready-made condiments. we picked up zucchini blossom focaccia at the cantinetta verazzano, and discovered some excellent, 7 and 8 euro bottles of vernaccia di san gimignano in the enoteca across the street...

my parents couldn't be happier. not only could they eat well, and in moderation, they could also indulge in some embarrassing family habits like arguing loudly over who should get the biggest piece of buffalo mozzarella, and, 5 seconds after finishing a meal, rolling out of our chairs and onto our beds for "digestion" naps!

siena

2010-07-18T15:37:00.000-07:00

i still remember the first time i saw the clam shell-shaped piazza del campo in siena. it was 10 years ago, at the end of a rather long vacation. italy, to me, is foreign in so many ways, and i feel that italians tend to not let you forget that. but when i walked into the square, i felt a different, very strange sensation... for the first time during that trip, i felt like i belonged there, and nowhere else. i don't think i'm the only one that feels that way. everyone seems so absorbed in just being there.

i always stay at palazzo ravizza. a palace-turned-pensione that was last renovated circa 1960. it could definitely use some cleaning and freshening up, but oh, the views...

and something else i saw in siena that made me smile. men of a certain age, out on a stroll:

there's something about rome...

2010-07-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

it doesn't have the grace of florence or the sophistication of milan, but there's something about rome i find irresistible.

it was the last week of june and already blistering hot... and rome isn't one of those cities with shaded alleys or cool gallerias. everything is wide open to the sun's rays.so after some walking around, a plate of cool, marinated artichokes was just perfect. so was a glass of frascati superiore (yes there is superior frascati)... and some homemade summer pasta, with barely-cooked veggies and a generous sprinkling of pecorino.

italia!

2010-07-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

there is one place i really love to visit in the summer. early july, to be exact.it doesn't matter that it gets unbearably hot and muggy. my favourite things -- white peaches, melon, and zucchini blossoms -- are all in season, and the clothes are on sale.

herring is so underrated!

2010-06-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

not only are they relatively abundant and affordable, they're also rich in omega-3, DHA and vitamin D -- basically an edible brain-lift! and considering how fatty they are, they're quite versatile and taste equally fantastic smoked, raw, or marinated. they also pair well with a surprising variety of wines and cocktails, a point proven at the "herring pairing" event hosted tonight by russ & daughters and astor wines & spirits.

i sampled some interesting combinations, including schmaltz herring with thin slices of boiled potato paired with reyka vodka, and pickled herring with onions and cream sauce on baltic rye served along with a shot of vermouth. i was impressed by how fresh the new catch holland herring was. one booth served a raw fillet on a roll, garnished with cornichon and onion, which was excellent... although being japanese i couldn't help but think it might taste even better on rice!

my favorite, though, was the curried herring with medjool dates and roasted cashews, paired with lillet blanc. sweet, rich, and so unexpected... i had to go back for seconds. i've never eaten so much herring in one night, i feel so much smarter now! also, some star appearances: wylie dufresne of restaurant wd50 serving a herring and nasturtium gazpacho, and john zorn and his band playing music.

happiest hour

2010-06-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

leaving work while it's still bright and sunny outside is too precious an opportunity to waste on bad wine or sloppy well drinks. if i have a choice i'd rather head to the ten bells bar in the lower east side and order a glass from their marvelous blackboard... in today's case a tokai from slovenia's collio, which borders italy. and if i'm feeling peckish the octopus and potatoes. and more indulgent, the pulled pork sandwich.

mombar cafe in astoria, ny

2010-06-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite places in astoria is mombar cafe, at the "little egypt" end of steinway. they do an excellent, smoky baba ganoush and fava bean dip. and i hear they make great offal dishes, like sheep's brain.

the kitchen is tiny, but as the food shows, it has soul.

memorial day weekend

2010-06-03T21:10:00.001-07:00

glimpse of a previous life

2010-05-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

this shugo tokumaru video brought back so many memories about shimokitazawa, one of my favorite neighborhoods in tokyo.

there's something about shimokitazawa that's quintessentially tokyo: the contrast between the mad jumble and the calm. the hyperactive child, sleepy salaryman and nutty old lady all in one. it's the city i love. i hope it never changes.

