the boy and i got to philly on the later side of christmas eve- the kids were asleep and my parents were almost ready for bed (having both come down with a cold). so we helped ourselves to the leftover turducken, ham, green bean casserole, mac & cheese, and carrots. i was severely disappointed in herbert's turducken. not very tasty and a big letdown compared to the one i had had at a holiday party last year. . . in any case, i made up for it with my mom's ham which was as delicious as usual.
while the boy and i ate, my brother and sister kept us company. because my niece was sure to recongize her mom's handwriting, the boy was asked to write "santa's note" to the kids thanking them for the christmas cookies and chocolate milk. eventually, we went on to gift exchanges and watching video of the kids' christmas performances and a piano recital. full belly and a couple beers later, we fell asleep on the sofa watching p.s. i love you. i got maybe halfway through before i conked out- feeling that movies like that give women unrealistic expecations of love and romance.
the next morning, we were woken up by my niece looking for signs of santa. and sure enough, mostly eaten cookies on the plate and santa's note sealed the deal for my excited niece. although she called into question the familiar wrapping paper that her gifts were left with.
T: isn't that the wrapping paper that was at grandma's house?
sis: um i don't think so. shooting me a glaring look as i had convinced her that unwrapping the gifts would be unnecessary.
T: hey, this is a karaoke machine. grandma got me a karaoke machine. grandma, didn't you get me a karaoke machine?
grandma: i think santa must have gotten things mixed up in the delivery.
T: looking questioningly at my mom oh ok.
fortunately, she got excited about the other gifts and moved quickly on. the rest of the morning was filled with present unwrapping for the kids, eating pancakes and homemade crossiantwiches, and doing crafts. lovely time. just a bit too abbreviated.
the holidays can be difficult when you work in retail. for the past couple of years, while everyone was visiting their families, i was working extended hours and never had enough time to travel home. my family had compensated by traveling up to see me when possible- three years ago they came up to nyc and stayed through christmas morning.
two years ago, i celebrated xmus with q2 catching a flick at the cinema, dinner at yokocho, and drinks at angel's share. last year the boy and i spent the day with his family, relaxing & enoying a more traditional dinner. while i have fond memories of both and enjoyed myself immensely, it feels more "right" to be with my family. . . so THIS year, i'm happy to say that i have some time off and will be heading to philly with the boy to spend xmus with the entire immediate family!
MERRY XMUS!!!
lovely dinner with eulalie tonight at felice.
i am often reminded of how lucky i have been in my life to meet such quality individuals who i can still consider close friends. these relationships all require and demonstrate a level of loyalty, honesty, and trust that allows the relationship to truly stand the test of time and distance. to me, the best relationships are ones in which two people let themselve be truly honest with one another. this is certainly not an easy way feat. which is why delicacy and sincere intentions are often critical to easing the delivery of hard truths.
on the surface, aside from sharing a passion for food, eulalie and i seem quite different. she is vibrant, talkative, and committed to development work. i am at times reserved, quiet and immersed in retail/fashion. nevertheless, we know and understand one another incredibly well which comes from our ability to be brutally honest. throughout the years, our talkouts have been therapeutic and constructive. allowing us to work through various issues and to see different viewpoints. and yet, sometimes, like tonight, i feel that the truth is not so easy to grasp.
i confess i may have a girl crush on boa kwon. . . as i'm sure all guys with an asian fetish and young asian men will appreciate.
saw her music video while gymming . . .
enjoy
the good morning was a all beef hotdog, wrapped in bacon, deep fried and topped with cheese a fried egg and chili! a heart attack waiting to happen! . . but comfort food at it's finest. . .the spicy redneck on the otherhand, was surprisingly sophisticated. the crunchiness/creaminess of the coleslaw added a complex dimension to the dog, making it a meal rather than a common ball park food. and a very delicious meal at that! the boy's jon-jon deragon was a play on the ny bagel with cream cheese, scallions, and the toppings for an everything bagel- a combination that sounds questionable at best but turned out to be one of the tastiest things i've ever eaten.there is an art to giving gifts and the ability to do it well. . is a wonderful *ahem* gift to have. . .
a single gift can communicate how well you know someone, your perception of that individual, your history, and your level of consideration and esteem for that person.
when done right, a gift can bring great happiness:
"i've been wanting X for over a year. thank you so much!"
and done wrong, can lead to misery all around.
on the bright side, i feel that there is not a great correlation between how much you spend and how much someone will like there gift (excluding those individuals who's requirement for a great gift is that it's expensive). a little bit of thoughtfulness goes a LONG way so perk up those ears and listen for those hints!
the weather has had me hankering for comfort food so i decided to make beef stew for dinner saturday night. in preparation, the boy took me to stew leonard's to get groceries. like tara reid at beach week, i couldn't help but go a little crazy. i loaded up on fresh produce, cheese (wasabi, goat, and bbq wing flavored!), snacks, beef and buffalo trace. since i was already running behind schedule (the stew takes 3-4 hours of simmering time), i decided to keep my anxiety in check and warn my dinner guests that dinner would be an hour late.
we got home around 5:30 and i started preparing dinner. . . by 8:30, the crostini and wasabi meatballs were done just in time for our first guest's, british dave, arrival. by the time celestial arrived just minutes later, i could relax and just let the stew finish simmering.
the result of my first attempt at making beef stew? somewhat mixed. i altered the recipe to suit our palettes- almost doubling the meat portion and halving the amount of potatoes. while it was definately tasty and substantial- it was more like a beef bourguignon than the stew i grew up eating and had been craving. i guess no one else minded and in fact, the boys helped themselves to seconds.
the meatballs were a surprise hit along with the nifty nabber which we all took turns playing with. after consuming a hearty meal and a few bottles of wine, we all felt like calling it a night and ended up nixing our initial plans of going out. . .making it a nice winter's night in.
i love the rain. thunderstorms during the summertime that feel like they shake the earth and leave the air smelling cleaner and cooler. falling asleep listening to raindrops steadily beating against the roof during the fall. day long glooms of rain when you're holed up inside under a warm blanket with a steaming mug of tea and a good book.
however, braving the wet windy rain while waiting for the bus that is terribly late because traffic is at a standstill twice in a day (twenty minutes this morning and almost and hour on the way home) is just plain miserable. what confounds me the most is that rain is not foreign to east coasters the way it is to southern californians so why everyone loses their wits and drives like they've never seen rain before, is a mystery.
hopefully it'll dry out by saturday. but i guess i shouldn't complain too much- afterall, at least i have a warm dry apartment to come home to.
my mother is from a different era, raised in a cultural landscape where gender stereotypes were deeply ingrained and straightforward.
according to her, a good woman. . .
dresses smartly- never too much skin
speaks quietly and does not laugh too loudly in public
does not flirtwith men
gets married and has children (otherwise she's not a woman)
does not drink more than a glass of wine (in private is occasionally ok)
and so on. . .
