I have done a lot this week. On Monday, I met an old friend from Sierra Leone at Bocca di Bacco, a restaurant/bar with lots of charm because there are red brick walls and stacks of wine bottles everywhere. Oh, and it just happens to be, say, 3 streets from where I live. Which means stumbling home in the freezing cold is must easier. We had a great chat: about kids, life, work, happiness, writing. I like intense chats that cover everything in about 2 hours. Leaves you feeling enriched and also tired.
On Tuesday, I went to Bowery Ballroom to hear The Antlers. Honestly, I was not blown away. The crowd was interesting: I like watching the hipsters with their chic flannel, their interesting hair styles weighed down with gel or blown upwards and around or combed in a funky way, and their suspenders, or their skirts with leggings (applies to the boys, too, just kidding). Some of them are aging hipsters, which makes me feel a little cool because while I might not be per se cool I can rock jeans and a sweater and a leather jacket better than someone 15 years older than me. Hmm, I take solace in the little things.
On Wednesday, I had dinner with an old friend from law school at Kyotofu, where everything seems tofu-like. It wasn't that bad but honestly I'm more old-fashioned and kind of like um, meat and lots of it. But still, the green tea cheesecake (with tofu?) was interesting at worst and yummy at best. Great texture. Oh, and green in color. Slightly odd.
On Thursday, today, I had dinner with another old friend from law school, visiting from London. We went to 44 and X. The advantage being that it is close by. The disadvantage being that it is actually 12 blocks away from where I live which is really, really close except when you're walking home with your laptop bag from work, carrying 20lbs of chocolates from the Lindt store for the population of India (your relatives and some whom you think are relatives but are not sure), and then have to pop into the D'Agastino along the way to buy Edam Cheese and Gouda Cheese by the dozen (prompting the check out person to say, So much cheese! So expensive!), which meant that I felt guilty and had to explain that no I'm not some frivolous fart who just dines on fancy cheese instead of milk, eggs, bread and pasta but that I'm carrying this home from my father who is convinced that he can't find these cheese products in the fair city of Mumbai, and then have to go to Duane Reade to buy the drugstore for other relatives.
Anyway, hours later everything is packed, lists have been made and checked twice, tomorrow I will be on the ball. Time for a glass of wine.
Oh, and no more eating. My stomach has grown two times in size. Oh wait I'm going on holiday for three weeks. Hello double chin.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Major issue
Puxoticus told me that my finger nails are too long, and because I've lost my nail clippers (I think they have fallen behind my dresser, I could check but too much effort required) I've taken to either (1) peeling them off forcefully or (2) trimming them with my nose hair scissors (yes, life is complicated). Today I peeled them off. And my right thumb nail is now so short that I have trouble typing. MAJOR ISSUES.
Tangra Masala
So I shlepped all the way out to Queens on Saturday to have me some Tangra Masala. Yes, this is Chinese-Indian food. Huh, you ask? Well, when I was growing up in India, there were very few foreign restaurants. All food as far as I could tell was Indian food, with the exception of one type of cuisine: Chinese Indian food. Apparently, there is a long history of Chinese Indian food in India, starting with when some Chinese exiles came to Calcutta and started doing a fusion type of cooking. I could wikipedia this and link it all but really, this is not the point the of the post. Rather, the bottom line is that sometimes on Sundays, my parents would be kind and generous and would order take-out Indian Chinese food which was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. I'm thinking of chicken lollipops and manchurian chicken. Utterly lipsmacking. It's so tasty and spicy and delicous.
So there I was on Saturday afternoon with Pux and FNR, downing the spiciest Hot and Sour Chicken Soup I've had in years. My nose was running. As in my tissue was soaked with goo from the spicy food clearing up my sinuses. Then I had chicken lollipops, which were good but not amazing, but still how bad can fried chicken really be? The answer: not bad. Thereafter, had some beef gravy and chicken gravy dishes which were pretty close to awesome.
After the meal, I was happy. In a food coma, yes. And I found myself in a Target which was weird. But apart from all of that, yes, I was content.