boulettes larder

2010-05-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

whoever starts the day with the best breakfast wins

chez panisse

2010-05-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

after an exhausting week of work meetings in san francisco, i finally made it over to berkeley and alice water's chez panisse.

it was better than i had expected.

i was so excited throughout the meal i forgot to take my usual photos, except for the starter: local halibut tartare with cucumbers and chervil. just perfect together with a glass of sauvignon blanc, an unfiltered natural process alliance wine from the russian river valley. then i had tomales bay clams with chickpeas. the dishes, however complex the preparation might actually be, came off as being very simple, light and straightforward.

san francisco

2010-05-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

new toy

2010-05-11T05:19:00.000-07:00

what do you wish for?

2010-05-10T20:22:00.000-07:00

after the rain...

2010-05-02T22:33:00.000-07:00

everything turned color. dark greens and violets. it's already looking like summer.

i finished reading part 3 of haruki murakami's latest novel, 1Q84, on the subway. the series is only available in japanese at the moment, and i won't go into the story line, but it got me thinking about the concept of a parallel universe. i imagined myself in a parallel universe --a world where this had happened instead of that, where i had done one thing and not the other, or had gone to live there instead of here... then i realized i had totally missed my stop by several stations. i ended up having to hail a cab. sigh.

on classical music

2010-04-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

for everyone who loves classical music, as well as anyone wondering about its relevance today... benjamin zander explains it best.

morgon for spring nights

2010-04-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

the trees are covered in easter-colored blossoms, and all over town cafes are moving onto sidewalks and boasting of backyards. so you put on your sunglasses and --yay!-- throw out your tights.

but come night time, it gets a bit chilly, and of course, the landlord has turned off the heating for the season. so you put your socks back on and wrap yourself in flannel... and then, what do you drink?

the morgon "cote du py" from jean foillard is an excellent wine for such nights. a luscious cherry flavor but smooth silky palate. it's probably the most beautiful kind of gamay i've ever tasted. perfect for days you want something refreshing but deep enough to "hold you" at the same time. my favorite importer at the moment, kermit lynch.

back in queens

2010-03-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

... and wasting no time!

at sripraphai, the best thai in new york

goodbye england...

2010-03-28T11:58:00.001-07:00

things i love about london

2010-03-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

borough market was crazy at the weekend, but i did enjoy taking a look around. i'd definitely go with a huge shopping basket if i lived there.

the vegetables were gorgeous, if a bit pricey

everyone talks about how london's dining scene has really improved. with a few exceptions, though, they're still best at doing the traditional things like pies, bangers+mash, and smoked fish. i also had some very good cheese on this trip. (below: la fromagerie in marylebone)

scones with clotted cream and jam are my favorite. and what's better than traditional afternoon tea service at claridge's? well, how about waking up to the smell of butter and discovering that your friend has just taken some scones out of the oven, just in time for breakfast?

the new saatchi gallery

2010-03-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

The latest show at the Saatchi Gallery (The Empire Strikes Back -- Indian Art Today) was awesomely curated. My favorites were Subodh Gupta's U.F.O. using Indian brass water pots (above) and Huma Mulji's Arabian Delight (bottom), a taxidermy camel that's meant to be a humorous comment on perceptions of Pakistan.

hackney, london

2010-03-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

after marrakech, it was london. my mind was still clinging to the bright colors of marrakech... which might be why my camera was so drawn to this gentleman's scarf.

at jardin majorelle

2010-03-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

smelling marrakech

2010-03-23T17:59:00.000-07:00

one of the things i'll remember most about marrakech is the variety of scents. it was orange blossom season, so it seemed like the whole city was wearing a soft, honey-citrus fragrance. the spice market was filled with rich, sweet scents of cumin, rose petals, sandalwood, anise... until you turned the corner into the leather slippers-and-handbags gallery and you're suddenly hit with the heady smell of raw hide. it made sense that this is where serge lutens gets his inspirations.

now you see her...