a couple weekends ago when i was having dinner with the boy and our parents are felice, my mom gave me a knudge and look as if to say "are you sure that's a good idea? what will his parents think!" when the boy poured a healthy second glass of wine for me. i motion to their almost empty glasses of wine and shoot her a look back that says "don't worry, they are completely fine with it!"
in truth, my mom has never been comfortable with the idea that her daughter likes to drink. the fact that i always drink responsibly and know my limit does not really matter. it would be different if i were a boy as evidenced by the fact that she has never raised issue with my brother. needless to say, i found this article particularly interesting. and can just imagine my mom's chagrin (note: i would never condone binge drinking or dependency on alcohol but think in moderation, alcohol can be part of a fairly healthy life).
seitan it's a funny word. i always feel like i'm mispronouncing it or trying not to say satan. it's "say tan" or wheat gluten which i've never prepared before.
the occasion was dinner with the nose and his new boyfriend, a vegetarian. having grown accustomed to a protein/mean intensive diet over the past few years, this was going to be a culinary challenge for me. the nose's assurance that his boyfriend was very understanding of us carnivores did not ease my concerns. but, what kind of a host would i be if i didn't make sure that the meal was tasty, filling, and pleasing to every guest?
in the end, i decided on thai food: vegetarian green curry, red curry fried seitan and greenbeans, coconut rice, lemongrass shrimp skewers -for the meat eating contingent- and almond tofu dessert. i was easily able to purchase a package of seitan at an organic/health food store in my neighborhood. i was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to work with! i think i am a convert and will start integrating more seitan into my every day cooking (seitan chili maybe?).
dinner was completely prepared with half an hour to spare before my guests arrived. all the recipes fell into place and the spicy dishes paired well with the white wines that the nose brought. it was one of my most relaxing dinner parties- everyone drank and ate a lot, conversation flowed smoothly, and the time flew by.
somehow this friday seemed particularly slow in coming but come it did.
celestial and i decided to meet up at boka for dinner. . somehow original plans to check out tet were derailed as the idea of bon chon chicken won us both over. we split a large order of wings and seafood pajun. i think boka is still perfecting and unfortunately worsening their act. the wings were smaller. the pajun recipe changed. AND the prices are a little higher. it's still a good option in st marks which keeps me going back. . but not sure for how long.
after dinner, we decided to wander over to crocodile lounge where we indulged in skee ball, photoboothing, and free pizza!
the skee ball made us both want to bowl so we decided to head to bowlmor to see if there was a wait. on the way, we noticed that forever 21 was still open and ended up having a shopping/trying on clothes spree. another girlish form of fun. good times.
this has been an unusually hectic week- heavy work load compounded by the fact that i'm still catching up from missing work days due to jury duty and three sessions of training. to head things off, i've been going into work even earlier than usual- around 7ish.
which means that by 6pm, i'm totally sapped. thursday was no different. the boy and i had tickets for vampire weekend at terminal 5 but there was time to kill while he made the trek out to manhattan. luckily, megs was free and so we took the opportunity to catch up over happy drinks at tg whitney (2 for 1 drinks on thursdays). while midtown/uptown bars are generally not my scene- the place was not terribly douchey, the drinks were cheap and wine generously poured, and minutes away from work. good find.
traffic was sufficiently sucky so that the boy and i got to the show just in time to catch vampire weekend's first song but not in time to snag a balcony spot with a clear view of the stage. so i settled for hopping and moving around to get glimpses here and there. after some time, a visibly and endearingly enthusiastic fan offered to let me stand in his spot for half of a song. overall a good show- vampire weekend sounds just as good live as pre-recorded and the crowd was earnest. i do believe the streak of bad luck has been broken!
i'm the weird bird that hates to miss work- mostly b/c it means i'll come back to a shitstorm of work when i finally do make it back. that and i believe my pops instilled just a little bit of his work-acoholicism onto me.
needless to say i was not looking forward to jury duty the week of thanksgiving. worst case scenario- i'd be selected for a criminal case, be sequestered, and have to spend my thanksgiving vacation in court. best case scenario- i'd miss a day of work and have to forgo my halfday and catch up on emails and vendor requests.
in the end- i lucked out and ended up enoying two days off of work. i did a lot of reading and was interviewed for a spot on the "back up" jury. it was an interesting assessment process.
i arrived at 8:45, by 9am, the waiting room was mostly full. one of the attendants turned on a cheesy film featuring a young diane sawyer about the importance of the jury and fulfilling one's civic duty. two hours of waiting. fire drill where we all filed out into the hallway before being asked to return to our seats. another half hour of waiting. FINALLY, my name is one of twelve to be called for jury selection.
all the interviewees filled out a form. we were released for an hour lunch break so the lawyers could review our profiles before reconvening. the plantiff's lawyer introduced the case of an individual who was suing the city of new york for negligence after slipping in the snow. then, the plantiff questioned us all one by one. next the defendant's (the city of new york) lawyer gave a rebuttal type speech and did his rounds of questioning.
i guess i should have known it was a done deal when i said that i thought that americans are too litigious and that individuals need to take more personal responsiblity?
i'm not an avid tv watcher. there are definately shows that i enjoy- it's always sunny in philadelphia, lipstick jungle, project runway and etc. but more often then not, i forget what night it's on, make plans, etc. consequently, i end up watching the show online or on dvd.
sadly, one of the shows i actually do make it a point to watch, lipstick jungle, may not be renewed for a third season. while it may not be the best show in the world, i can somehow relate to the characters, their struggles and lives. it's one show that my girlfriends and i all watch and will call one another to discuss.
since chain emails are not my thing- i'll post the petition to save the show here and hope you won't mind taking a second to sign.
saturday night was dinner at dressler to celebrate theng's 30th birthday. especially delightful because i've been wanting to try it out ever since the boy and i had drinks at the bar this past june. luckily, it did not fail my expecations. the restaurant is beautifully decorated and excudes a sense of warmth and history. the service was adequate although i secretely thought the waitress was trying to upsell me on wine rather than really try to recommend something i would like. although on a positive note, we were never rushed despite staying until midnight.
for appetizers, we ordered the baked scallop special and the warm artichoke heart salad. entrees included the long island duck, braised short ribs & grilled hanger steak, and the bacon wrapped monkfish. dessert included bamboo honey panna cotta and a fig tartine topped with vanilla ice cream.
while there were some slight missteps- the duck was a little lacking in flavor and the fig tartine was unremarkable- the overall execution was excellent. the dishes were perfectly grilled, seared, sauteed, or baked- showcasing the freshness and quality of the meats and vegetables . i'll definately have to go back and sample some of the other dishes- and you can bet i'll be dreaming about their warm artichoke heart salad until then!
met up with VK for dinner near work. normally we head downtown but she had an appointment in the high 50s and i had work to catch up on so we decided to take our chances with restaurants in midtown. work was so busy i didn't have time to do much research.
consequently, we settled on sofrito which was a block away from my office and had come highly recommended from a co-worker awhile back. good food, big portions, and fun was what i was assured.
good food? meh.
big portions? definately. but of "meh" food, so what?
fun? if your idea of fun is not being able to hear anything that your dinner companion is saying, sure.
i should have listened to what my gut was telling me after our 30 second initial interaction with our waiter orlando. which was, "leave! it's not too late- you haven't ordered yet!"
the hostess seats us at the table which we later learn is directly across from the live singer/pianist. shortly after, someone brings a plate of garlic bread, water and our menus. within a minute, our waiter comes by, tells us about our specials and ask what we'd like to drink. there is only a cocktail menu.
