No Kidding

While still on the fence about the whole kid thing, I thought this article raised a lot of good points about the childfree lifestyle.

Did you know...

...that in 1971 holography won the Nobel Prize in physics? It's true! Unfortunately, because of predatory lending, the delightful little museum where I learned this curious fact from a half-senile curator may no longer be around to share the story.

Clutch Player

Great article about thinking clearly and using "old-fashioned" values of discipline and thrift. Everything old is new again....

Picnic Favorite

Despite my host's protests, I brought this lovely side dish with my CSA bounty over the weekend. It was polished off in fifteen minutes flat.

Even though it's not outdoors, I made these muffins for my colleagues, and they were also promptly polished off.

Zucchini, it's green but tastes great.

For All You Triathletes Out There

It was hard being sidelined this weekend, but I also was happy to give the other participants support - "Hey, you walking, you've got a quarter mile left, pour it on!"

This is a nice article comparing triathlon training to playing complex piano compositions. Who knew?

How to Be Domestic Goddesses

O and I have been very domestic lately, making butter-poached breakfast radishes, root-topkopita, and rhubarb compote. What's next?

I Need a New Drug?

I recently read a few articles about medication that affects women's sex drive, two about oral contraception in Marie Claire and The Daily Beast suggesting women go off the Pill. Marie Claire states that the hormones in the Pill can affect your choice of mate, while The Daily Beast indicates that oral contraceptives can kill sex drive. While I personally have never had this problem, I do have friends who have found this. In some ways, this seems like a step backwards for women in protecting their ability to plan when they have children. Men can be unreliable at wearing condoms, and if they break or otherwise fail it's nice to have a backup without worrying that it works partially by decreasing your libido.

Fear not, damsels in amorous distress! The German pharma company that until recently made quiet, unassuming medications for pulmonary disease and restless leg syndrome has developed a "female Viagra". Now you can take a little pink pill to counteract the loss of libido from another pill, all in the name of satisfying sex without pregnancy.

Marie Claire also mentioned that Jews and agnostics have more sex than Christians. Guess I should seek out Members of the Tribe, despite all previous mediocre experiences?

Best (or Worst) Financial Headline From the European Crisis

Posen Says U.K. at ‘Low Risk’ of ‘Turning Japanese’. He really thinks so.

Isn't Celebrating Divorce an Oxymoron?

Don't get me wrong, divorce is a sad, sometimes necessary part of life. But loading up your best buds and going to a strip joint in Las Vegas to celebrate your newly-found freedom? Maybe you shouldn't have gotten married in the first place, Douchey McDoucheBag.

Wax On, Wax Off

I've taken the plunge and started waxing more than my eyebrows. Two weeks ago my legs were hairy enough for hot wax to rip the little buggers out from the root. It was mildly uncomfortable but not completely unbearable. Now, it bothers me that my legs are fuzzy, but at least they are not visibly stubbly.

Today I decide to go a bit further to the bikini line. Not Brazilian, that is being reserved for someone special. It is my conclusion that wax for depilatory purposes in the pelvic area is a medieval instrument of torture. I got through it by laughing nervously. Not sure if I'll take the next step or just stick to my razor. That guy I meet better be something else, or at least know how to call and not text.

It's Not Having What You Want, It's Wanting What You've Got

Another casualty of the economy - romance. An old friend of mine confided over a beer a little while ago that he's having issues with his significant other. It's best categorized as existential confusion - "do we have to like the exact same things? are we meant to be with each other forever? is something missing?" I was disappointed that they are struggling but not surprised. Given that money is the most frequent subject of arguments, and men's professional self-esteem issues spill over into their dating lives, it's no surprise that many long-term relationships are showing cracks or have ended. To some degree, my last long-standing thing collapsed under the weight of job anxiety, as did those of several friends in the past two years.

It's easy to project frustration onto an SO, in particular if their work situation is better. In tough times it's also natural to navel gaze and consider options in life. In New York City this seems amplified, where the selection is large and everyone seems perpetually on the lookout for a better choice. (digression: could this be symptomatic of our large finance d-bag population where seeking a better trade and bigger deal translates off-hours to acquiring a trophy partner with bigger tits, larger bank account, and better bedroom skills? Discuss.) These two concurrent forces can make for a lethal combination. It may make us feel better in the short term to take out frustrations on someone close to us, it's an easy target, but we need loved ones more than ever to lean on as we limp through a rough patch. Many men especially seem to lose sight of this, as the stress response tends to be curling up into a ball or lashing out on others, including those who may provide relief. Short of severe effed-up-ness (drugs, cheating, abuse), the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence. As New York magazine found in their review of the Sex Diaries, the abundance of choice can end up paralyzing and anxiety-inducing. As exciting as it can be to pick partners like chocolates in Dylan's Candy Bar, one may agonize overs the choice and thus end empty-handed (or not, for that matter ;) ).

Believe you me, I have been very much taking advantage of my single status in the past six months ;), so this is not meant to judge anyone who wants to prowl around. It's fun, temporarily exciting, and relieves stress. The attention from multiple people makes a person feel desired, special, appreciated. It counteracts the lack of love felt from layoffs and no raises at the office any day. That rush can be quite tempting for those in a relationship going through hard times. Truth be told, though, I'd much prefer to open my apartment door and find the same person on the other side day in and day out, to enhance experiences from sharing them, and yea, from the regular sexy-time as well. If it ain't broke, don't break it.

Su-Su-Studio

In the past two weeks I've ventured twice to the latest and possibly largest beer garden in town, Studio Square. Being located three blocks from the 36th St stop of the R train is a bonus, although cabs are few and far between in the wee hours, even on Northern Blvd. What's great is that there is so much space, about three times the outdoor and ten times the indoor seating of Bohemian. There was enough room for my drunk idiot friend T t throw me over his shoulder to teach me a lesson that I can't recall, with me squirming and kicking and only hitting him. It is a bit more of a dress-to-impress scene, and the staff wear geek-chic t-shirts of an S squared. Part of me years for the distant surliness and stick-to-your-ribs eastern European fare like pierogi, although having bratwurst, awesome fries, sushi, and mini cupcakes available in the same place isn't too shabby.

In short, I'd go again with friends, maybe not for my birthday. Next stop on the beer garden tour - either Fette Sau or Fatty 'Cue.

Incomprehensible

My parents have been married for 39 years today. Their wedding song was Perry Como's "It's Impossible." I think that says it all.

Deep Thought for the Day

“People universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck or something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather...That’s not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it.”

Something That Made Moi Smile

The Muppets' take on Queen

New Orleans - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Good: Hanging with JJD and WC, partying at Oz on Bourbon St, the burgers and lethal cocktails at Port of Call, running into a college buddy at karaoke who had just finished the marathon, gorgeous early spring weather, watching the gold medal men's hockey game on the large screen at Harrah's
Bad: Frank's waitress telling us they ran out of muffalatta bread after we walked in saying we wanted muffalatta, JJD's constipation from the lobster mac and cheese (or so he suspects), US losing to Canada in OT during the gold medal game
Ugly: Frank's appetizers look the same (bread crumbs with artichokes and bread crumbs with mushrooms), getting up at 4:15am to go home

Irie!

M, O, and I all made plans to go to Jamaica. As it turned out, the morning of our flight, M and O both got monster stomach bugs. M toughed it out and made it to the airport, whereas O could barely stand up and sadly missed our trip. (p.s. M is a guy friend. Yes, I traveled with an unrelated male. No, we didn't have any hanky panky. I don't care what "When Harry Met Sally" said.)

This yet again turned into my yearly do-nothing vacation. Last year was Tulum with O. There's nothing wrong with spending a few days on a resort eating, drinking, lounging by water, reading, and otherwise being inactive. However, next year, I'd prefer less children around. Nothing against my friends with kids, I am currently child-free and would like peace and quiet for a few days out of the year. Nothing wrong with that right?

Inevitably, food and drink will be judged stringently. Red Stripe beer is not bad, neither is Real Rock. There were several rounds of fruity rum-based cocktails. I also got into the local fare served on the buffet, maybe more so than the other crap.