2010-03-23T17:43:00.001-07:00

now you don't...

moroccan women don't like being photographed. i even had women far out of the range of my shots yell at me: "no photo!" sometimes i took photos of them from far away, with their backs toward me.

essaouira

2010-03-23T16:51:00.001-07:00

now this...

this is what i'd been dreaming of

marrakech

2010-03-17T04:22:00.000-07:00

i don't know why i love donkeys so much

tiramisu

2010-02-28T23:08:00.000-08:00

one of my favorite teachers in high school was my italian instructor, signora maria longo, whose energetic and animated style was the perfect introduction to the country i'd later fall in love with and revisit many times. she gave the quirkiest assignments. one week she ordered us to "think and speak italian in the shower for a week, using all the words you know." she'd often give us italian recipes as homework, asking us to come in the following week with a critique from a family member. some of the recipes were quite challenging, like ossobuco with rice. and then there was the tiramisu, which was a legendary hit in my family... well, i only made it once, but that's the secret to making legends!

whenever i order tiramisu in a restaurant i think of signora longo waving her hands and proclaiming,"YOU ARE GONNA LOVE it! it means PICK ME UP! the coffee and alcohol are gonna PICK YOU UP!"

tiramisu at saraghina in bed-stuy, brooklyn

ain't that the truth

2010-02-28T22:29:00.000-08:00

heaven can wait

2010-02-25T21:50:00.000-08:00

i love charlotte gainsbourg, don't you?

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Heaven Can Wait from Charlotte Gainsbourg on Vimeo.

kell on earth

2010-02-24T22:48:00.000-08:00

i don't usually like the term "guilty pleasure" but how else can i describe the new bravo show, kell on earth? kelly cutrone is tough as nails and the show does a great job of showing the grittier side of the fashion industry. but what i really enjoy is watching her put people - inept interns, obnoxious clients, etc. - in their place. it may be the same kind of sick pleasure i get out of watching gordon ramsay yell at bumbling contestants on his cooking show.

is there something wrong with me? part of me thinks it's because i enjoy work and therefore appreciate shows about work and people who take it seriously. or maybe i'm just plain mean? yeah, i thought so too. but seriously... "if you have to cry, go outside."

selene wines

2010-02-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

another thing that's been keeping my spirit going these very cold weeks: a few bottles of Selene Sauvignon Blanc in my fridge!

i fell in love with the wine at the french laundry in napa late last year. if i could relive a few minutes of my trip, i might choose those moments between my first sip of the Selene and my last bite of the famous oyster+pearls.

when i got back to new york, i picked up a bottle at sherry-lehmann just to make sure i hadn't just been fooled by the food and atmosphere. thankfully, it still tasted fabulous, even in my rinky dink apartment in astoria. so i had a few bottles shipped from the winery.

they use sauvignon blanc musque, which is highly aromatic and much more intense than the grassy or herbaceous kind. the wine reminds me a bit of a lovely quincy i had along with some oysters in paris many, many years ago with my good friend hidemi. it reminds me of why i love wine.

fast-forward

2010-01-31T19:28:00.000-08:00

will it ever get warmer? i can't wait for winter to be gone, taking all the coldness and my tiredness along with it. can we please fast-forward to spring? ok, here are a few things that keep me hopeful in the meantime:

-a vintage turquoise woven-leather bag by bottega veneta from the brooklyn flea market.

-a youtube video of a few girls galloping on the beach of sidi kaouki in morocco... i'm obsessed with this video and have watched it about 30 times. could that be me in a few months? stay tuned!

pheromones and beautiful, violent things

2010-01-26T17:21:00.001-08:00

i loved E.O. Wilson's fiction piece in the most recent issue of The New Yorker.

it reminded me of my childhood fascination with ants and ant colonies. i could sit for hours observing their primordial movement and organization, so beautiful... in fact, i could still do that today.

a live but weak bee overwhelmed by a group of ants at pedlar cafe, brooklyn. with the aroma of stumptown coffee disguising the sense of violence in progress