V: what kind of wine do you have?
ORL: (looking at me as though i've asked a ridiculous question) red and white.
V: is that a house red or white? how much is it by glass?
ORL: $8 or $9
what the f? no description of what type of wine it is? and not sure about the price? so maybe i don't want it?
V: no thanks, i'll just have water.
the waiter pauses, turns quickly, and walks away from our table. about 10 minutes later he returns for our dinner order. VK orders the watercress salad and ham & pea stew. with a concerned expression, orlando asks if that's the appetizer. VK assures him that that's her dinner order. i order the sofrito chopped salad and the ham & pea stew. he walks away.
VK and i try to make conversation over the blaring music and loud parties nearby. because we are both soft talkers, i am quickly worn out from the effort. reprieve when our salads arrived. i had decided to order a glass of wine but found it extremely difficult as my waiter was gone in a flash and every attempt to get his attention were unsucessful. obviously he had written us off as a cheap table. eventually, another server noticed and asked me if i needed anything. i asked for a glass of red wine (because hey, isn't that all they have?). the waiter asked me to specify. oh, so apparently there are options? the waiter left to get our waiter.
ORL: you want a glass of wine?
V: yes, red please.
ORL: what kind?
V: what do you have?
ORL: cabernet, merlot, and shiraz.
V: the cabernet please.
the rest of the dinner was downhill. the salads were good, the stews were enormous- filling but somewhat bland. the music only got louder with birthday festivities and salsa music. we quickly got out of there and looking for another place that we could grab a drink and finish catching up. we wound up at cafe joul which was surprisingly busy for a tuesday night but cozy and not too loud. good find. nice atmosphere. but maybe anything would seem wonderful after sofrito. don't get me wrong- i could see sofrito being a good option for a crazy and loud girl's night out. guess it's just not my cup of tea.
while waiting for ricki-tin-tin at kanoyama (yes, it's becoming VERY regular) i spotted rachel weisz and her son. i've lived in nyc long enough to at least attempt not to notice and certainly not to take a camera pic. how gauche! instead, i settled with taking periodic side glances. she's absolutely stunning without a lick of makeup, consequently i would not describe as runway glam, but undeniably beautiful. her son was adorable, dressed in a some getup with cows printed all over it. nice celebrity spotting!
after dinner, i got back home and tidied up the apartment. the boy arrived some time after 11pm and had not eaten dinner. we decided to scope out some neighborhood grub and ended up at blockheads where he ordered a burrito and nachos. while not the best mexican i've had in my life- it was definately good, affordable mexican. . .and i do have a weakness for nachos.
sigh. this could be dangerous for my resolve to eat healthier. . .
the fact that celestial, Q2, and i actually manage to have a proper sleepover (yes jammies and girl movie; no pillowfights) is the weekend before Q2 moves to china is somewhat bittersweet. . . but a fun night and lovely memory nevertheless.
the girls were already in full dinner prep mode by the time i arrived at celestial's apartment in LIC. simple but delicious meal: cold tofu topped with edamame and a dark brown sauce, marinated black cod, stir fried chicken, and okonomiyaki. after dinner we headed across the street to pick up movie watching snacks before settling down to watch the SATC movie and stay up chatting til the wee hours.
the next morning was a slow start but eventually we made our way to chinatown for dim sum at chatham square restaurant. the tripe, beef intensines, and shrimp roll were really good but sadly the turnip cake was a let down- although that didn't stop me from polishing off a healthy portion. we walked Q2 back to her place and said our goodbyes. short and sweet.
as celestial and i walked away and went off to run various errands, i asked her if she was ok. she said she was fine, that for her, the reality won't really hit until days after.
i think for me. . . her absence will be felt more subtly. it'll be when i go some place that we've been to together or something triggers a memory of an experience we shared. . . like celebrating christmas at angel's share three years ago, or brunching at crooked tree, or checking out jewlery in the east village boutiques.
new york won't be quite the same.
tonight- feeling that my faith in the people has been restored.
as i walked the streets of nyc, i listened to the joyous shouts resounding from various homes, restaurants, and bars- echoing a shared hope for a new beginning. enjoy and be encouraged by this moment. . . for it will require strength, courage, and wisdom to get through the coming year.
but in the end, while it may get worse before it gets better- it will get better.
catching up with british dave has been long overdue! while there have been various group outings- it's always difficult to have any extended conversation in those settings.
the plan was to grab a quick bite at the smith and then go watch the election results at dba afterwards. . . i've been curious about the smith for quite some time- drawn the idea of their sunday special $12 burger + beer plus every time i've walked by there has been a decent crowd and reviews have been positive. walking into the smith, there was a sense of familiarity and i was reminded of the decor of schillers or pastis. as i looked over the menu, i noticed all the prices have gone up by $1-2 from what's posted on nymag's website. . . both british dave and i opted for the burger medium well with a side of greens.
the burger was deliciously simple- the saltiness of the bacon complemented the sharpness of the cheese and smooth flavor of the ground meat. encased in a lightly toasted seedless bun and topped off with a house sauce, fresh white onions, tomatoes, and a leafy green- smith's burger delivered. will definately go back for the sunday special.
unfortunately with so much gabbing we never made it to dba. good thing my friends were keeping me in the loop via text!
last week was a strange week. workwise- there seemed to be a million deadlines and i felt like i was being pulled from every angle. unnecessary personal drama made sleep challenging. the highlights included a rekindling of an old friendship over dinner and drinks and a night of dress shopping. nonetheless, come friday i was combatting undeniable tired headaches and weariness.
after work i picked up an assortment of meatpies from tuck shop including traditional ground beef, thai green chook curry, guinness steak and mushroom, and shrimp pie!! i don't know if it was the anticipation of finally getting to eat tuck shop's pie's after talking about it for months or my fatigue, but i devoured a whole pie on the way to the bus stop and cannot recall the last time food felt so satisfying to my soul.