The only non-inert thing we did was go down the water slide and take a kayak in the ocean. Since M can't swim, the options were limited. I think the sea kayaking freaked him out a bit, especially after we would go over waves. Those poor children swimming near us heard quite a few expletives. It's hard to teach an adult how to swim. My mission was to get M to float on his back and failed. I feel like I've been swimming my whole life - how do you explain it?

Getting hit on by waiters was interesting. It seems social networking has become the latest pickup lead.

"You single?"
"Yea."
"You should move to Jamaica and marry a Jamaican. They'd love you."
"OK I'll consider it."
"You on MySpace or Facebook?"
[bald-faced lie] "No I don't use those."

Yea, I still got it.

And this one time, at band camp...

Although this video isn't as slick as Here It Comes Again, it's still endearing. This takes me back to college marching band, ahh memories.....

BLI RÖD!

Doug Murray '03 of the San Jose Sharks will represent Sweden at the Vancouver Olympics. I remember him as quite the hard-nosed beast who wore faux-snakeskin pants out to Dunbar's. On a local front, my Harvard-Cornell tickets have already arrived in the mail.

LET'S GO RED!

Walkabout

How walkable is your current (or future) neighborhood? According to this site, my nabe scores 86, with the top 10% of hoods in the 92 range.

Another cool site from VSL

Root Cause

Given I had two rutabagas and celery root from my farm share on the verge of shrivelling into nothing, I decided to be domestic last night and make celery root puree from Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern and rutabaga fries. Of course, I didn't buy enough milk (1 quart = 4 cups, not 8!!!) and had no paprika on hand. No matter. It is exrtemely hard to burn milk and takes a loooooong time. Plus the rutabaga fries tasted yummy without it. The puree is quite hearty, very much like mashed potatoes.

Today's CSA delivery has more rutabaga and celery root. Contemplating what to do with them, although I will be concocting something with my sweet potatoes first....

UPDATE 1/10 - I made the sweet potato and pecan bread recipe I found earlier, huge hit!

Cookie Monster!

This Christmas, I have really outdone myself. Not only have I brought back the Finnish ginger pigs, I also made Nigella Lawson's gingerbread muffins, which smell as seductive as they taste, and Norwegian butter cookies, which tasted good even without the egg accidentally omitted. Mental note: do not let a drunk friend read out the recipe off the computer.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Thank God I'm Single

So I thought it couldn't get any more hysterical than being dumped for a gorgon. Oh, it does. Apparently, Captain America got married in November very quickly to someone he was dating while we were exclusive. Fifty bucks says she's got a bun in the oven. Boys and girls, condoms!!!!

Given the choice between a) dating a boring newt, b) marrying a gun-toting psychopath because he doesn't understand birth control, or c) being a freebird, I'll take c, hands down.

Cleaning out the Produce Drawer...

This morning I woke up feeling very congested, which gives me an excuse not to go to the gym. However, I don't like sitting idle. Instead of cleaning my visible apartment, I decided to attack the remnants of my last CSA delivery. Here's what I've accomplished:
- kale chips: found the inspiration for this on Chowhound. With the half bunch of kale I had, it fit neatly in my toaster oven, which is a bonus. Lately, I have been favoring the toaster oven for baking since it's easier and quicker. Last weekend, I baked the baking apples we received in it. Perfect results, same as the oven, with less muss and no fuss.
- broccoli and leek no-crust quiche: eggs, check. Veggies, check. Cheese, check (goat, Mexican shredded mix, and unidentified round brought back from Italy, to be precise). Mix in pie plate and bake in the oven. The smell is wafting over to my couch as we type.

If I'm feeling ambitious, I'll make pecan and roast sweet potato bread, even though they are not Thanksgiving leftovers.

Guten Appetit!

My coworker and I tracked down the Schnitzel and Things truck on Twitter. I am definitely a fan. Veal schnitzel was on special today-scrumptious! The Yukon Gold fries and chickpea salad were all right. If you work in midtown, I recommend it.

Do Jews shout differently than Gentiles?

Philip Roth seems to think so. Have a listen for yourself.

Jet Set

Off to Europe, mostly not for fun. Willem Dafoe is in first class reading a script. The suits picking up the bill only do business, not complaining! I need some shuteye before rocking up to the office straight from Heathrow. AA's 777s have built-in TVs and almost lie-flat beds. It's about time they entered the late 90's!!

See you in a week or so....

Bookworm

Ahh, to have enough time to read a book every day...

How do you say Forrest Gump in Chinese?

I want to date this guy, although the facial hair would not fly well.

Is this where Dante had in mind when he wrote L'Inferno?

[DISCLAIMER: this post may inflame Texans and especially Houstonians. If one of them happens to be my brother's ex-fiancee, here's hoping you spontaneously burst into flames anyway.]

Three days in a town is not enough to grasp the essence of a particular place, especially when most of the 72 hours is spent behind a desk. I did not have great expectations of Houston when I found out I'd have some business to take care of, in mid-summer no less. My impression has not changed much. Turbulence on landing and on take-off, sweltering heat, and lack of pedestrians anywhere would do it. We drove three blocks, which is heretical for New Yorkers.

I will give Houston this: everyone (minus the ex-fiancee devil spawn) is incredibly nice. I have a few friends who live there and some who are soon relocating. Plus, prices are really low. Still, not enough reason for me to pack my bags and buy a ginormous house.

Back to the Salt Mines...

I have a tremendous amount of work awaiting me on my return from Lisbon. You will not hear much of me for the next month, don't take it personally....

Portugal

It's a good thing and a bad thing that more Americans don't go to Portugal. It's cheap, friendly, not overtrodden (except the Algarve), easygoing, and has really great uncomplicated food and wine. The seafood is out of this world. Don't think about it too hard, just go.

Try-athlon

Many of you have expressed concerns about my mental health lately. Just to clear the air, lots of people do triathlons every year. Several thousand just participated in this morning's NYC Tri. Moreover, the Hudson is safe for swimming. It's similar to bathing in a swamp, yes, but the EPA tests it regularly. (Not sure if that will inspire confidence; maybe the fact that I wore a wetsuit is better.)

After having swum 1500 meters in said river, biking 40k (25 miles) up and down the potholed and puddle-slicked West Side Highway with extremely aggressive competitors whizzing past, and running 10k (6.2 miles) after that, I am exhausted and cognitively fuzzy but HOOKED! Training for this event has been challenging, and my cycling is still very slow. It doesn't help that I'm riding the bike I've had since I was ten, with some modifications to make it race-ready. The upside is that I have been eating ravenously but have trimmed down a lot. The triathlon club I joined has been great for preparation, and there are some great people in it. As an added bonus, triathletes are HOT.

Random Thought

To neglect a girlfriend, cheat, lie, break up abruptly, try to weasel out of paying half from a shared vacation and leave mounds of crap behind in her apartment, spread lame BS to all mutual friends about the relationship, and then send disturbing anonymous text messages is one thing. It's really pathetic when a Facebook profile picture was is posted from said vacation with the now-ex-girlfriend (from two years ago, mind you), while now being engaged to someone else. Time to move on, everyone else did a long time ago.

"You don't know what love is, you just do as you're told" sums it up about right. (Thanks, Jack White.)

Virginia Beach

Spending the 4th weekend with my coworker/friend and her family. We are both very much looking forward to doing not much of anything. Plus, our families are very similar so I feel right at home! Virginia Beach is great, although on the boardwalk I have to watch my p's and q's as there are great no-swearing signs.

Farewell to Youth

When FOX started displaying a report from TMZ that Michael Jackson was dead, I didn't fully accept it. This may reflect on the questionable reliability of a gossip website, but I think it goes a little deeper. The sudden death of an iconic global figure (well, has-been icon) attempting a comeback is a classic, almost textbook, tragedy. That pill-popping may have been a factor should shock no one where MJ is concerned with everything else in his past. Regardless of his personal struggles and eccentricities, there is no denying his tremendous contribution to popular culture and music. Michael Jackson represents the 1980's and America at its best - exuberance, creativity, success, hope for a better world - and worst (overextravagance, hubris, commercialism, crotch grabbing, body dysmorphia).