2010 wish list

2010-01-19T18:48:00.000-08:00

peace + love + good health

(and canon 5D mark ii)

louisiana

2009-12-30T16:41:00.000-08:00

aside from the sheer decadence of new orleans, what i'll remember most from the trip is the country landscape

new orleans

2009-12-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

some memorable food moments from new orleans: fried oyster po-boy from felix's, and seafood and okra gumbo from the gumbo shop...

we also had splendid meals at the restaurant august, cochon and galatoire's. i'm so glad my hotel had a gym!

san francisco and napa valley

2009-12-30T15:41:00.000-08:00

napa

2009-12-13T13:33:00.001-08:00

i'd always dreamt of visiting the french laundry

kandinsky at the guggenheim

2009-11-02T22:02:00.001-08:00

may turn out to be the best art show in new york this year.

it was the first time in many years that i felt the form of the spiral gallery and the flow of the exhibit fit perfectly. it was such a pleasure walking upwards, observing the gradual changes in his style.

vinyl

2009-09-29T20:31:00.001-07:00

digital downloading is perfect for me because i'm always looking for ways to get rid of clutter --i want to simplify my life and my apartment isn't getting any bigger.

and yet... since this summer i've spent weekends flicking through bins of used records, looking for classical, jazz and brazilian music to listen to on weekends. it all started when i picked up a fantastic rachmaninoff recording for 2 dollars at a junk sale in fort greene, brooklyn. there were a few scratches, some crackling sounds, but it was an unexpectedly amazing sound. maybe i am just being romantic?

summer of love, with clogs

2009-08-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

one summer, when i was about 15, my dad took me shoe shopping in london's soho and i picked out two pairs --black leather clogs and shiny blue doc martens. i loved both shoes so much they were all i wore for about 2 years. then one day, i slipped on a pair of keds and was amazed at how light they felt. suddenly i hated my old shoes, especially my wooden clogs. everything about them was wrong: the way they weighed down my feet, the way they sounded, hollering clog! clog! clog! with every step, and the way they made it hard for me to skip, run, or break into dance... that i was more likely to be sitting in the school library reading sylvia plath than doing any of those things was beside the point.

so i'd been observing the comeback of the clog with mixed feelings.
then last weekend, i tried on some peeptoe clogs at the store No. 6. with slightly elevated heels and a range of beautiful muted colors, they were nothing like my old pair but just as comfortable. and far more elegant than the swedish hasbeens i'd been eyeing all summer with equal parts curiosity and apprehension. so just as abruptly as i had fallen out of love with wooden soles more than a decade ago, i fell back in love with them.

best of all, they've got straps, so i can skip and dance in them too. ohhh can someone play me some music!!

saraghina

2009-07-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

i've tried both the margherita and capocollo pizzas here --both easily the best pizzas i've ever had in new york.

saraghina is the name of the prostitute who dances the crazy rumba in exchange for some coins in that most unforgettable scene in fellini's 8-1/2.

there's nothing vulgar about the saraghina in bed-stuy; quite the opposite, it's a beautiful place. but it does share that tantalizing quality. i've been there 2 times in the past week and still find myself daydreaming about their pizza, the bubbling pieces of mozzarella di bufala, the slightly charred edges, the breezy backyard patio... and i wish i could just run over after work with my little coin and ask for "saraghina, la rumba! more!"

wilco + yo la tengo

2009-07-15T22:06:00.001-07:00

+ a guest appearance by feist
+ sea breeze
+ holding hands
+ jetlag
= dreamy...

kyoto ancienne et nouvelle

2009-07-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

eating well is not that hard to do in japan, especially kyoto. i love that the city takes pride in local vegetables and that even the modern french and italian restaurants there try to incorporate traditional kyoto specialties.

from top: franco-japonais dinner at l'abbesses in gion. traditional "nishin" soba, buckwheat noodles with herring on top. sea urchin pasta at trattoria minoura in kodaiji.

staying in a temple

2009-07-13T22:14:00.000-07:00

there is so much to recommend in kyoto, but for the more adventurous, i think one of the most fantastic experiences is staying at one of the "shukubo" --inns operated by buddhist temples. originally aimed at hosting visiting pilgrims, it's an interesting (and cheaper) alternative to hotels and upscale ryokans.