luckily, the boy was on the same wavelength and we decided to lazy the night away. we rented braincandy and forgetting sarah marshall, stopped at duane reade for candy, and headed back home. after reheating the pies in the oven, i cut each in half and accompanied by a brooklyn pilnser, we had the perfect meat pie smorgasboard. with a belly full of food, it's unsurprising that i fell asleep 2/3rds of the way through braincandy!
this weekend was a whirlwind. friday late afternoon, the boy and i headed to philly to catch TVOTR show. traffic was congested but moving and with two pit stops- we managed to get to my brother's place by 8:15. . . unfortunately, it's a string of bad luck and disappointment, first mike viola and now this. maybe it was too large of a venue or too many elements required to come together for TVOTR to sound as good live as on album. whatever it is, it didn't live up to my high expectations for what has been among my favorite bands and for a new album which i truly enjoy.
nonetheless, it was a nice way to spend a friday night. after the show, we went to jim's for steak sandwiches. i should have gotten whiz or american on it, the provolone added little flavor and i wish i could have a side of hot sauce to spice it up. since the brother and wifey had work the next day, we called it an early night and headed back to their place to watch tv and go to bed early.
saturday was all about relaxing. i got up, went on a run where i almost got knocked over by an absent minded driver. once the boy was up, we made breakfast and lounged on the sofa watching clueless then pretty woman. around 5 we headed out to check out reload and sated the boy's curiosity and appreciation for bags. north 4th ended up being a cute area and we browsed around the boutiques before heading back home to meet up with everyone for dinner. we went to a byob italian restaurant not too far away and overloaded on carbs. we ordered pumpkin ravioli and baby neck clams served with peppers and panchetta to share and after considerable deliberation, i ended up ordering eggplant parmigiana with a side of meatballs. the apps were good, the bread fresh and homemade, and my dish was hearty and satisfying. the meatballs were so so. we all waddled our way back home and plunked down on the sofa (ahh, suburban life), ate some homemade pumpkin and apple pie, and watched a few episodes of it's always sunny before falling asleep mid-episode.
sunday was a slow start- the better part of the morning was spent drinkin coffee and chatting with the boy, brother, and wifey in the kitchen. around 2pm we started our drive back to manhattan and were back at my place by 4:15. i quickly got ready for the wedding i was accompanying celestial to at hotel thompson. it was a gorgeous night to get married and the first thai wedding i've been to. . . the evening started with passed drinks on the rooftop, a small cozy space with amazing views of the city. the small guest list of 75 or so people milled around and sounds of thai, chinese, and english could be heard. all of a sudden, a man's shrill voice began a soulful chant and his moans and singing urged the guests on. soon everyone had cleared the path for an "aisle" and clapping to the rhythm of the song. the ceremony was thoughtful and symbolic. the ceremony ended as it began, with the same man leading the way with song for the bridal party to exit.
the reception that followed at kittichai was a foodie's dream!!! i can still recall the freshness and nuanced delicacy of the sashimi of hamachi, squid ink salt, and red holland pepper dressing, coconut. the chicken relish with crispy jasmine rice crackers was tasty and playful. the chocolate baby back ribs with thai spices was indulgent and rich while the baked chilean sea bass marinated in yellow salted beans and morning glory was simple perfection.
what a wonderful way to end the weekend!
tonight is probably the closest thing to a blind date that i've experienced. the set up was via taz and the "date" was marzipan, a newcomer to nyc.
the first correspondence was during the summer when marzipan was still living in michigan. we agreed to meet up for dinner once she was settled in with new apartment, job and etc. the summer flew by and a few weeks ago, i got an email asking about a good time to hang out. a couple cancellations later brings us to tonight, where we finally were able to meet at kanoyama for sushi.
i arrived a few minutes early and grabbed us a table- good thing- the restaurant filled up to capacity shortly after. marzipan walked in shortly after and the initial greeting- when i reached out my hand for a shake and she went in for a hug-was awkward. . . but by the time we had finished deciding what to order and had a couple cups of otokoyama, conversation flowed easily and naturally.
we shared a delicious meal of lightly fried, succulent and substantial oysters, an appetizer sampler, and a couple rolls. over the course of dinner, i learned that marzipan was originally from uruguay and has lived in albany, switzerland, michigan, and now new york city. i liked her easy laugh, genuine interest, openess not to mention her love for food! it was an all around nice evening and i think we'll try filipino food next.
i have not forsaken my beloved blog but rather had issues with accessing my account for which i blame gmail. for some bizarre reason, i simply could not log in with my usual password and although it was resolved, it all still remains a mystery.
after that was miraculously resolved, i almost immediately became preoccupied with finding a venue for my birthday dinner party at the end of the month. it has been a tradition among my friends to have an intimate dinner then drinks with a larger group after. this year's festivities have been thrown off by the impending descension of the V-clan to nyc on october 25th.
consequently, i decided to have dinner/drinks with my friends on friday and a family dinner on saturday. for some months, i had settled on the notion of felice as a perfect dinner venue. intimate and nice atmosphere, excellent food and wine, reasonable prices, and exceptional service. i called monday night to make a reservation only to be told that the restaurant was booked out for the evening, but if i was willing to do thursday or saturday night, they could accomodate me.
i hung up the phone in frustration. i had my mind set on felice and had to start from scratch. over the course of the next two days and nights, i wracked my memory, nymag, and the brains of my best girlfriends to come up with another perfect venue.
one by one they were all nixed.
too expensive.
can't accomodate a large party on friday night.
too expensive.
already booked.
too expensive.
all the iterations and effort was wearing me out. while i normally don't mind planning things and in fact enjoy it- nothing was falling into place and i couldn't even remember what i wanted anymore. then finally, q2 suggested georgia's eastside bbq. simple. good food. reasonable prices. byob. perfect. more importantly, it just felt right.
went to bloomies on my way home from work last thursday to pick up some shoes that i had presold.
i had to flag down three different associates to find out where to retrieve my merchandise. apparently in an effort to be more organized- there was a presell pick up area with one associate designated specifically to hand out pre-sells. FABULOUS!
unfortunately, the person was completely MIA. . and waiting in line before me was stella from project runway!! looking and sounding far more normal in person that what the show makes her out to be. . . sure, she was a bit annoyed with the wait but she was surprisingly patient and didn't show much 'tude. in any case, i asked her if she had seen anyone working at the pick up area. after she said "no", i awkwardly stood behind her and tried not to be too obvious about checking her out.
guess it's not so crazy of a siting- she is from astoria after all.
i promised the captain a report of my evening watching isaac mizrahi's band. yes- the one and only isaac mizrahi- fashion designer extraordinaire, author, actor, and aspiring cabaret performer!!!