For me, the timing couldn't have been more cosmic, as I turn thirty in four days. Additional coincidence is that I plan to go out for some 80's dancing on Saturday. Growing up, I spent hours singing along to Thriller on my Fisher Price record player, starting songs over if I didn't get all the lyrics right. My mom had a hard time tearing me away from "break dancing" to his hits on my babysitter's living room carpet. I still remember watching the video premiere of Bad on network television with my next-door neighbor. Michael's death carries a symbolic passing away of my childhood, a marker that I really am not a kid anymore. No longer can I blame actions on being young and stupid. Yes, people are cushioning the blow of aging by declaring that thirty is the new twenty. In my opinion, it's just rationalization for shirking personal responsibility and perpetuating emotional immaturity. Then again, I don't believe that you can't trust anyone over thirty.

So goodbye, childhood. Bring on thirty, as well as the inevitable VH1Classic lovefest of MJ tribute music videos on repeat.

Another Sign of the Apocalypse (and Motivation to Elope)

WE is having a Bridezillas marathon today. These women are snarky, obnoxious biatches. And most of them are morbidly obese. I have absolutely no desire to throw away that much money, piss off everyone around me, and lose sanity over one day. Yecch

Keep Austin Awesome

Austin is the one of only cities in Texas (I have been to so far) that I could live in. This was confirmed over Memorial Day weekend. We popped up to Fort Worth to visit M's sister M, and I quite liked it there, although I'm still not ready for the 'burbs. At least it wasn't Dallas. Big fan of the kolaches in West, Texas, tubing, and the kitschy neon signs all over town.

Good Day Sunshine

It's my yearly trip to Palm Beach to visit the aunt and uncle. Yet another trip where I do pretty much nothing, which is just fine. However, I did go on two runs, one five-miler on the beach (look out for washed-up man-o-wars!) and one six mile run/walk. The amusement this trip was getting hit on by a 70-something divorcee from easter Europe. Guess I still look hot in a string bikini.

I need to get the hell out of New York for an extended period of time, preferably somewhere with better weather...

Set Adrift

I'd love to figure out which building this started in. You may become very meditative watching the plane land - this is normal.


Flying from Sam Fuller on Vimeo.

З Великодніми святами!

Easter is here, although from this chilly weather you wouldn't know it. To unleash my creativity, I learned how to decorate eggs the Ukrainian way, known as pysanky. It's not that easy, it takes a steady hand and some knowledge of folk art and symbolism. Since DailyCandy's mailing didn't indicate reservations were required, we almost were not able to get a seat at the Spacecraft class, but it was worth the wait and tension. I don't know if M enjoyed it as much as I did, but I'd definitely trek down to E 7th St to get the supplies needed to make them again. The traditional designs are beautiful, but even more contemporary designs are fun as well.

Take the Good and the Bad, Fort Greene Edition

Fort Greene as some awesome places to discover. I like the laidback vibe but minimal hipster invasion (so far). It's a perfect nabe to hang out with friends and throw a few back. Brooklyn Public House is a perfect example of this. Good beer selection, chill ambience, even though I can't comment on the food. We almost needed to, though, because we were undernourished and overcharged at Ici right across the road. Some entrees were barely appetizer portions, leaving most of the strapping lads in my party hankering for hamburgers. Plus they overcharged us and it took three passes at the bill to get it right. For all of its "fresh, seasonal, and local" hype, it's not worth the price tag.

Seeing Red

This video gets my goat a little, in that I am an alumna of a state school (although my masters is from an endowed college). Granted Keith Olbermann is a pompus douchebag, last time I checked, there was no distinction between the private and state-subsidized colleges in what constitutes the Ivy League. I could care less if Ann Coulter graduated cum laude; she is still a crazy b1tch. Pick on something more substantive to debate.

Eating Less Is More?

Humanity has been searching for the fountain of youth and longevity since the beginning of time. Naturally, eating less generally helps with maintaining a healthy weight. Some studies have shown that reducing caloric intake can improve health and possibly lengthen life span. Now an experiment in Germany indicates it can also increase memory in elderly.

Makes you wonder if religious-based fasts were intended to increase retention of doctrinal teachings, particularly for those followers who traditionally were not literate.

Happy (and memorable) Lent!

Relajar

Hola. This week I am on vacation in Mexico. Even though O and I planned on hiking, exploring a cenote, and snorkelling, I think we are just going to do nothing but morning yoga on the beach, swimming, and sunning/reading.

Sliders

This is a pretty interesting picture. See if you can find the guy flipping off the camera and those that know they're being photographed.

No Leftover Recipe: Stuffed Zucchini (Among Other Things)

M's 30th birthday was last night, so a bunch of us had brunch and then hit the Met. Given times are slim, we decided to cook instead of get dinner out. In addition to my mom's honey chicken recipe (family secret), I whipped up Yukon Gold and yam home fries and this zucchini recipe. Yes, it's Rachael Ray. From past experience, she either has good concept recipes that require very slight tweaks, or they just suck. This one probably needed slightly less liquid in the filling, but everyone devoured it. Happy Dirty 30!

Road Warrior

In the mothership's enduring wisdom, it's not enough to condense three work trips into one. The trip must be as short as humanly possible. However, what they neglect to consider in the great southern land is that North America has horrendous weather from December through April, and it fouls up travel coming and going (literally). Let's hope I make it out of this itinerary alive and on time:

tomorrow morning: Calgary
tomorrow night - Saturday evening: Vancouver
Saturday night - Monday night: LA
[red eye flight, hope I get upgraded]
Tuesday morning - Wednesday evening: Chicago

The Breakup Cycle

Lately it has seemed that many of my loved ones' relationships have fallen to pieces. In Chinese numerology, eight is an indicator of change, so maybe the preceding year had something to do with it. From my experience and observation of others, something like the Kübler-Ross grief cycle comes into play. As a public service to those of you out there struggling with the death of a love affair, marriage, or anything in between, here is what to expect:

• Denial that the end has taken place, perhaps with some hope that things will mend (although this doesn't always surface). It is tempting to try to hang on for dear life, but chances are you are merely grasping for the accoutrements that come with being partnered - triple dates, regular phone calls and emails, mutual friendships. Just let it go. Those people you met who are genuine will stay friends with you, and you can always establish these patterns with new people. In other words, good icing is not worth spreading over bad cake.
  
• Depression over the loss of "the good times" and rehashing what could and couldn't have been done better on your part to make the relationship work. This is inevitable yet unrealistic, as relationships either work or they don't. Granted everything worth anything in life requires effort and care to maintain, it is unfair to place the burden of a relationship's resuscitation solely on yourself. A steady diet of Haagen Dazs, booze, and a playlist with Cher, Gloria Gaynor, Alanis Morrissette, and Kelly Clarkson on repeat will help alleviate this affliction, with possible side effects of bitterness and tighter jeans.
  
• Bargaining with friends and family who, as it turned out, tolerated the significant other's presence while secretly deeming them a cheapskate/cold fish/douchebag/albatross/louse/worm/annoyance/wet blanket, you get the picture...As much as we want the truth, in the words of Jack Nicholson, when we are in the thick of it we generally can't handle it.
  
• Anger when it finally hits you that he/she was cheating/lying/neglectful/hypercritical/hypocritical/boring/backstabbing/impotent/lazy/parasitic/abusive/[another unfavorable adjective] and that time was wasted ignoring these characteristics. This is amplified if the bastard left you for a banshee or skank resembling a d-list reality has-been. Channel this negative emotion into hitting the gym hard, volunteering for a good cause, even cleaning out your living quarters. Never ever ever contact them. The best revenge is a lack of concern for their existence, tied for first with looking effing smashing.
  
• Acceptance that you are better off without and that it is time yet again to plunge into the dating pool, even though the though may evoke the Polar Bear Club dashing into the frigid Atlantic waters on New Years Day. This is absolutely necessary to be able to move on sans major baggage, even if you start by dipping your toes in, then wade around for a little while and acclimate. It is more fun just to cannonball in. However, DO NOT expect a lack of spark to "grow on you". If there's nothing there within two to three dates, go with your gut (a la Malcolm Gladwell) and avoid overanalysis, cut your losses and move on. A roll in the hay or two for its own sake is healthy, but don't forget the latex and visual inspection!
  