So there I was on Saturday afternoon with Pux and FNR, downing the spiciest Hot and Sour Chicken Soup I've had in years. My nose was running. As in my tissue was soaked with goo from the spicy food clearing up my sinuses. Then I had chicken lollipops, which were good but not amazing, but still how bad can fried chicken really be? The answer: not bad. Thereafter, had some beef gravy and chicken gravy dishes which were pretty close to awesome.
After the meal, I was happy. In a food coma, yes. And I found myself in a Target which was weird. But apart from all of that, yes, I was content.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Marriage
Just read this beautiful article in The New York Times about marriage and wanted to share it with you. I really like how the writer ties events in his long marriage to his wife with social movements over the years, such as the no-need-to-get-married 1970s to development in fertility treatments (and the impact on women in their 30s) in the 1980s to the present struggle for gay marriage.
But mostly I loved the part where he says that the basis for the marriage is respect for someone who is better than you in some way (and recognition, I suppose, that you are better in some way than someone else). The idea being, I suppose, that your better ways + her better ways make for a strong union where the sum is better than the individuals.
But mostly I loved the part where he says that the basis for the marriage is respect for someone who is better than you in some way (and recognition, I suppose, that you are better in some way than someone else). The idea being, I suppose, that your better ways + her better ways make for a strong union where the sum is better than the individuals.
A Streetcar Named Desire
I saw A Streetcar Named Desire on Friday night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music starring Cate Blanchett. Incredible.
I'm normally wary of performances with stars because the stars are bigger sometimes than the roles they are performing, and they forget to leave themselves out of their performances. I felt that way watching Jude Law perform Hamlet: always, I was aware that he was Jude Law and that got in the way of him being Hamlet.
This was not the case with Cate. She was incredible.
The woman is extremely imposing and makes her presence felt. But it was not as Cate per se but as Blanche DuBois.
Here's what I really liked about the play: I thought that the playwright had done an excellent job at making each character flawed, which made them human. So Blanche's downfall was her vanity, brought on at least partly by the traumatic events she had undergone in the recent years as members of her family passed away, leaving her alone; her strength was too not settle for anyone, but to be the star of her own life, alone as she was. Stella stuck with a man who sometimes treated her badly (domestic violence) but who was able to see that he loved her in a unique way. Stanley's downfall was that he could not control his temper; his strength was that his hot-headedness allowed him to try to get to the bottom of Blanche's problems (although contribute to them, he did).
The one scene that really stuck out for me was when Blanche watches Stanley strike Stella and Stella rushes away to the upstair's neighbor's house for protection only to return a little while later. Blanche matter-of-factly starts pacing about wondering what to do to protect Stella and comments on how Stella should not be with him, and I thought, what a strong woman. In all fairness to Stella, when she forgave him, part of me felt a little repulsed but part of me recognized that humans are flawed, and we take what we get and we recognize that some parts of people are better than their other parts.
I'm normally wary of performances with stars because the stars are bigger sometimes than the roles they are performing, and they forget to leave themselves out of their performances. I felt that way watching Jude Law perform Hamlet: always, I was aware that he was Jude Law and that got in the way of him being Hamlet.
This was not the case with Cate. She was incredible.
The woman is extremely imposing and makes her presence felt. But it was not as Cate per se but as Blanche DuBois.
Here's what I really liked about the play: I thought that the playwright had done an excellent job at making each character flawed, which made them human. So Blanche's downfall was her vanity, brought on at least partly by the traumatic events she had undergone in the recent years as members of her family passed away, leaving her alone; her strength was too not settle for anyone, but to be the star of her own life, alone as she was. Stella stuck with a man who sometimes treated her badly (domestic violence) but who was able to see that he loved her in a unique way. Stanley's downfall was that he could not control his temper; his strength was that his hot-headedness allowed him to try to get to the bottom of Blanche's problems (although contribute to them, he did).
The one scene that really stuck out for me was when Blanche watches Stanley strike Stella and Stella rushes away to the upstair's neighbor's house for protection only to return a little while later. Blanche matter-of-factly starts pacing about wondering what to do to protect Stella and comments on how Stella should not be with him, and I thought, what a strong woman. In all fairness to Stella, when she forgave him, part of me felt a little repulsed but part of me recognized that humans are flawed, and we take what we get and we recognize that some parts of people are better than their other parts.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
What have I been up to?