about a month ago, megs had emailed me saying that isaac mizrahi's band, The Ben Walzter Quintet, was performing at joe's pub at the end of september. always game for new and interesting experiences- i opted to go. i had no idea what to expect- except the promise that mizrahi would "chat, take your questions, sing, sketch and maybe even do a jig".
indeed, there was chatting and pleny of singing, but sadly (?) no sketching or jigging.
whle i certainly had not high hopes of mizrahi's performing chops, i was pleasantly surprised. clearly, mizrahi was a well rounded individual with many skills and interests- and the current focus (besides taking on the task of reinventing and revitailizing liz claiborne) was a career as a performer. the music was pure bluesy/jazzy stuffs,. mizrahi actually had a decent singing voice but more importantly, showed a genuine passion for performing, an excellent repetoire with guests, and good sense of humor.
songs were interjected with little stories, jokes, and a little re-gift giving to his guests (i scored a hideous vase shaped like a dress which will forever serve as a makeup brush/tooth brush holder).
the show was completely enjoyable and somehow felt like a very "new york" experience. while not needing a repeat performance, it was a completely satisfactory way to spend three hours of my weekend.
funny how things work out.
taz had introduced me to mag via email several months ago- she was moving to tribeca in august with her husband and didn't know many people in nyc. always happy to make new friends, we decided to meet for dinner once mag was feeling more settled in. several rounds of email and we had picked a date and restaurant.
thursday came, overcast and dreary. . i was feeling a little run down from the week but was still game for meeting up. lo and behold- mag's was worn out herself and we decided to postpone until next thursday.
minutes later, i get an email from dandy asking me if i was free for a drink. it's always difficult meeting up with dandy- since we both tend to keep busy schedules but he's much more spontaneous while my plans tend to be set in advance. so despite having started to look forward to relaxing at home, i decided to meet up for dinner. we settled on boka, a new korean restaurant on st.marks.
the restaurant is downstairs and a narrow space with a bar up front and tables in the back with trendy decor and thumping music. dandy was sitting at the bar reading a book and having a beer. we grabbed a table and after purusing the menu- ordered some edamame, the gal bi bi bim bap, and a medium order of bon chon chicken. i was pleased that the food was solid- especially nice considering we were in the east village and not in k-town. the bon chon chicken was not quite as good as that at rock star music factory, while the skin was spot on, the chicken was slightly bulbous which threw me off. in any case, boka was a great find and it may become a new regular.
i've mentioned feeling a little out of whack lately- but the face staring- nay- i should say squinting back at me in the bathroom mirror made me do a double take. my left eye was so swollen and puffy i could only half open it. i inched my face towards the mirror to better inspect the damage.
no mucus or liquid. check.
no redness. check.
no itchiness. check.
i decided to go sans makeup and contacts rather than risk irritiating my bad eye any more. the upside is i was out the door in 15 minutes from getting out of bed. i knew that my boss would be concerned so i avoided her for the better part of the morning. of course, she inevitably noticed and despite assuring her that i wasn't in pain and felt fine, she suggested i see a doctor and insisted i go home early. so i wrapped up the key tasks for the day and headed home.
on the ride, i spotted carl at the M15 limited bus stop and sitting in the back of my bus, an old guy with a 40 oz can of budweiser. it was 1pm. weird.
was at the gym doing cardio and flipping through the music channels trying to find a song with a fast beat. then i became mesmerized by tainted love by soft cell. it's a song i've always loved though the lyrics are somewhat bittersweet.
never realized how weird the video is.
today was one of those days with non-stop meetings. the only time i got anything done was from 8:30-10 AM before my first meeting and from 5:30-8:30 after my last meeting and the office was empty.
frustrating that i still didn't get everything i needed to get done, done. and i fear that tomorrow is just going to be a repeat.
so here, i'm gonna remind myself of a line from eulalie.
it doesn't matter.
it's the perk of working in an industry that doesn't involve saving people's lives or anything so serious.
perhaps it was the hot and humid summer weekend followed by two very fall like days, or the fact that it's starting to get dark by 6:30 pm, or the nonstop meetings and deadlines at work that leave no time to really think rather shift into overdrive mode. . . but i find myself feeling a bit out of sorts. losing track of time- which is very unlike me, oversleeping way too often, and having difficulty falling into routine.
i'm hoping to kickstart my morning tomorrow with some gym time and coffee, put a solid 9 or 10 hours, and end the day with an art exhibit with meg. . . but it's probably overly ambitious and we'll see what the day brings. . .
went out for happy hour drinks (i know, i know, it's a monday), but it's been our (not well kept) tradition of drinking of the 15th of the month, with some work friends. we decided to meet up at sunburnt cow for their 2 for 1 drink and aussie burger specials. it was a particularly special night as there were two birthdays in the group.
the conversation flowed from seeing issac mizrahi's band at joe's pub and seeing vampire weekend at the delancey for $5 to weddings in puerto rico to views on teaching creationism and evolution and lid tossing competitions. it started to sink in how amazing it was that we had all become good friends despite having such different backgrounds and stories. i suppose it helps that we are all generally speaking, fun loving and open minded people.
and i felt grateful for working in the company that i do, which has allowed me to develop some amazing friendships with people who i may not normally encounter or really get to know otherwise.
woke up feeling not so great this morning- late night with one too many cocktails, not enough water, and not enough sleep. got up around 8:45 and debated about going to the gym but decided to go back to bed. i fell back in and out of sleep thinking about a toasted multigrain bagel with light lox from the bagel store on the corner of 78th and 1st ave.
around 11, i got my butt out of bed and headed to the gym. midway through work out, celestial texted me and asked if we could move dim sum up to 1:30. the thought of savory chinese food wone out and i cut my cardio minutes by 15 minutes and raced home to shower and get dressed.
by 12:45 i was out the door and headed to 2nd ave to catch the m15 limited. unfortunately, i waited for half an hour with three local buses passing by before i was able to board the limited bus. i got to chatham square restaurant around 1:45pm and luckily celestial had already ordered a couple dishes- turnip cakes and beef rice noodle rolls, and chrysanthemum tea. the turnip cakes were delicious- with delightfully more of the crisped friedness on the outside than usual which was suprising because it was not greasy. we also ordered shrimp dumplings, pork & waterchesnut dumplings, tripe, and spareribs. hands down the best tripe i've ever had and i was pleased with every fresh and flavorful dish.
it's clean, calmer, and a little less overwhelming than golden bridge which has been hit or miss lately. . . plus, the whole new buffet type line they have going on is just weird. not really what dim sum is supposed to be like. i think chatham square restaurant has just become a new dim sum regular.
it's been awhile since i've tried a new tapas restaurant so i was excited to go to xunta with theng on friday night. i got to the restaurant around 7:30 and grabbed a table fashioned out of a large barrel towards the center of the room. theng was having trouble getting downtown so she told me to order a couple of dishes while i waited. i ordered a glass of red wine, chicken empanada and the tortilla espanola con cebola (spanish omelette with onions).