  To this, I will add one more:
  
• Partial or complete amnesia that said assignation or partnership ever occurred. This is expected after meeting someone new who completely and utterly knocks your socks off and whose abundance of redeeming qualities makes you forget the past hurt and pain.
  
  

Happy coupling! ;)

No-Leftover Recipe: Creamy Pesto

For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed cooking. It's difficult preparing meals for one, particularly eating the same meal several times, so often I will invite friends to join me. Over the year, my goal is to find at least 1-2 recipes a month that are eaten in one shot, without sending any home with the guests.

Since I had basil in my fridge, I felt inspired to pulverize it into a pesto, even though it's a bit out of season. The nutty garlicky flavor is somewhat comforting, but I wanted to take the edge off a bit. Enter cream. A bunch of supermarket basil is enough for at least two batches of this sauce, so I made it this twice, once as a Happy New Year/Congratulations dinner for my friend T and is new fiancee, and the second time as a post-spinning repast with my gym buddy M. On both occasions, there were no (Barilla Plus for health) rotelle left in my massive pasta bowl. Therefore, I think this qualifies nicely as a No-Leftover Recipe.

Half-and-half is a fine substitute (and eliminates some fat and calories), and for a lighter sauce, leave out the parmesan while whisking the pesto into the boiled cream. Buon appetito!

(Even eating a half pound of pasta, I still have prominent collarbones now. Guess the triathlon training has been effective.)

Everything Old is New Again

Hey Knight Rider fans! Now you can get a KITT GPS to tell you when to make that next right turn. What's next? A tablet PC a la Penny's computer book (from Inspector Gadget)??

If You're Gonna Dance, Dance!

Can you believe I've been jotting down my adventures and random thoughts for over five years now! It's hard for me to fathom that much time has passed since I was in Oman swekking and experiencing a completely different way of life. In some ways, not much has changed about me; life has meandered and taken some interesting turns here and there. On the flipside, I think my mindset is very different than when I first started typing away, even in this year. I can't say that I am unhappy or unsatisfied, as I have achieved many of my goals and then some. Are there still some things I want to accomplish? Of course! This year I really want to finish the NYC Triathlon and unlock some of my pent-up creativity, not to mention undertaking some more adventures. Naturally, I'd like to find someone to come along with me for the ride. However, I regret nothing and don't feel like I could have done more in my time on earth thus far. Too many people fall into a trap of measuring themselves against a skewed ruler or coveting someone else's "success" without remembering that others may have faced their own challenges to arrive at a good point.

2008 definitely was challenging on many levels, and I'm glad it's over. Not so much to put the rough times behind us, but to also appreciate the lessons learned from the struggles. Earlier this year, I aimed to have a hot date on New Years Eve. Schlepping all the way to Sydney for what was then an indeterminate amount of time threw a wrench in that mix, but in the end, I had more fun this year sans date than I have in the past three previous years. For the first NYE in a while, I danced. A lot. Everywhere we went. With many people. There's something about dancing that is so liberating and enjoyable, it doesn't matter if you misstep or lose the rhythm. It doesn't matter if others don't really know what they're doing either. It's infectious and gets others going, even if they just laughed or smiled. After a while, it seeps in and radiates throughout all your limbs, and you just go with it. In a word, it was fun! And even though I didn't have a hot date going into the evening, I still got my midnight smooch...

There's an old Italian saying my bisnonna used to impart on her grandchildren - "if you're going to dance, dance!" Meaning, do things whole-heartedly, give it all you got. I'm proud to say, Meme, I'm giving life everything I have, and the payback has been great.

Here's to giving 2009 our best shot. Happy New Year!

Another One Bites the Dust

Upon arriving home from Australia, all tan and warm, not only am I greeted by snow/slush/rain, but also a padlock on the door of one of my favorite neighborhood cafes. Munch Cafe, a recent press darling in Time Out and AM New York, is gone. According to the owner, flooding that remained unaddressed by the co-op board or the building managing agent forced the place to shutter. While service was a tad slow, it made damn good coffee and was very friendly. I do hope it reopens again somewhere else on Yellowstone.

Sydney vs. Melbourne

To an outsider, it seems that there is a pretty strong rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne. Residents I met in both towns enjoyed slagging off the other city. I'm not sure there is a similar tension in the US between LA and NYC. To clear the air for those of you who have never even set foot on the great southern land, here are my unbiased observations. Please note I have spent a combined total of 14 weeks in Sydney while only 3 days in Melbourne.

Attitude
Overall, Aussies are quite laidback, very west coast without much of the flakiness. Sydney definitely seems exciting yet chill (SoCal) while Melbourne was more cool and bustling (European?) People seemed to move around a bit faster in the main business district, akin to what I'm used to in New York, whereas Sydney's CBD can be crowded but still not as fast-paced.

Weather
Four seasons in one day in Melbourne? Sydney wins this hands-down, although the weather until around the time I left was pretty bleak for the time of year. I also much preferred the beaches in Sydney to the one I trekked to in Melbourne (St. Kilda).

Food
This one is a tough call. One of the major points of contention between residents of these two locales is whose chow is better. I have eaten at tons of restaurants in Sydney, but much fewer in Melbourne, so it's hard for me to compare. Coffee is superb in both places, it kicks the ass of any Starbucks. No wonder they are all shuttering throughout Oz.

Culture
Melbourne takes this one. Besides the fact that most of the people I talked to in Sydney reminisced about theatergoing in Melbourne, the street art is amazing. You can wander the laneways and find great surprises around every corner. A fave of mine is in what I think is Union Alley, where above the grafitti are a series of chimes that ring at random depending on the wind. Sydney is too spiffy to pull that off.

Men
I knew you were going to ask. The views are great in both cities. To be brutally honest, men in Sydney are all talk and no walk and my hunting expeditions for two-legged animals left me very disappointed. Melbournians, on the other hand, seemed much better at delivering the goods.

In short? I'd visit both cities again, for different reasons. My first Australian love is Sydney, and nothing beats being thisclose to some of the best beaches and outdoor activities in the world. Melbourne is still unexplored territory for me, and I'd love to go back and uncover more of its rich heritage (and maybe some of the locals).

I'm really going to miss this place :'(

Surf's Up

You might think I'm crazy, but today I took surfing lessons. It's quite tricky, especially when the waves just aren't very high. However, I managed to get enough practice to stand on the board and ride it all the way to the shore. Woo hoo! It's such a rush, I'm hooked!

G'day!

It's amazing how quickly things can change. Who knew I'd be back in Oz in time for the good weather? Economic conditions notwithstanding, there's heaps to do here and not much going on back home. It's been a bit windy and rainy, but not that I'm complaining, I'll take 60 degree weather over 30-degree (Fahrenheit) any day :).

Given my freedom, naturally I have been taking a lot of flak about meeting an Aussie and, at the very least, having a good roll. Even a woman I met on a flight a little while ago said something along the lines of, "Y'know, you're going to meet someone there and get married and maybe not come back to the States." As I told her, to quote my mum, from her lips to God's ears. Sydney is a great place for this type of quest, as there are friggin smoking hot men everywhere, all different types. So, of course, whose eye do I catch but a bloke ... in town on business ... from Toronto. Well, it's a start.

Who's Second-Class Now?

To those of you in finance who would pooh-pooh my "second-class, support staff" IT management job:

F*ck you very much for entangling every bank in derivatives, mortgage securities, credit default swaps, naked short sells, and God knows what else you probably didn't even understand. As a result, you have proceeded to grind almost every country's economy (except Iraq's) to a halt, reduce the stock exchanges to amusement park rides, and ensure that thousands of baby-boomers now have to work at least five more years before retiring. Hope you enjoyed your black cars, "team-building conferences" in posh locales, and bottle service while they lasted. Do you sweat out every arrival praying the building security are not waiting to escort you right back out? Even worse, how does it feel to wait for your paltry unemployment check (relative to your bloated salary) while you search for yet another soul-sucking produce-nothing job? Sorry that the rest of the population isn't commiserating with you. By the by, I still have my "second-class" job, at the same salary, and I'm headed to sunnier climes for an undefined period of time on business.