You might have been thinking from my relative recent silence that I have been chained to my desk working on the 150 filings that happened to come to me in November. Well, frantic work turned out to be for naught because at the last minute our extension request was granted, which means the madness will now continue in February 2010. Ah my job.
Anyway, I've been out and about of late. In fact, it's presently 1:17am and I want to lay my tired head on my pillow, but I feel an obligation to you, my readers, to blog. After all, how annoying must it be to go to the bother of pulling up my blog only to find that there's nothing new to read? (See how magnanimous and kind I am.)
So, let me get to it. On Thursday, I went to see Pink Martini perform at The Town Hall. They were so good. Basically, it's a band from Oregon that incorporates all sorts of fancy orchestral instruments into their repertoire, such as cello, violins, trumpets. They're creative and very musical, and their songs range from incorporating latin samba beats to swing music to poems. The lead singer also sings in French, Spanish, Turkish, Croatian.
What I really like about this group is how much the musicians seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage. They did not take themselves too serious. Which is good because some of their songs draw on complex sources of inspiration, such as Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, obscure 1970 French foreign films, motifs from classical composers like Tchaikovsky, etc. All of which might seem a little faux high brow, if you know what I mean, but because they're so intent on just performing and having a good time, you go along for the ride, too. In particular, I loved U Plavu Zoru, apparently sung in Croatian, which has a beautiful, beautiful cello opening. Seriously, the cellist Pansy Cheng was absolutely phenomenal; the sound had the most beautiful - and haunting - timbre.
Anyway, I've been out and about of late. In fact, it's presently 1:17am and I want to lay my tired head on my pillow, but I feel an obligation to you, my readers, to blog. After all, how annoying must it be to go to the bother of pulling up my blog only to find that there's nothing new to read? (See how magnanimous and kind I am.)
So, let me get to it. On Thursday, I went to see Pink Martini perform at The Town Hall. They were so good. Basically, it's a band from Oregon that incorporates all sorts of fancy orchestral instruments into their repertoire, such as cello, violins, trumpets. They're creative and very musical, and their songs range from incorporating latin samba beats to swing music to poems. The lead singer also sings in French, Spanish, Turkish, Croatian.
What I really like about this group is how much the musicians seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage. They did not take themselves too serious. Which is good because some of their songs draw on complex sources of inspiration, such as Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, obscure 1970 French foreign films, motifs from classical composers like Tchaikovsky, etc. All of which might seem a little faux high brow, if you know what I mean, but because they're so intent on just performing and having a good time, you go along for the ride, too. In particular, I loved U Plavu Zoru, apparently sung in Croatian, which has a beautiful, beautiful cello opening. Seriously, the cellist Pansy Cheng was absolutely phenomenal; the sound had the most beautiful - and haunting - timbre.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Today
Yes, I know Karendipity says that I should have more creative titles, and Antonius Van DeMarcus seconded that motion, but honestly it's too much effort to think in advance about the content of a blog post and then find an appropriate title. Becuase really my blogging is sort of a stream of consciousness type of effort, which means that I start typing and then just press "publish" whenever I'm done. So you might query why I don't write the title in after I've done the post but hey, I'm idiosyncratic and complicated, OK, so leave me alone.
Today I made a lot of food:
(1) Spinach + artichoke + cream cheese dip, which I slathered on bread;
(2) Penne vodka (bacon + garlic + onion + basel + red pepper flakes + heavy cream + vodka); and
(3) an almond and pear tart.
Yes, I'm eating too much and not going to the gym. Give me a break. It's December. I need to be unhealthy now so that I can have an appropriate New Years Resolution, right?
Or so I console myself (now and during the remaining days of the month of December).
Lots has happened since my last post. I went up to Connecticut to see the cutest baby in the history of the world. When I visit friends who live outside of New York, I really wonder why I feel the need to spend an obscene amount of money to live in a tiny space without the amenities of a car and a garden and oh a dining table that seats more than four people and oh space to sleep (a bedroom) and to work (a study) and to entertain (a living room) and to eat (a dining room) and to watch the amazing neighbourhood views (a "sun room"???). I mean really: a sun room?
Yes, yes, I know I should be happy I live in an amazing city.