around 8:30, theng and hosmillo arrived and at shortly after, the first two dishes were brought out. to round out the meal, we ordered a bottle of cava for the table, morzolla con cebola (blood sausage), camarons o allo (garlic shrimp), lulas anel (fried calamari), and champinos bebeidos (mushrooms in brandy).
haven't had blood sausage since going to the latin market with eddie several years back- so the blood sausage hit the spot. the chicken empanada was tasty with a flaky crust and a rectangular shape- different from what i'm accustomed to. as for the rest of the dishes, they were all good but perhaps somewhat underwhelming and unmemorable. around 9:30 the music volume skyrocketed making conversation across the table a bit more difficult. all in all, an enjoyable dinner catching up with friends and at least i won't have to keep wondering what xunta is like.
sometimes i think the whole internet-social-networking thing is out of control. first there was myspace, then friendster, now facebook plus a whole slew of other online communities. i don't discredit the many values it has for helping to reconnect old friends, connect people with similar interests, share pictures, . . . plus it can be F-U-N!
sometimes, i just feel that it's easier to correspond through more direct means. don't send me a message on facebook if you have my email address, that just adds one more step to the process of me getting back to you. my biggest pet peeve though, is how people that i don't even know try to "add me as a friend" on facebook.
yes, we may have gone to the same high school so you recognize my name (hullo, how many vietnamese girls grew up in newport blues), but do we really need to be friends? . . . or are you just trying to amass as many "friends" as possible to show the internet community just how popular you are.
so call me a jerk if you wish, but if you've asked to be my friend, and we've had only a passing conversation once in our lives, please don't be sour when i ignore your request.
i always have mixed feelings about my neighborhood. . .
the upside:
safe
quiet at night
nice running path along the east river
relatively close to central park
4 grocery stores nearby
bus stop just outside my apartment that gets me to work in 15 minutes
good wing place a block away
nice neighborhood video store a block away where the staff actually knows movies
good bagel place a block away
rainbow- in it's all around weirdness
good "trash"
the downside:
overpriced, subpar restaurants
mostly fratty, sports bars
babystrollers and nannies galore
overpriced grocery stores
lack of cute boutiques and shops
lack of diversity
lack of grittiness
dogs that pee all over the good "trash"
and now to add to the negative list- dunkin donuts- representing the sad but seemingly inevitable sprawl of the chain establishments to all parts of manhattan. . . don't get me wrong- i enjoy dunkin donuts and target as much as the next person . . . but i fear this will take away one of the things the UES still has going for it, the mom n pop stores & restaurants (albeit expensive and not necessarily the best, but at least independent) which help distinguish the neighborhood from the rest of the country.
just a few weeks ago i remember confiding in the boy about how sad it was that my friends seem to be slowly migrating out of nyc. his response was how suprised i was that so many of my friends wound up in nyc.
tonight reminded me of that fact. ddt, collins, and i met up for dinner at spice on east 10th and university place. the three of us go way back to middle school and became close while working on odyssey of the mind together in 7th grade. we were all creative, nerdy, overambitious, and all slightly oustiders in our own ways. . . in that regard, it makes sense that we all ended up in nyc.
but blame it on life- busy schedules, relationship ups and downs, school, work, etc- but somehow we had all never managed to meet up. so dinner tonight was a special treat. ddt is still working at her high profile cosmetics job, collins is fullfilling his dreams doing production work, and i'm happy in my work. as we sat trading stories and catching up news/gossip regarding various high school acquaintances, i could not help but feel a true sense of happiness- that while we certainly do not lead problem free lives- at least we are living and pursuing what we love/enjoy.
it only took three iterations and some honest feedback from keting2 (way too biographical, short and funny) and the boy, but i managed to crank out my maid-of-honor speech just in time. . . i was feeling quite anxious having to speak in front of a huge crowd, but perhaps because the crowd wasn't really paying attention, the delivery went fine- and i even managed to garner a few laughs from the bride. so for those who only heard snippets- here it is.
it is with great honor that i stand before you as vk's maid-of-honor. vk and i met in graduate school; perhaps because were were two of the handful of americans in the programs, it was inevitable that we became regular lunch partners. my first impression of vk was that she was shy, sweet, and possibly the slowest eater i've ever met. teeny. tiny. bites.
needless to say, we became close- bonding over how stressful graduate school was and trading stories about our kooky roommates. for instance, there was the time vk's roommate forced fed her colloidal silver when she was sick with the flu. or the time my roommate fled into my room in the middle of the night and asked to sleep in my bed because she was having night terrors. and this was within a week of moving in with her.
our roommate problem was solved when we decided to room together and found a cute apartment in tiny tokyo. vk is the best roommate i have ever had. i took out the trash. she wiped down the kitchen. i killed all the spiders. vk watched me kill the spiders, frozen in place with fear. i helped vk pick the right purse or belt to go with her outfit. and vk would help me get lost on almost every excursion.
but the best was bachelor night. thursday nights. i would wait for her to get home from work and we'd have snacks and wine. we would devise and play drinking games. every time a contestant would say "i have found the man/woman of my dreams" or "i think he is my soulmate" or "will you please accept this rose?"- we would take a sip of wine.
tonight, vk is no longer a bachelorette and jackie is no longer a bachelor. so please join me by raising your glasses and toasting vk and jackie- to celebrate vk and jackie's meeting ten years ago in an economics study group, to their journey of discovering and rediscovering that they were meant to be together, and to the marriage vows they exchanged tonight.
congratulations. i love you both and wish you a lifetime of happiness.
thursday was a long day of travel with a layover in denver where we stopped at mesa restaurant so the boy could have a smoke before the next leg. we had surpringly good queso fundido and i had an unsurprisingly regular bloody mary. we arrived in los angeles around 2pm , picked up the rental car, and after sorting out the majorly outdated GPS made our way to west LA for lunch at poquito mas. fish tacos for me and steak tacos for the boy and tostada carnitas to share. bellies full we decided to head back to keting2's apartment and rest. i worked on my maid-of-honor speech while the boy caught up on sleep.
for dinner, we met up with eulalie and keting2 at mr park's bbq which turned out to be just as good as keting2 promised- the kobe beef was tender and just slightly marbled, the pork belly dressed in an exquisite marinade, was flavorful and succulent. the seafood pajun was solid and the well seasoned side dishes perfectly complemented the meal. LA definately does korean food better than NY.
the next day we slept in and decided to hit up griddle in hollywood per my brother's recommendation. definately the heartiest breakfast i've ever seen. we shared an omelette, generous side of bacon, wheat pancakes, and french pressed coffee. ginormous. i don't know what else to say.