Karma's a bitch, ain't it?

Would You Let This Guy Adjust Your Back?

What's wrong with this picture?

... being fluent in Spanish, he traveled to Brazil; giving the gift of chiropractic to hundreds of underprivileged people.

a) Underprivileged people may need medicine and clean water more than spine adjustments.
b) They speak Portuguese in Brazil.
c) All of the above

Still can't believe I actually dated this friggin dumbass for as long as I did.

How to Avoid Sounding Like a Pretentious Ass About Books

Generally, I find people who overuse big words to be annoying and arrogant. It would be a fun game to scream really loud every time someone finds a large word in an article or in a speech, like during Pee Wee's Playhouse. Even though this posting is six months old, it still resonates (oops! did I use a big word? AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!), especially because I read quite a bit, and I often read reviews on books before I crack them open.

Those Who Ignore HIstory Are Doomed to Repeat It -Santayana

So I started talking to someone new. Does this sound familiar?

- (half-Italian, half-)Jewish
- grew up in Bergen County (but moved to FL for high school)
- Ivy grad (not Cornell)
- works for a hedge fund

What in the name of God am I doing?!

Say It Ain't So!

Scrabulous has been shut down on Facebook. Apparently the decision was from the Scrabulous camp, not Facebook. Down with Hasbro!!! Sniff sniff, one less way to procrastinate...

Prick Alert: SF Bay Area

Is this guy for real? I received the initial MP3 whose friend is a friend of Olga. The YouTube video that goes along with the voicemail is amusing. If this is what I have to look forward to in the world of dating, I'm entering a convent.

I Like You Just The Way You Are

Open Letter to Ivanka Trump

Dear Ivanka,

What are you thinking, girl? Convert to Orthodox Judaism?! What does your dad have to say about this? I have nothing against Judaism or any faith for that matter, but you should think twice about taking such a big step as taking on another religion. As someone who has been in a few interfaith relationships, as well as having seen the relative success of multi-faith relationships versus ones where a partner converts, I discourage you for the following reasons:

• You will be living a lie. Unless you come to a faith of your own volition and belief, you are not being true to yourself and what you really feel.
  
• The uber-righteous will never accept your conversion and recognize you as a full-fledged member of the "tribe". In countries where Islam and sharia law are observed, women who convert and then divorce their husbands are cast out of the family and lose custody of their children altogether. This applies particularly in communities where your faith is part of your genealogical heritage. In fact, some religions do not allow or recognize converts and shun those who marry them. I doubt your Kushner would-be in-laws would do this, but what about the broader congregation?
  
• Children need examples of "different" people getting along. There is so much hatred and bloodshed over which book to accept as the ultimate word of God. Set an example for your progeny. Instead of falling in line and being like Daddy, stick to your roots and focus on the shared core values that embody decent human beings. Expose them to two philosophies. Allowing them to think for themselves will empower them to be more critical as they grow up.
  
• What about Christmas?! Granted, I am not a huge fan of the commercialism and pressure around the holidays, I enjoy decorating and sharing meals with my family and loved ones. Christmas can be a huge sticking point with non-Christians because of the drive to have an identity that doesn't revolve around Santa and the baby Jesus. Some people don't care and enjoy celebrating it, but others can be militantly opposed to any expression of holiday cheer.
  
• Is Jared Kushner worth it? Really, you've already broken up once for whatever reason. In my opinion, changing who you are for a spouse can cause resentment down the track. There are millions of heterosexual men who would have you just as you are. If he's not brave enough to be with you as-is, he sucks, move on.
  

Think about it sweetie. You already own half the world, you deserve the best.

Au Revoir

In less than a week, a New York institution that still has packed tables will shutter its doors. It makes me feel so bad that this is the first and last time I will ever eat here. What's worse is, it closes for good on my birthday. I'm really disappointed that Florent's landlord thinks that what the Meat Packing District really needs is more luxury housing/dining/shopping. I say, kick out the designers and bring back the trannies and the leather bars.

New York is slowly but surely losing its edge. To some degree, it still exists in the outer boroughs, but they are bulldozing anything with character there too to put up multi-family McMansions and hair salons. I hate to say it, but it may be time for me to move on to a place that isn't afraid, is proud even, to be a little bit gritty and unpolished.

Turkiye!

Some of you may think it's nuts to pay four-digit prices on a plane fare at the last minute to go to Istanbul for less than a week. I don't care. This had to be one of the best trips I've ever taken. Some people may buy themselves a pair of shoes or earrings as a birthday present to themselves, but I think this has any material object beat. Three days was enough time to march around town and see pretty much everything notable, historic, and fun. The city has a good mix of old world charm, culture, great food, nice scenery, and activity. I wore a headscarf in the Blue Mosque out of respect, and it didn't feel too weird. In fact, I look kinda cute in an innocent, look-but-don't-touch, traditional sorta way. Plus, timing it to see Turkey beat Croatia in the UEFA quarterfinals was priceless. My former manager, who happens to be ex-military, almost ran for cover at the near-riot that broke out in Sultanahmet, but I lapped it up like all the raki I drank.

There was a lot of learning and observing. Nargile is the Turkish word for hookah. Churches and synagogues are crammed between buidlings and fenced in, while mosques sprawl with minarets reaching towards the heavens - very different than how houses of worship, particularly cathedrals, are constructed further west. Next time I go to a meyhane, I will not overdose on cold mezze so I can enjoy the hot fish and seafood. Even in Paris, I learned that I really really REALLY like macarons.

This was the first time I felt a thorough sense of relief and gratitude that I was no longer with J. If I had proposed this trip, he most likely would have initially indicated interest, then later recanted at the last minute, which either would have me resent him for my staying home or feeling guilty for leaving him behind. Instead, I felt free and light and happy, something that has eluded me for a bit, and it gave me a complete sense of being over him. Now my mission is to find someone to join me on one of these spontaneous junkets, among other things. In that arena, I still haven't found what I'm looking for...

Observations on Toronto

This trip was rough hours-wise (I broke my personal record of latest departure time - it is now 5:30am the following day), but not as hard emotionally as previous projects. I did a lot of power walking around the city to relieve stress and saw a good portion of it. As clean and friendly and nice as it is, it reminds me too much of New York, particularly the downtown area. However, I did enjoy the lower height of buildings in the areas surrounding the central business district. It's refreshing to get sunlight in an urban area.

The hot dog stands are better than NYC. Where else can you pick from several different types of encased meat, have it grilled to order, and dress it with umpteen different condiments yourself? Not bad.

My coworker will tell this story until the day I die: we are walking down Queen St W (think East Village St. Marks Pl as it fades from the perky gentrified area near Third Ave into the still-cess pool of Avenue D), I am telling M a story when a busker points at me and screams, "Fuck you!" Without missing a beat, I glare back at him and respond "No, fuck you too!" and continue telling the story without missing a beat. M was a bit shocked and awed at my snappy, forceful comeback.

Nose to the Grindstone

I am in Toronto for the next nine days for work. Which means I am for all intents and purposes falling off the face of the earth for a week and a half.

Last night was an office-wide party. I specifically scheduled my trip to Canada so that I would get to cut the rug with my coworkers. We started a count of the number of times the presenter said 'Click again' since the handheld presentation controller broke. One of my friends knocked my plate of food against my Calvin Klein jacket, started to apologize, and then saw me and said, "Oh it's just you."

Updates on my travels around TO in a few days...

Frat House Part 2

Having never ventured to Fire Island, I thought it would be fun to check it out for the day. My friends D and R went for the weekend, but my initial plan was to take the 1am ferry back. They actually charge double for it, perhaps to discourage all the drunks from boarding.

We went to the Ocean Bay Park part of the island. I knew there was a "gay" part and a family part, but we ended up on the section where people refuse to let go of the good-ol' college days. Don't get me wrong, it was fun, but I feel like I've moved on from raging frat parties, late-night pizza, and passing out in a pool of vomit.