the downsides first: they have strict "lights out" policies and the temple gates often close at around 8, so you can't stay out late. also, the baths and toilets are shared, and are often traditional-style if you know what i mean. but they aren't really huge problems if you're only staying one night, and are easily outweighed by the positives: gorgeous gardens that you won't see anywhere else, and a unique and very authentic experience of the country's buddhist tradition.

this time, we stayed at "myorenge-in" in ohara. it's a bit hard to get to, but the location is one of its key assets: right behind the famous "sanzenin" temple known for its mossy gardens.

but i would say the best part of staying here was the food.
below: breakfast and dinner, both vegetarian meals, at myorenge-in

o-hara

2009-07-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

every time i go to kyoto i stop by hosen-in's "picture frame" garden in o-hara, northern kyoto. it's the most perfect place in the world.

i feel like i could just sit there for hours. and i would probably do exactly that if there weren't so many places to see... and eat...

kyoto in the summer

2009-06-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

i love kyoto during the cherry blossom season, and during the autumn when the foliage transforms the surrounding mountains into a fiery red. to be honest, though, i prefer visiting in the early summer, when everything is green... every tree a different shade of green.

weekends in brooklyn part 2

2009-06-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

prospect park

peering over my beloved's tummy

watching Departures

2009-05-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

or losing the battle against sentimentalism

i've been thinking a lot about the movie Departures since i watched it at a screening in chelsea last weekend.
i enjoyed it... such a thoughtful portrayal of the formalities and processes that help us accept death, and a film that, despite its solemn subject matter, manages to strike a balance between serious drama and comedy.

but i had some other thoughts too.
i was prepared for some sentimental moments, but it was a bit much. i felt like the director piled on three or four too many cheesy scenes, some a bit too predictable. there wasn't much subtlety to the metaphors it angled for, and the cello scene made me cringe... it's the kind of sentimentalism that is way too prevalent in japanese film and popular culture in general.

but i wouldn't say it wasn't effective. because yes, like everyone else, i was in tears through half the movie! gah!!!!
and to be honest, part of me kind of misses that part of japan -- that certain softness, that earnest way.

oh, and most importantly! the actor masahiro motoki appeared in person at the screening, and took some questions from the audience. i was impressed at how articulate and thoughtful (not to mention how absolutely handsome) he was. his acting was pretty good. i wasn't sure what to expect since i hadn't seen much apart from his funny commercials. in the end, though, what really pulled the movie together was the great acting by tsutomu yamazaki, who was in some great juzo itami films like Tampopo... speaking of which, i love this scene:

some mornings...

2009-04-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

are more special than others

such as the first warm and sunshiny saturday of the year beginning with a breakfast sandwich that looks like this...

weekend dinners with top chef

2009-03-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

and another from life's greatest things:
saturday night dinners, with a nice glass or two of wine...

with a personal chef...

chicken roulade, beef bourguignon

weekends in brooklyn part 1: exploring bed-stuy

2009-03-08T22:36:00.001-07:00

one of the greatest things: meeting someone who turns you on to new ideas, different foods, and encourages you to explore new places...

at the brooklynite gallery, Bedford-Stuyvesant
(photo by christopher benton)

upper west side safari

2009-02-26T22:21:00.001-08:00

from the museum of natural history

happy new year

2009-01-03T21:21:00.001-08:00

new year's with family, good food, and sake, sake, sake!

agra and delhi

2008-12-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

i arrived at the taj mahal in a truly foul mood. my flight from jaipur to agra was cancelled, so kingfisher airlines arranged for a taxi to take me there instead. the ride took over 5 hours, and i lost patience with the driver, with his frequent stops at gift shops and persistent attempts to introduce me to his "government tour guide" friends.

but once i saw the taj, i was glad i made the trip. it's one of the most beautiful buildings you will ever see.

i was happy to leave agra for delhi after a few hours, though, and particularly glad that i had booked a very nice room at the Imperial Hotel. i took a long bath, sent my dirty clothes off for laundry, and sank into a 15-hour sleep.