partially because i forgot just how bad LA traffic can be and because the cleaners almost lost the boy's shirt and pants, we were almost late to the wedding rehearsal. apparently, we weren't the only ones to get tied up in traffic as we managed to be the first to arrive at the grapevine arbor. we sorted through the logistics and set up with the staff and once the majority of the bridal party arrived, we walked through the ceremony. after two rounds, we wrapped up and headed over to mission 261 for the rehearsal dinner.
the next day was a flurry of activity and complete blur during which i managed to take the boy to in-n-out in pasadena, served as the wedding coordinator, and see one of my best friends get married. while the trip was a bit stressful at times, i wouldn't have wished to be anywhere else for i have never seen VK look so beautiful or her groom so happy.
lasagna was in town this weekend- an especially nice treat since the wife and mother of two rarely has an occasion to travel alone. she was invited to a wedding in long island and figured we could have a visit while she was in new york. . . which is how i found myself awkwardly standing around at a day-before-the-wedding picnic in huntington on saturday afternoon. while there were a scattering of faintly familiar faces from college - i began to feel like an intruder amongst an intimate group of old friends and family members.
after i greeted the bride and she warmly welcomed us, i felt immediately grateful for the bride's accomodating nature and extremely appreciative for the boy's willingness to drive and accompany us to what must have been an awkward social outing. a couple hours later, we said our good-byes and headed back to manhattan.
once home, we loaded up the boy's car with bikes (two!), beef jerkey, and cold coffee before he made his way down to frederick for two fun filled days of riding. lasagna and i freshened up (i.e. comfy shoes and jeans) and headed to felice for wine and snacks. all in all, it was like the old days- sleepover where we stayed up talking until we couldn't stay awake any longer, listening to music, and lasanga playing dress up and me playing hair stylist/make up artist.
the reception hall was lovely and the bride looked gorgeous, and most importantly, happy. . . i had to cut out before the entree was served to meet lori who i haven't seen since january. we stopped by her home, had a glass of wine with her and her hubby who gave me a turkish hand-rolled cigarette to smoke, and played with her granddaughter before the girls headed out for drinks in the village. . . time flew by, some apps and a drink later and it was already time to catch my train back home. and as moody and lori stood outside waving while they waited for my train to pull away from the station, i felt very loved and fortunate for the friends i have made.
a few weeks ago, collins, one of my grade school friends invited me to see summer and smoke a production that he had been working on. knowng VK would be game- i forwarded the info to her, got her hooked, and eventually set a date for august 27th.
i'd never been to the cluny theatre before and the setting was perfect- small, intimate, and not a single bad seat. not having read the play or at very least synopsis beforehand, i was apprehensive about being able to fully enjoy and/or understand everything. luckily my nervousness was unfounded as i was instantly and thoroughly engaged by the story and unveiling of the characters' idiosyncracies.
from the acting and the lighting to the effects and music were superb and i found myself forgetting that the actors were actors and that the play was a play. . . a truly wonderful few hours spent.
last night i got take-out with mikey, one of my oldest friends, from nargila grill near my apartment. despite our best efforts to take advantage of the fact that we are finally living in the same city again, life always gets in the way and it's always months in between our hangings out. of course- that leaves much to talk about.
fortunately, lots of happy news and updates all around. as usual, after we got through the usual chitchat- life, relationships, jobs, the conversation turned more contemplative and in particular, the subject turned to the matter of intent.
in terms of how i live my life and relate to others- i always try to do and say what i mean rather than be governed by external expectations. somehow, i feel when obligation guides you, the importance or sincerity of your action is muddled or lost. similarly, i try not to impose my expectations on others. i'd rather people act in a way that is true to their own intent and when it does gel with you- then all the better.
in the past, some have questioned me for not always spelling out exactly what i want. it's not that i'm into games, rather, i believe that honesty and directness are an essential foundation for all relationships. however, i feel that there is something to be said, some invaluable lessons to be learned, by giving people the freedom to reveal themselves.
some weekends are over in the blink of an eye. . . but this weekend was different- i'm not sure if was all the activity or people or being outside my usual groove- but it felt incredibly long and full.
i flew out of work at 1:30 to meet up with VK at azusa for lunch. . . beef negimaki for her and sashimi for me and plenty of conversation regarding work frustrations all around. lunch was short because VK had to go back to work and i made my way back home to clean to run errands and await my parents' arrival. my parents are notorious for getting lost- in particular- on their car rides to come visit me in NYC. their ETA was 7ish but when i called around 5 and heard they were still in the maryland area- i knew it was gonna be awhile.
luckily, i had plenty of company. around 6ish, theng and hosmillo stopped by for a visit, bearing treats of buffalo flavored pringles and cookies. i broke out the wasabi peas, almonds, chips, salsa, beer and whisky and quickly passed the time gabbing and munching on all the goodies. sometime after 8pm, the boy arrived and joined our impromptu gathering. around 8:30 pm, the efforts begin to help navigate my dad through the nyc area streets. equipped with the boy's most direct and simple directions and hosmillo's guidance on the phone, my parents miraculously did NOT get lost!
after helping to unload the car, theng and hosmillo headed their separate way and the rest of us went to felice for a late dinner. delicious as usual. we shared a couple of bottles of wine and the cheese/meat platter. the boy and dad both ordered the risotto di mare, the special fish dish for my mom, and pollo disossato e ripieno for me. it was the perfect meal- hearty comfort food executed exceedingly well. we dropped my parents off at my apartment then went to larry lawrence for a drink.
saturday morning got off to a slightly skittish start. exhausted and groggy from a restless sleep, the boy and i decided to veer off the usual route via canal and ended up taking an unnecessarily long and indirect path to golden bridge for dim sum with my parents. crankiness was swept away with iced coffee and greasy, carbolicious brunch. after tucking away an impressive amount of food for four people, we went to south street to check out david byrne's exhibit "playing the building". super interesting- essentially an installation with a "piano" centered in an enormous room that was connected to all sorts of metal beams, pipes, etc that would sound with the touch of the key.
next was shopping in soho before heading back uptown to check my parents into the hotel and so that everyone could rest. nap for the boy and gym for me. big bro and his wifey arrived around 8:30 and so we all met up at hearth for dinner. i'm glad to say that this long anticipated visit did not disappoint and the food was every bit as amazing as i had remembered. pictures and reviews to follow.
the kids decided to stay out for a few drinks- decibel was the venue of choice. we ordered a bottle of otokoyama but sadly, the majority of us were too worn out to really drink much. when weariness turned into nausea, i decided i was done for the night and the boy saw me home then drove back to CT. after a solid's nights rest i felt 100X better but rather than lazying the day away as i might on my own, i was up and about again with the family. we had a nice family breakfast at the barking dog luncheonette before my parents started their drive back to VA. then big bro, nissen, blondie, and i headed downtown for some sneaker shopping. alife rivington was the highlight of the trip. then, nissen and i decided to take a break from all the trekking and headed to gama for some refreshments. bro scored a pair of sneakers and happily settled down for some blue moon and korean grub. a few more stores and we were all worn out.