While there, who do I run into but M. I've left out much of my dating adventures to maintain some privacy and mystery, but this is a doozy worth laughing about. Long story short, he was a rebound. We met through a mutual friend who happens to be the greatest wingman ever. Things got very intense and romantic immediately, but then fizzled out just as fast. With the understading that the economy sucks and finance dudes are living paycheck to paycheck, I have no patience for people who do not make any effort to communicate. Fast forward a few months, and I run into him poolside at the Fire Island Hotel. After wishing him happy birthday, my friends and I get dinner and hang with friends. Later on, I see him out at the bars, where he immediately latches onto me like a leech in a swimming hole. Did I mention I'm over making out in the middle of a sticky-floored bar? I try to move to the more romantic, private beach, and then the hemming and hawing starts. "I need to take off my shoes...I need the room key ... where's my friend? The innkeeper is the coolest woman ever!!!" Yawn. I start talking to his friend, another i-banker douchebag who thinks he's the greatest thing to happen to humanity because he moves large quantities of cash (none his own) around. Yaaaaaaaaaaaawn. All of a sudden, M darts out of the bar and takes off down the street. So let me get this straight, boy likes girl. Girl is marginally interested in boy. Girl asks boy to take walk for more fun, and boy runs away. What's wrong with this picture? By the time I leave the bar baffled and amused at the same time, my watch reads 2:30am. F*ck.

My neck is now sore from crashing on D and R's hotel couch for 4 hours and then catching the 7:45am ferry to Bayshore and driving back for brunch at Paradou with my two fab girlfriends. Brunch was awesome tho and well worth the early call. Now to relax for the rest of the weekend

Tervetuloa

Not much to say about Helsinki. It is a safe, quiet, clean, polite, well-organized city, but after traveling through Russia, we were a bit, um, bored. It didn't help that we passed out for most of Sunday from sheer exhaustion, but most museums were closed yesterday. In fact, when we woke up on Sunday, most everything was closed. My aunt recommended two restaurants, and we made it to one of them.

Who knew there is a whole orchestra devoted to balalaika? My mom would love this.

After 10 days of running running running, I am ready to come home.

Moskva!

I can't believe the tour is over already. It seems like it's been such a short time here, too short in fact. Out of all the cities, I think Moscow has been my favorite. Granted it is super-crowded (over 10 million people) and congested (there are now 5 million cars, as opposed to 300,000 about 10 years ago), there is so much vibrance and energy that radiates throughout the whole city. For better or for worse, gangster capitalism has revived the city but has also made it the most expensive city in the world.

Yes it's not as pretty as St. Pete's, and the mix of architecture ranges from gorgeous to "functional". I actually appreciate the variety and the history it records, like rings on a tree. Yes, it takes hours to cross the city. I fell in love the cleanliness and the elegance of the metro, with chandeliers and marble. Standing in the middle of Red Square, where so many have walked before me, was a really phenomenal moment. Though I didn't get to see Lenin, GUM was awesome. Where else can you fast-food Central Asian food?

Off to Helsinki. I am not a fan of Sheremetyevo Airport. We could not check in until an hour and a half before the flight, so we had to sit around waiting amongst the non-deodorized.

What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

The weather in Russia at this time of year is quite interesting. We apparently have experienced phenomenal weather, with the sun actually making an appearance. In the three days we were in "Peter", it has also rained, drizzled, was overcast, and snowed.

Novgorod, which I believe translates to "new city", is ironically the oldest city in Russia. What a depressing place! Ivan the Terrible massacred the people because he thought they were out to get him. I am impressed with one of the major underlying philosophies of the Russian Orthodox Church: bear your cross without complaint. It explains very much how the people here have survived tragedy after tragedy. My goal is to adopt this more into my life, but I'll pass on standing for church services.

We stayed last night at the "best hotel in Novgorod." Admittedly the decor and furnishing were a bit dated, it was clean and comfy. Breakfast was another story. Half the food was gone by the time we got there. The best part was how they translated cream of kasha as "Hercules-gruel." Once you get past the name, it tasted halfway decent.

Looking back, that was opulent compared to the bus ride to Moscow. My cousin and I got on the bus last and had to sit separately. I found a seat next to a nice Singaporean girl who was easy to talk to and very sharing with her snacks. My cousin got stuck next to a large Canadian woman who smelled like salami and kept drinking water (and getting up to use the bus bathroom). My cousin almost had a panic attack at the "best" known rest stop on the highway. Relieving one's self involved breathing through your mouth, not flushing the toilet paper, and bringing your own soap. I almost used the men's room if not for the man taking a sponge bath. (Note: for all you entrepreneurs out there, don't bother trying to create a nicer, more "Western" rest area. If the mafiya doesn't get to you, the government will if you vote the wrong way.) But wait, it gets better! In between snow and horrendous traffic, we were stopped three times by the police. This charade involves the drivers getting off the bus with all paperwork, the police reviewing all the licensing and paperwork for the bus, checking the driver's license, a breathalyzer, and then a request for contribution to the fund for the next meal. We were instructed not to take pictures. It would save a lot of time if the cops just set up a tollbooth for the bribes instead. Note to all of you badasses who want to do a DIY tour: get ready to hand over large sums of money to the cops in random traffic stops. For Russians, the going rate is about 100 rubles (just over 4 bucks). For foreigners, it starts at 100 euros.

Tver came and went in the blink of an eye. I would have appreciated a little more time here as it's where my best friend received her adopted son. We arrived several hours late for a late lunch. The place we went to was downstairs from a children's/Chinese/VIP lounge called Mary Poppins. Needless to say, I'm a bit concerned. I don't think vegetarianism is fully understood, as it appears that they veg folks received the same soup (i.e., meat stock) without the shredded meat on top. They also received extra dessert of apple drizzled with raspberry sauce since it is assumed they are not getting enough to eat without the meat.

Very much looking forward to our eventual arrival in Moscow after this ordeal of a bus ride.

Sankt-Peterburg

So far am having a good time in Russia, my cousin's early morning blowdryer routine notwithstanding. We ended up in a brand-new hotel. The radiant-heat flooring and the rain shower are aweseome. St. Petersburg is a very elegant, stately city, at least what we have seen of it. It has elements of Paris, Vienna and Amsterdam. However, I think I prefer all of those cities to St. Petersburg. There's not much that is unique just to the location, which I would appreciate more.

While here, we figured it was mandatory to see the ballet, and it turned out to be Tchaikovksky's Swan Lake. You can't get more quintessential than that. I had higher expectations of Russians' interest in culture, based on what my mom told me. The nyet-nyet ladies were nowhere in sight when a bunch of Russian children were making noise during the performance, nor when the row of Japanese tourists in front of us started taking flash photographs during the performance. One of them even tried to evade giving my cousin change on her 1000-ruble note for the program. Even my kindgergarten-level Russian couldn't get us through that negotiation, so being a paranoid New Yorker, I flagged the tour guide to straighten it out. Not having much prior exposure to ballet, I wasn't overly enthralled with the performance. The first act in particular went a bit overboard with the swan-hopping.

Overall, I think my favorite sight is the Hermitage. To think that this art collection was once seen exclusively by Catherine the Great and the mice running through the Winter Palace fascinates me. Chalk one good deed up to the Commies for nationalizing the gallery.

So far, I am quite disappointed with the Fodor's guidebook purchased before the trip. A couple of key sites and hotels appear to be missing, and the Armenian restaurant I hunted for after the Hermitage was no longer there. we didn't have much time to investigate further as we were leaving for our next city soon after.

Onto Novgorod...

Zdrastvuy!

Just arrived in St. Petersburg and am friggin exhausted. Never again will I fly internationally in economy class. FinnAir is a good airline and all, decent food and service, but I just can't sleep when I'm upright and someone else's head is practically in my lap.