the next morning, it took a while to notice that something was wrong. the porter and concierge were hovering over a newspaper behind the desk instead of standing at attention, but i speculated that perhaps they relaxed a bit on fridays. and when the waiter asked me if all my friends and family were doing alright, i thought he was just being friendly. then i opened the newspapers, and read the headlines about the attacks in bombay. i immediately turned on my blackberry, and for the next few hours, sat in front of a computer e-mailing colleagues and friends.

delhi felt safe, though. i also did not find it soulless as my friend from south india said it would be. not the most colourful of indian cities, sure, but it felt forward-looking and pragmatic in a good way. the highlights: seeing the modern india, visiting jama masjid mosque in old delhi and the nearby market, and taking a long walk around the eerily atmospheric humayun's tomb.

jaipur, the pink city

2008-12-07T00:23:00.000-08:00

after jaisalmer, jaipur felt like a huge, modern city. the city is built around the city palace, which blends rajasthani and mughal styles and still houses a living maharaja. the buildings surrounding the palace are all painted dusty pink.

after a quick tour of the palace, tourist fatigue kicked in and i succumbed --quite willingly, to be honest-- to the temptation of crazy shopping. and what better place to do it than jaipur, with its combination of cheap and lively bazaars, upmarket jewelry shops and block-print textile boutiques. ok, i admit some of this was premeditated, and i had a long list of shops to visit, so i hired an auto-rickshaw driver for half a day to go about this expedition efficiently. the result? by the time i left, i could hardly close my suitcase, even after stuffing all the leather sandals and mini-kurtas into the extra-large canvas tote bag i bought on a whim in jaisalmer. oh, what would tyler brule do?

the hawa mahal (in photo, top) was built so that women of the palace could sit and watch the bazaar traffic below without being seen. i imagine it must've been fun to people-watch, sheltered from the heat and dust of the markets. but then again, i'd much rather be out shopping on my own.

from top left, clockwise: cotton shirts and mini-kurtas from anokhi and fabindia, rings from gem palace, shirt with tourist-tickling block-printed motifs, cushions by abraham+thakore, skirt by thierry journo for hot pink, speeding from one shop to another on my auto-rickshaw, shirts from soma, earrings from gem palace

jaisalmer, the gold city

2008-12-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

from jodhpur, my friend joyce and i took the train to jaisalmer, a city in rajasthan's northwest corner and a missile's-throw-away from pakistan. from the window of our three-tier no-AC carriage, there was little to see except miles of desert with patches of shrubbery. but the 6-hour trip was definitely worth it.
- on the platform at jodhpur station at 6 am, fellow travellers.
jaisalmer is called the gold city, and it's immediately clear why. the city is full of beautiful sandstone havelis, or mansions, that once belonged to wealthy merchants. it's nice just wandering around the narrow alleys, marveling at the ornate carvings of these buildings, occasionally stopping at handicraft and jewelry shops. we also spent a lot of time sitting on the rooftop cafe of our hotel, the killa bhawan lodge. the location was perfect: right across the street from the most beautiful of havelis, the patwon-ki haveli, with a perfect view of jaisalmer's fort. compared to jodhpur's mehrangargh, jaisalmer's fort is less imposing, more personable. in fact, hundreds of people still live inside the fort and there is a lot of foot and auto-rickshaw traffic between the town and fort. the fort itself is worth a full day's exploration --there are several gorgeous Jain temples, and the palace is well preserved.

it's hard to say which is more breathtaking, the view of the fort at sunset, or the view from the fort of the golden city below.

from top left, clockwise: patwon-ki haveli, a lake near jaisalmer, sandstone reliefs at a jain temple, delicious rajasthani thali at killa bhawan cafe, riding a camel in the thar desert, roadside samosa i didn't try, a haveli balcony, view from our room

jodhpur, the blue city

2008-12-04T22:28:00.000-08:00

i fell in love instantly with jodhpur. with a skyline crowned by the massive Mehrangargh fort and the whole city painted blue, it's visually stunningly. and such fun to walk around.