by 6, everyone had left and i had my apartment to myself once again. gym, shower, dinner. a little time to blog and unwind.
i. am. beat.
time to sleep.
the summer days are rapidly dwindling down. perhaps it's the fact that we had a late start to the warm season or the countless thunderstorms that rained out my plans, but til this past weekend i feel that i have not taken advantage of the plethora of activity (often free offerings) the city unveils during this season.
this weekend, i managed to make up for some lost time!
i found myself attending not one, but two, concerts in central park, taking in the buckminster fuller exhibit at the whitney, and enjoying a sausage from gray's papaya on the steps of the park. the concerts were fun- though it was somewhat disappointing watching sharon jones and the dapp kings from the rock pile south of summerstage. the exhibit was fascinating and i left with the distinct impression that bucky was quite revolutionary in his thinking and not unlike most crazy smart/brilliant people- he was more than just a little "off". . .
and somehow, the work week is already in full swing and i can't help but feel a little wistful- evidently the saying is true- time flies when you're having fun.
work has been especially busy of late and i'm hoping my immune system holds up (i fear i caught my sister's cold which was caught from my niece) and looking forward to a fun and relaxing weekend.
i suppose it's partly my own fault- i decided to take friday and monday off to enjoy a four day weekend. while i put in longer hours on thursday in preparation- it hasn't seemed to help. tuesday was full steam ahead and this week has had me clocking 10-12 hour days opposed to the usual 9-10.
on wednesday, i managed to sneak in dinner at kura sushi with celestial where aided by sake for me and plum wine for her- we vented about work issues, shared stories from the past week, and made plans for the coming weeks. a much needed outlet and entirely enjoyable.
it's funny- the boy observed that i almost never mention kura sushi. to me, it holds a special place in my life in new york. the sushi is cheap and good and the service is friendly. but more than that- it has become my regular once a week or every other week spot with my girlfriends. it's my go-to neighborhood spot where i can expect to have a yummy dinner, never wait for a table, and where it's unsurprising to run into one girlfriend when i'm out with another.
by no means do i claim to be an eau natural girl- i love to dress up, wear makeup, play with different hairstyles and looks. . . and i think it's important to feel good about how you look and that comes from maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle with plenty of exercise, laughter, good food, and sleep.
however, i have a hard time coming to terms with an age and society where cosmetic surgery is the norm. i suppose because i believe it's absolutely fine to get wrinkles and look one's age. . . too often in the pursuit of eternal youth- people get overworked start resembling an alien race with strangely taut skin and frozen expressions.
so when i start hearing suggestions that i should consider preventative botox, i can't help but get a little riled up. sure, i suppose in moderation and with the right physician, it could be perfectly fine.
and while i would never tell someone not to do what makes them happy and impose my personal viewpoints on others (hey it's your body- do what you want), i just know that i could never make that choice for myself. i find the idea of injecting botulinum toxin into my face so that my facial muscles are unable to contract normally for 3-4 months so that i don't develop wrinkles just plain WEIRD.
sunday was a beautiful day and i spent the entire afternoon and evening vegging out and watching project runway season 5 and netflix on demand on my laptop. i should feel guilty about wasting the entire day being inside- but i didn't- it felt luxurious and decadent to do exactly what i wanted and watching sappy movies of my picking.
the first movie was bella which was just barely entertaining and the second was broken english which caught my attention- perhaps because it was particularly apropos to the increasingly frequent/common conversations i've had with my female colleagues, peers, and friends. essentially, the difficulty of finding a quality person to settle down with in a city that is a virtual playground for men and women alike. in broken english, the heroine is a pretty although slightly neurotic woman in her early 30s who lives in new york and is feverently looking for a man to love her.
what i liked about the movie was that the character was so believable that i found it easy to relate to her frustrations and motivations. afterall, i think at some point in time, all young women have felt the pressure to "settle down" from their parents or relatives or felt left behind when they see their friends, siblings, and peers pairing up and getting married or felt envious over some fabulous weddings. so often, we the purpose of marriage- to share your life and develop a partnership in every aspect of the word.
the cliche's. love yourself because no one can love you until you love yourself. you won't find "it" when you are looking.
but i think it really comes down to this. the first step is being the best you that you can be. the best you does not rely on another person to complete you or make you happy. the best you, knows your own value, knows what you are looking for and will accept nothing less. and the rest will follow.
the festivities started friday and continued into the major part of the weekend- the reason is celestial's pre-birthday celebration as i am out of town next weekend and missing her actual party. since we both were fortunate to get out of work early friday, we met up at 5pm and headed to pata negra for an early dinner. over a delicious pitcher of sangria (well balanced and just sweet enough, that is, not very), we chatted about life, relationships, shared friends, work, and whatever else was on our mind. the chorizo and fava beans and degustation of patitas was simply perfection. the owner matteo was extremely personable and gave us excellent recommendations. pata negra has effectively been added to my roster of go-to tapas restaurants.
the rest of the night was almost a blur. we grabbed a couple after dinner drinks at b flat. the drinks were as expertly made as always and i had a nice time catching up with kenny. then more drinks upstairs at tokyo bar with some of celestial's friends. and finally a long, well needed, sobering walk to pegu club where we had calamari and escargot pancakes. unfortunately, i'd had my fill of drink and could only drink a few sips of my earl grey martini. we took off shortly after.
saturday we both slept off the boozy night and met up at 3pm to do a little window shopping and errand running. at 6pm, we met up with the nose for dinner at bon chon, home of the best fried chicken ever. we got a large order of chicken drumsticks, half garlic, soy sauce based half spicy, a seafood pancake, and a pitcher of lychee soju. the chicken was succulent and the skin was crunchy, chewy, and oh-so flavorful. . . the soju was refreshing and a perfect accompaniment to the chicken. next time i won't waste stomach room on pancakes or any sides, just the chicken. after dinner, the nose headed back to willie-b to get some things and celestial and i headed to pinkberry for dessert then to the angelika for a screening of brideshead revisited.
this weekend was a lot of fun. . . but, i'd have to say the best part of this weekend, was discovering how much celestial and i had in common. . . it is at once surprising and wonderful that without noticing, i have come to feel undeniably closer to her. we were introduced through q2 a couple years ago and ended up hanging out on more than one occasion when our meimei passed out early in the night and we kept on going. initially, i'd say q2 was our common link, in addition to a love for good food, dancing, and having fun. gradually, we began to hang out on our own and as we began to confide our aspirations, fears and share many ups and downs, i came to know celestial better. . . and what i've discovered is a kindred spirit.
so. . happy birthday celestial. you deserve happiness and all the best that life has to offer.