When we arrive, I wonder if there was a crisis in the region as the immigration line is about fifty wide. Then I remember that people outside the Anglo nations never had queuing in their etiquette protocol. No words are spoken as I hand over my passport, parying there are no unnoticed errors in my visa ("Ma'am, your name is not transliterated properly/your patronymic is missing.") and when I get it back it has a bright orange stamp. After exiting through the customs door, I push my way through a scrum of Central Asians huddling by the portal waiting for loved ones to arrive. Our Tour Director informs us that we are the first of the tour group to arrive, but the first shuttle to the hotel already left. Our options are to wait for the next shuttle in two hours or take a taxi. We opt to wait, and I pass out on the bench, clutching my prized possessions to me. I grasp what it feels like to be homeless or a refugee when I awake with a very stiff neck and sore ribs.

The food situation will prove to be an adventure. Supposedly, the quality of the food (NOT customer service yet) has improved greatly since perestroika. The horror stories I heard about mystery meat and non-homogenized lava lamp sodas seem a thing of the past. However, at dinner I'm a little skeptical. I asked a waiter in Russian and then English if our appetizer salad was made with fish or meat. After three attempts in two languages, he shrugged and walked away. This is going to be fun...

This is my first major vacation since Prague, and I'm psyched! Flying around the country for long weekends to attend weddings and conference or work 20-hour days does not count. I did not review my entire Russian textbook as I had initially planned, but by the sounds of it my vocabulary and accent are better than the Tour Director's. More to come once I nap off the jetlag...

Yet Another Reason to Get Sloshed

Today we got our raise and bonus letters a/k/a Envelope Day. The added perk to this is the office shuts down at 1pm for lunch and the inevitable afterparties. While I am not allowed to discuss the contents, I will say I'm happy, especially considering the economic climate and all the naysayers who are predicting these cataclysmic implosions on the balance sheets.

My liver will not be happy tomorrow morning tho...

Buon compleano!

Yesterday was my mom's birthday, but she had to attend the first communion of a neighbor. So I took it upon myself to make Sunday Dinner for her. Since I was tall enough to stir, I have enjoyed cooking, especially like trying new recipes, Nigella being one of my reliable faves. It's been a while since I've cooked and had people over. I used to really enjoy cooking as a couple, but that fell along the wayside as things started to fall apart. I've missed you, stove!

For Mom, I decided to break out the crock-pot the folks gave me for Xmas and make its maiden voyage preparing Rachael Ray's hoisin pork roast with forbidden rice and Asian-style stirfried veggies. Rachael Ray's stuff is either good with a tweak or the recipe is quite off in some way, like it calls for too much salt. This came out quite good. The meat fell apart in a nice pulled style after eight hours of slow cooking, but since the pork was quite large and was not completely submerged in the sauce in my smaller-size pot, it was a bit on the dry side. Not bad for a first try tho! Would definitely make it again. Two and a half stars.

Bottoms Up!

I am back for the second year in a row for a wine tour in Amador County, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The weather is perfect, as it was yesterday for a hike in a national park that was almost turned into a dam. My friend M of course takes me to the clothing-optional watering hole. Get your minds out of the gutter, I kept my bathing suit on.

In addition to Bray, which we hit last year, we also stopped at two new ones, a Croatian one where I bought a one-liter jug of some good red, and another one whose name escapes me. No matter, it was a bit biker-trash in there as they celebrated their anniversary, but the wine wasn't as smooth as I would have liked. At that point my palate could have been burnt as well.

I don't know how I'm going to make it to dinner...

Loungin'

Purchasing an Admirals Club membership (with miles no less) was the best thing I ever did. The Flagship Lounge in JFK near the lower number gates is serene and comfy, just what I need before a long haul cross-country.

Chag sameach to all my friends in the Tribe celebrating Passover. Trying to see if any friends on the left coast are having Seder tonight that I can crash.

***UPDATE 4/21/2008: This weekend is also Orthodox (i.e. Julian calendar) Easter. This confuses one of my friends, who envisions "black-hatted men searching for eggs, almost like a weird afikhomen." Christos anesty!

Blowing in(to) the Wind(y City)

At the last minute, my boss decided yesterday that I should accompany him to Chi-town to do some testing. Granted the ticket cost about twice what it normally would when booked at least seven days in advance, it did not exceed four figures. My chef/gourmand friend A cooked up some of the extra duck confit/Barolo/caramelized onion tortelli he had lying around his freezer with a pecorino cream sauce and sprinkled with bresaola crumbles, and even with half of my previous appetite I happily gobbled down most of it. Some toffee and a chocolate cognac ganache macaroon, and I am down for the count. Will need the energy for dim sum, The Lincoln Park Zoo, and the return flight home. Sometimes I consider moving to Chicago, but if I ate like this all the time, I would gain all the weight back and then some.

Cherry Blossom Girl

My friend from work and I took a daytrip to our nation's capital for the cherry blossom festival. Frankly, it was a bit of a letdown from last year. When I made the same sojourn on Good Friday last year, the place was almost empty. This year, you could hardly keep up a good pace around the Tidal Basin with all the people. The ethnically dressed children performing "God Bless the USA" in sign language was cute tho. It's amazing that the A, when performed, looks very much like the Black Panther salute.

Raspberry

My Blackberry Pearl died this week. In its place, I now have a Curve. Even though it has a full keyboard, the keys are quite small. Hope I can keep my nails long now just to type! Definitely better than the predictive text that never quite caught on to what I would frequently type.

'Tis the Season, Whatever the Reason

Just want to wish my loved ones a happy

vernal equinox (a/k/a Spring)
Nowruz (Persian New Year)
Purim - yeay for Esther and hamentaschen
(Gregorian) Easter - feels a little early, but that's ok
a great weekend, especially if you're in finance since markets were closed yesterday

Even if you're not Christian, there is an important message to be gleaned from the Passion of Jesus. Jesus was executed for turning things on their head and challenging the status quo. I'm not focusing on his Son-of-God shtick, but rather the two commandments he preached - love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Compared with the Ten Commandments and the 613-odd mitzvaot laid out in the Torah, that is very simple yet also vague and leaves a lot of room for questions and judgment calls. It's hard to rejig one's life to two basic concepts after having so much structure and law. The point is, it's very easy to get defensive or dismissive of a new concept or idea. Instead of quashing it, try to explore it and embrace it.

[This would make a good post on Kehilla - hint hint]

Body Count in the House

Here comes another recession. Everyone has been denying and playing down the poor economic conditions in the US and elsewhere, but now the fit is hitting the shan, and the shoes are starting to drop - jobs are hemorrhaging. This is the part that scares and saddens me the most, when friends and loved ones through no fault of their own find themselves without employment. More than increased prices and plummeting housing rates, this removes some degree of certainty for the future and can leave people feeling hopeless. In addition, it makes those left behind feel insecure and conflicted about their position. The last time this happened for me was after 9/11; cuts were brutal and made those of us (including me) feel weird about having survived when friends had not. I am not seeing it in my company, and particularly in my department (I guess people always need IT), but in the past month it's not looking good for those who have already been let go and those feeling the heat:

MorganStanley - 1
Lehman Brothers - 1
Citigroup - 1?
Bear Sterns - 2?

Time to ruminate a little: on the way home from Florida last month, my rowmate and I saw a package containing human remains waiting to be loaded onto the plane. It felt a little creepy, but it also got me reminding myself of a core value. Life is not necessarily about the great job and gobs of money. As we see, those things can enable people to be happy in some ways, but they are fickle and fleeting. I admit, I like having a well-paying job and being able to support and entertain myself without much second thought. However, my goal is to have my life flash before my eyes before they close and think about the wonderful experiences I shared with others and how much they have meant to me. If anything, the one element I most appreciate about my career is the fantastic people I have met along the way, especially those with whom I socialize and keep in touch. This helps keep me grounded especially in times like these.

To those of you out there that have received the dreaded pink slip, or have survived thus far, hang in there. It gets better; it always does (eventually).

Dog Barking, Can't Fly Without Umbrella

Twice in the past month, I have placed calls to colleagues in Australia and had someone answer with a non-English-speaking accent who mumbles some unintelligible gibberish, puts the phone down, and then nothing except for a barking dog and a television in the background. Apparently this is a major hack of the mobile network. It's a recording that is cleverly timed to sound like someone really has answered the phone. Plus, it appears to have spread to the UK. If you think you've reached this rogue recording, don't say anything, just listen.