the city does depend on tourism to some extent, but it also has a life of its own. its colourful textiles with intricate mirrorwork, gold-stiching and tie-dying aren't just for exports; i saw some of the most beautiful saris and scarves on the women here, and brightly-hued turbans on the men. i loved watching everyone go about their daily chores, like carrying water back from the communal fountain, feeding cows leftovers from breakfast, shopping for vegetables...

and i was touched by details like these: strings of chili peppers and lime hanging in doorways to invite prosperity, and artfully stacked lime at the nimbupani-juice stands.

bombay

2008-12-04T21:11:00.000-08:00

my trip started in bombay...

even before the sad events of the past week (which happened while i was in delhi), i felt a certain melancholy about bombay. everywhere around colaba, the southern central district of the city, you see beautiful colonial buildings in various stages of decay and disrepair. which made the taj mahal hotel seem even more of a rare, sparkling gem.

the other thing i noticed about bombay was that for a big congested city, people seem to enjoy each other's company. it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between groups of friends and total strangers.

i also visited one of the slums in colaba, near the fish market. i only lingered for several minutes before becoming a bit overwhelmed. as i was on my way out feeling a bit distressed, a middle-aged woman in a bright orange sari came out of one of the makeshift huts. our eyes met and she gave me a wobbly-headed grin, then walked on. it's a moment i think about often, not only because it made me more appreciative of indian-style friendliness but also since i wish i could have responded in kind, with a grateful shake of the head.

india

2008-12-04T19:29:00.001-08:00

i'm still recovering from the sensory overload.
from the faded grandeur of bombay to the bustling markets of jodhpur and the sandstone labyrinths of jaisalmer, there was so much to take in... a dizzying combination of sounds and smells, and the most friendly, curious people.

brazilian girls

2008-10-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

sabina sciubba came on stage wrapped in this beautiful, pleated chiffon cape, which she swept aside to announce:
"i have a surprise tonight!"

... and revealed to us a full, round belly, and a big red heart strategically embroidered onto her unitard --just in case some of us didn't immediately "get" the news.

some people have nothing, and want nothing, and are free
we just want to have a good time

(photo by Adam Schwabe)

the big debate

2008-09-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

mccain vs obama
a good night to visit someone with a big-screen tv.

my green fire escape

2008-09-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

lemon verbena, rosemary, spearmint, lavender... i can now make my own herbal tea by reaching out of the window onto my newly verdant fire escape. i love the smell that spearmint leaves on my fingers... and they're much nicer to look at than my neighbor's brick wall.

i've never been good with plants so i asked the vendor at the union square green market to pick out some particularly hardy types. he told me that while none could survive complete neglect (yes, i'd learnt that from the death of a poor cactus), i shouldn't worry too much. it's not like i'm buying a puppy or tropical fish, he reminded me, suggesting -i suppose- that it's not such a crime if they wilt and die under my care.

my next ambitious project involves baking. stay tuned...

swimming, and more

2008-08-19T23:34:00.001-07:00

i've started swimming twice a week. the pool is on the penthouse floor of the parker meridien, with views of central park. when i'm done swimming, i climb up to the roof and gaze over central park, or watch the sun set over the hudson river. but i'm too curious to really relax. i can't help checking out the fabulous parties on the rooftop terraces of central park south and peering into offices and imagining conversations between smart suits no.1 and 2.

with all the specks of life to observe, i spend way more time on the deck than i do in the water. but the real reason i've started swimming is to get back in shape -although i haven't really been in shape since i was 16 so i should really say to get in shape.

either way, it doesn't help that one of new york's best hamburger shops is on the ground floor. it's so hard to walk past that rather david lynchesque sign without being drawn in.

aimee mann and joseph o'neill

2008-07-31T18:17:00.001-07:00

one of the best books i've read in the past few months is Netherland by Joseph O'Neill. and on my ipod, my latest "frequently repeated" item is Aimee Mann's new album, @#&%! Smilers. so when i heard the author and the singer-songwriter were doing a joint reading-and-concert, i called immediately to save a spot. how often do you get to meet two of your favorite artists/writers in the same room, even in new york?

joseph o'neill's book is about post-9/11 new york, and the subculture of cricket in the outer boroughs. he had some interesting things to say, referring to america's total lack of interest in cricket as a kind of metaphor for how little empathy it demonstrates on a different level.