Today I made a lot of food:
(1) Spinach + artichoke + cream cheese dip, which I slathered on bread;
(2) Penne vodka (bacon + garlic + onion + basel + red pepper flakes + heavy cream + vodka); and
(3) an almond and pear tart.
Yes, I'm eating too much and not going to the gym. Give me a break. It's December. I need to be unhealthy now so that I can have an appropriate New Years Resolution, right?
Or so I console myself (now and during the remaining days of the month of December).
Lots has happened since my last post. I went up to Connecticut to see the cutest baby in the history of the world. When I visit friends who live outside of New York, I really wonder why I feel the need to spend an obscene amount of money to live in a tiny space without the amenities of a car and a garden and oh a dining table that seats more than four people and oh space to sleep (a bedroom) and to work (a study) and to entertain (a living room) and to eat (a dining room) and to watch the amazing neighbourhood views (a "sun room"???). I mean really: a sun room?
Yes, yes, I know I should be happy I live in an amazing city.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Rambles
Majohnst says that she rambles in her blog, but I happen to think that it's beautiful rambling. So I decided that if if I want to ramble, then I will ramble. After all, this is a blog where I get to out-pour and you will have to listen to my drizzle, raindrops, thunderous rain.
Speaking of which, it is raining a lot in New York today. I am in two minds about this. Ordinarily, I would throw open the rain and listen to the sounds. In Sierra Leone, I did that all the time (sometimes resulting in my room flooding, c'est la vie?). In my old apartment in New York I could do this, too, because my bedroom overlooked a garden and I was four (long, elevator-less) flights up. But now I'm on the second floor and I overlook a relatively busy street and even with the bedroom windows closed I can hear the cars go by so for now I foresake the sound of the rain and content myself with the knowledge that my living room window is open and perhaps that pitter patter is enough for now. Even if it is in the other room.
Speaking of looking on the brighter side of life, December is upon us, which means that holidays will be upon us (me?) soon. And I have plenty of holidays ahead of me. Will be traveling to India from December 18 to January 10 (yes, three whole weeks!) and at some point during these three weeks I will be going to Sri Lanka with my family for a week-long vacation. Am looking forward. Love the end of the year: December is already full of pleasant and happy things. Like: a trip up to Connecticut this weekend to see old dear friends and their baby, another David Gray concert (yes, I'm obsessed, so sue me), The Antlers concert, firm holiday party (which I enjoyed last year and there's no reason why I won't this year, right?), dinner parties with law school friends from out of town who are en routing in New York, Pink Martini concert with my siblings, A Streetcar Named Desire with Cate Blanchett (as the actress, not my date, oh I wish). Yes, lots to do. Which hopefully means some good blogging in store for you. You can only hope.
Speaking of which, it is raining a lot in New York today. I am in two minds about this. Ordinarily, I would throw open the rain and listen to the sounds. In Sierra Leone, I did that all the time (sometimes resulting in my room flooding, c'est la vie?). In my old apartment in New York I could do this, too, because my bedroom overlooked a garden and I was four (long, elevator-less) flights up. But now I'm on the second floor and I overlook a relatively busy street and even with the bedroom windows closed I can hear the cars go by so for now I foresake the sound of the rain and content myself with the knowledge that my living room window is open and perhaps that pitter patter is enough for now. Even if it is in the other room.
Speaking of looking on the brighter side of life, December is upon us, which means that holidays will be upon us (me?) soon. And I have plenty of holidays ahead of me. Will be traveling to India from December 18 to January 10 (yes, three whole weeks!) and at some point during these three weeks I will be going to Sri Lanka with my family for a week-long vacation. Am looking forward. Love the end of the year: December is already full of pleasant and happy things. Like: a trip up to Connecticut this weekend to see old dear friends and their baby, another David Gray concert (yes, I'm obsessed, so sue me), The Antlers concert, firm holiday party (which I enjoyed last year and there's no reason why I won't this year, right?), dinner parties with law school friends from out of town who are en routing in New York, Pink Martini concert with my siblings, A Streetcar Named Desire with Cate Blanchett (as the actress, not my date, oh I wish). Yes, lots to do. Which hopefully means some good blogging in store for you. You can only hope.
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