After scouring blogs and the news sources, it seems that this has not hit the blogosphere quite yet. If I find any updates on it will post.

Makes you want to check your minutes usage, eh?

Everybody Duty Free Tonight

While cleaning my apartment, I came across the receipt from my pre-flight shopping at Montreal Trudeau Airport. My cashier's name was Wang Chung - I sh*t you not. Given his age, I think he was born before the party-starting 80's tune was released. Here's proof.

Good Day Sunshine

Finally made it to Palm Beach after getting stuck in New York with the snowstorm. My aunt and uncle have a place here, so I'm in for a few days of quality home-cooked food, prosecco, awesome weather, daily cocktails, a little shopping, and some decent exercise time.

I'm getting sick of seeing the Walmart commercials because "Dancing in the Moonlight" reminds me of J.

Starbuck'd

The coffee shop in my building is cursed I tell you! Three weeks later, it is the scene of another crime. Another reason not to go there.

Inflation Sliced and Diced

So DiFara's Pizza has now hit 4 bucks a slice. Having eaten a lot of pizza around this great city, I'd say this is worth it. The ingredients are very high-quality and taste fresh and flavorful.

I do disagree with DeMarco that he takes his time with each pie. When I went with J and T last summer, all toppings slid off the slices if you tried to pick them up. The crust was great, but the center of the pie was not fully cooked.

I guess I'll have to go back and see if it's still worth the price -- and the wait.

Mahb Scene

My friend and neighbor turned 29 tonight. In the grand scheme of Kevin Bacon, he is the frat brother of my high school classmate, who went to camp with my friend from around the corner. He picked a fantastic Sicilian restaurant downtown to observer the occasion. The waitress spoke minimal English, and somehow she picked me up on her radar. After a bottle of Sicilian Shiraz (who knew?), two Chiantis, involtini de melanzane, grilled calamari, cuttlefish ink arancine, and half a massive calzone (farcito), we moved onto Swift down the street.

I manage to spend all of my money, get free drinks with minimal effort, and swing a ride home with M's roommate. It was a bit crazy - M got very intoxicated, became my wingman, and left without bidding his fellow celebrants adieu. Plus, I made out with someone in public for the first time in almost three years. That's usually an indicator of a successful birthday. Woo woo!

Nazdrovye!

What happens in Brighton Beach does not stay in Brighton Beach. I-bankers + vodka + unidentifiable but generally tasty food + vodka + tacky entertainment +more vodka = very sore feet for the next several days!

More evidence...

Life After Love

It's been just over a week now. Occasionally I reminisce or see a photograph and get upset, but it's getting a little easier to fly solo every day. Not seeing him while I was away on business or when he started working the night shift over the past few months made me more accustomed to being alone in my apartment. My appetite is almost non-existent, and I've lost at least five pounds. This is quite possibly the greatest diet ever!
I have been listening to a lot of Cher; it is definitely good breakup music since it acknowledges the feelings yet is upbeat and fast tempo. If anyone knows anything about breakups, it's Cher, since she's had some really ugly public endings of relationships. What perfect timing to hear that she is taking up residence at Caesar's Palace in LV. JJD and I are all about going to see her and getting our gambling on!!

Closing the Book

J and I broke up. It somewhat shocked me why and how it went down in the very end, but that's that. In some way, part of me had doubts as to whether some underlying issues would ever be resolved, but it is still painful. I am thankful for the support and comfort that my friends and family have provided, and my memories of the good times shared together and with others are a blessing.

Ahhh, The Good Old Days of College Hockey

This guy sounds almost comical. Stuff like this reminds me of when we threw fish at Hahvahd every time they would show up and how their coach would bitch. Or how Cornell fans routinely outnumber Crimson fans at their own arena. I also remember how almost the entire scrum of men on the ice got penalties for fighting, including the goalies. Better yet, I won my class ring during the Stone Travel Hockey Shoot-Out.

Ahhh, memories.....

A Load of (Mechanical) Bull

Rules for Riding a Mechanical Bull:

1. Go on an off night, so you will not make a total ass of yourself in front of 20,000 tourists and drunk i-bankers.
2. Bring photo ID, and make sure your friends do too, or you will be the only idiot allowed to ride the bull.
3. Have a drink. No, have a few drinks. Without speaking from experience, I'm almost 100% certain the experience of being flung around for all to laugh and point is more enjoyable when not sober.
4. Don't slouch. The pictures (and video!) will have you looking like The Hunchback of Midtown.
5. Urinate before entering the bullring.
6. You're supposed to only hold on with one hand, but if not that many people are around, you can get away with two. However, you may hold on so tight that you pull a muscle in your armpit.
7. If you can, climb off the bull yourself. People may boo, but it beats being flung off ungracefully.

Here's hoping Massa's amateur video of me does not end up on Youtube!

Happy 2008!

J and I spent New Years Eve at Joe's Shanghai in Flushing and then feasted on desserts at our friends' house. Al and I prepared three scrumptious treats for everyone:

Nutella Pots de Creme
Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
Bailey's and Chocolate Truffle Marshmellow Ice Cream

Our friend paused the cable so we missed the live ball drop. Thank goodness for rewind.

Needless to say, I am not eating dessert or xiao long bao for a while. Instead of focusing on weightloss, my goal is to eat healthier and exercise more and let the weight go where it must. In addition, I'd like to have more me-time and explore creative impulses. Perhaps I'll try to keep up with blogging bettter...

HAPPY 2008!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Blogger in all their wisdom wiped out my old template without warning. So now I have a new one. Still trying to catch up and add postings to this...

Feliz Cumpleanos a Mi

Jess' bachelorette party is in Miami this weekend, but she was happy to celebrate my birthday on Friday as well. The guys were here last weekend, but I think we have dropped more in one day than they did all weekend. That's not difficult since 18% gratuity is automatically included on everything. Regardless, yeay for poolside booze, bikinis, and Cuban food!

We have visited Mangos twice. Not much has changed since last February. The service is indifferent at best, but the view is nice. I still don't really get the sheer leopard-print catsuit with moon boots, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

It is monsooning now; I hope I don't get delayed.

America Runs on Dunkin' ... in Aruba

I really need a vacation, especially after someone from work called me while I was in the cab on the way to our hotel.

Aruba is a perfect balance of relaxing and convenience. We are within walking distance of a lot of great non-chain restaurants, but it's not too crowded. A family friend gave us some recommendations ahead of time, and so far they've been great. The hotel's restaurants are all right and a little overpriced, but luckily all the hotels are connected, one of them with a beachside Dunkin' Donuts!!!!

One thing to note, it is impossible to read the NYTimes on the beach because the tradewinds are too strong. Bring cheesy mass-market paperbacks instead. Also, avoid DePalma Island, unless you enjoy water parks and shallow-water snorkelling with fish that don't respect personal space.

In Vino Felicitas

J's frosh-year floormate got married on the left coast last night, so we all flew out to SFO to celebrate with her. They liked Mike and Lisa's wedding at Raphael so much, that they had theirs at a winery as well. We definitely did not complain!!! Flying home today is going to be rough. I really wanted to take the day and take J on a special wine tasting and picnic, but we couldn't risk taking a red-eye and arriving late.

Mental note: do not allow Mike to plan a wine tour again unless tolerance is at a peak.

Bring on the Hog

Yeay for barbecue! J and I went to the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. It was friggin crowded, but the lines we waited on is worth it. We had Big Bob Gibson's pulled pork sandwich, sausage and brisket from Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood, Texas, and beef ribs from the soon-to-be-opening Hill Country BBQ in New York. Hooray for more fab joints coming to town!

Thank God J doesn't keep kosher :)

Alleluia The Strife Is O'er

J took his test today. They shut the AC off in the Armory halfway through. I'm thrilled it's over! To celebrate I made all the things he liked, although he would have preferred some hours of shuteye.

Onto Level 2...and two back-to-back weddings this month.