aimee mann was witty and articulate and made for a good pairing. it's funny how she's always singing about quite sober, sad subjects, but is actually quite happy and well-adjusted in real life. she said people constantly ask her why she doesn't sing happier songs.
"as if any good songs are ever happy," she joked.

she's been calling for covers for her song, freeway, in a youtube contest. this compilation is @#&%! hilarious:

i love the grooving bee...

los angeles

2008-07-01T16:42:00.000-07:00

i'd sometimes wondered if my memories of childhood and los angeles were a bit romanticized. swimming pools, ladybugs, palm trees and bougainvillea, big wide streets and bright sunny days... but a trip this past weekend proved i really did grow up in a bit of a magical place.

the city has such a different feel to new york. or anywhere else for that matter. i always thought that car dependency was a major downside to living in los angeles, but maybe it's not so bad if you can drive through palm trees instead of dodging bicycles and jay-walking new yorkers?

the highlight was meeting up with my friend jen from elementary school. she hadn't changed much, despite the 20 years and having two children. pam, another classmate who lived a block away, joined us and we all reminisced about our old school teachers and wondered what happened to the mean girls who ruled over the playground with their scary glances and shrugs of disapproval... ahh, so maybe growing up wasn't that easy. but they were still amazingly good times.

the flying sheesergirl

2008-06-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

i thought they said TRAMPOLINE, not TRAPEZE!
now, this is what i get for hanging out with incredibly athletic and adventurous women...
all sorts of thoughts and regrets flashed through my mind as i climbed up the ladder and onto the trapeze jumping board, from where i could see --knees shaking, palms sweating-- the hudson river and downtown manhattan. but before i knew it, the instructor was yelling "ready, hup!" and off i was, hurtling into the sky!

now i wasn't as graceful as my friend here, but it was definitely an amazing, exhilarating experience. i've always been scared of heights (and grew up being told that if something scares you, avoid it!) so i wanted to turn and run when i realized what i was getting myself into. but i'm glad i caved into peer pressure and gave it a try.

the trapeze school of new york is on the roof of the pier 40 building on the westside highway, near houston street. one of our instructors was wearing a t-shirt saying "forget fear, worry about the addiction" -now, that is certainly not a worry for me, but i could see how some people get hooked on the adrenaline rush. my heart was pounding for hours. and the strangest thing was that afterwards, we all went to lupa for dinner and i felt like my taste buds were super sensitized. every sip of the Südtirol Weissburgunder and each bite of my duck ragu pappardelle tasted magnificent. thankful to be alive.

the new and improved sheesergirl

the transition

it's icy

it's cold

eating in laos

from Laos with love

london - the cool kids

canal saint-martin

from the fast lane

autumn in helsinki

on the silja line to stockholm

alvar aalto's house

the long days of summer

lilacs in full bloom

the cat doesn't know

helsinki

mid-century fika

stockholm

goodbye astoria

it's official!

i love (+new yorkers who love) liszt

photographing tokyo

happy new year

paths and rivers

older than charlie parker

avocado memories

you shouldn't live alone

on summer mornings...

august in new york

why do my favorite summer dishes...

more postcards from cinque terre

postcards from cinque terre

cinque terre

eat like locals do in firenze

siena

there's something about rome...

italia!

herring is so underrated!

happiest hour

mombar cafe in astoria, ny

memorial day weekend

glimpse of a previous life

boulettes larder

chez panisse

san francisco

new toy

what do you wish for?

after the rain...

on classical music

morgon for spring nights

back in queens

goodbye england...

things i love about london

the new saatchi gallery

hackney, london

at jardin majorelle

smelling marrakech

now you see her...

essaouira

marrakech

tiramisu

ain't that the truth

heaven can wait

kell on earth

selene wines

fast-forward

pheromones and beautiful, violent things

2010 wish list

louisiana

new orleans

san francisco and napa valley

napa

kandinsky at the guggenheim

vinyl

summer of love, with clogs

saraghina

wilco + yo la tengo

kyoto ancienne et nouvelle

staying in a temple

o-hara