Zip Zip!

More reasons I heart NY.

In 30 minutes, I walked from my office, picked up flowers for my friend, gave them to her at her office, bought 2 pieces of veggie pizza, bought a new headset for my cell phone, picked up my contacts, got back to the office. Everything can be accomplished during one's lunch break.

Pizza

I love pizza. I loved the thin crust pizza that used to come from the pizzaria at the end of my block (now a Korean video rental store). I even loved eating the pizza from Showtime Pizza Place while watching animatronic animals dance and sing (Polar Bear Surf Dude was my favorite), and the pizza from the school cafeteria in the soggy cardboard box. At Wellesley, they had individual size Pizza Hut pizzas (as many as you want for free!) and I chowed down maybe 3 Super Supremes a week. Loved those sausage bits. There was amazing pizza at John's in Newark and well, New York has some pretty awesome pizza in general. I loved sausage and mushroom and the mushrooms had to be canned, not fresh. They had to be slightly yellowed, rubbery and tangy.

But, as you know, my pizza eating days were over, until... I asked my admin to order a veggie whole wheat crust hold the cheese pizza at our March staff meeting. Did I hear it! "Ew, what is that?" "Where's the cheese?" "Where's the meat?" "This is too healthy to be pizza." The mockery continues to this day but now I know I have options! Red Stone Pizza has a pomodoro with no cheese and fresh basil. I just got a veggie no cheese from Little Italy Pizza (see photo). The sauce is really good, just the right amount of veggies and a chewy crust that is crisp on the bottom and coated with tasty corn meal flour. I will devour any kind of tomato or artichoke bruschetta. My favorite thing from Boqueria is what they call "Pan Con Tomate." OMG, it is so good. So cheese, as John Waite would say, "I ain't missin' you at all."

*Ed's Lobster Bar

New York is a place where in an instant, you can be transported to anywhere in the world. Or, as I like to see it, the best of the world comes to you. L and I were supposed to do our usual Chinatown excursion - the bustling street markets, dark passages to forbidden goods, bakeries of fluffy yummies, unbelievable food for a song (yeah, it's under fluorescent lights and you're sharing a table but you don't care because you're sucking the glistening ginger scallion lobster sauce from your fingers).

Alas, we were waylaid by the 6 train and spit out at Bleeker instead of Spring Street. Above ground, the area reminded me of a dinner I had at Ed's Lobster Bar with a Wellesley friend in the winter and I thought, hey, let's go to New England!

I love L for a number of reasons - 1 is she is always game. I was immediately drawn to her during orientation at Stern. She was across the room and said that she went to Barnard and had gone sky-diving. She was my kind of girl and we've been tight ever since. She also has a job that I would love to do - retail analyst. I LOVE talking to her about what is going on with the economy, malls, stores, trends, consumers - all of that.

Ed's Lobster Bar is bright, cheery and you can feel the ocean breezes and almost hear the waves crashing and seagulls in the distance. The food is simple and unbelievably fresh. We enjoyed an oyster sampler and each one - even the ones with creamy liquor that I don't normally like - were DIVINE. It was an extravagance because I told the server multiple times "half-dozen, HALF-dozen!!!" L had the skate which was beautiful, crispy and light. I had originally ordered one of their famous lobster rolls but

I don't eat the roll and M has put mayo on my list of things that make me sick and not to eat. I ended up with a half chilled lobster ("Half lobster, HALF LOBSTER!") and ate it like a pro (I have watched Wolfgang Puck's episode on how to get every morsel of meat out of a lobster and my favorite day ever at Wellesley was all-you-can-eat lobster day where I devoured 4 of those suckers!). Just lobster, lemon and some cocktail sauce. Perfection. I also took a picture of this gorgeous jumbo shrimp cocktail.

We enjoyed 2 glasses of white wine with the meal - a muscadet and an albarino. Albarino is my favorite white wine. It is crisp, light, smooth and opens up your food's flavor. I was introduced to it on the date with the girl who called me "SASS-ay!" Needless to say, although I fell in love with the wine and not the girl, I thank her for the introduction. We finished a perfect meal with a beautiful blueberry creme brulee. I took a Lactaid, ate it with gusto and am pleased to report, am fine.

It was a beautiful evening and we walked down Spring St. window-shopping. I did end up buying a necklace from a street vendor but at least this time, we didn't have to run to the cash machine multiple times as we normally end up doing in Chinatown! Thanks for an amazing dinner, L!
http://www.lobsterbarnyc.com/

Whew

Just came acrosse the article "10 Things to Scratch From Your Worry List" from the NYTimes. Wow, I sure feel a lot better. Apologies to D for making her get rid of her water bottles.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/science/29tier.html?em&ex=1217563200&en=4dbf31d7328e09a3&ei=5087%0A

M

In the middle of summer, in the middle of the day, in the middle of a thousand people out for lunch, I travel in midtown to get the middle letter of the alphabet, my M.

M is my center, the heart of me. A reminder to strive for balance, to not be pulled in one extreme or another. It is also water, to cool, calm and soothe the fire that sometimes rages in my soul. To flow with grace wherever the currents lead.

I was worried about having it on my wrist but it really looks like I just drew on myself. Take that Corporate!

8/1: Yesterday my admin said it looked like "MP." Last night, L said it looked like "if" and M said it looked like a lighter for a grill. It's funny to hear everyone's interpretation of it. This morning, mom was like, "is that a tattoo??!?!!" Um, no.

Note: I do not recommend Red Rocket Tattoo. Sure, they have convenient hours but they are rude. For large pieces, I love Emma Porcupine. For everything else, I'd go to NY Adorned. A warning about NY Adorned. They have unbelievable jewelry - watch your Amex.

Mu

From Wikipedia:
In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 40. Mu was derived from the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for water which had been simplified by the Phoenicians and named after their word for water, to become Mem . The letter Mu appears in conjunction with alpha and omega to signify the "beginning, middle (meson) and end", a phrase found in an Orphic verse describing Zeus. The lower-case letter mu is used as a special symbol in many academic fields.

In mathematics: the Möbius function in number theory, the integrating factor in ordinary differential equations, the population mean or expected value in probability and statistics
a measure in measure theory, minimalization in computability theory and recursion theory

In measurement: the SI prefix micro-, which represents one millionth, or 10−6.
the micron, an old unit which corresponds to the micrometre (which is now denoted "µm")

In classical physics and engineering: the coefficient of friction, reduced mass in the two-body problem, linear density or mass per unit length in strings and other one-dimensional objects.
permeability in electromagnetism, dynamic viscosity in fluid mechanics, the amplification factor of a triode vacuum tube

In inorganic chemistry: the prefix given in IUPAC nomenclature for a bridging ligand.

In particle physics: the elementary particle called the muon

In Pharmacology: an important opiate receptor

In thermodynamics: the chemical potential of a system or component of a system.

In orbital mechanics: Standard gravitational parameter of a celestial body, the product of the gravitational constant G and the mass M.

Riding in the Mouth of a Shark

Is this not the cutest?! It is a brilliant promotion for Shark Week and I've been trying to snap a picture for a week or so but have been in a hurry each time I've passed one. And yes, I did ask her if I could take a picture.

There's been a controversy over pedi-cabs. Yes, they can be maniacs and they are fighting for space on the road with maniac cab drivers. I saw 2 pedicabs chasing each other (with passengers) and weaving back and forth across the street. After he dropped off his passengers, he rode on 2 of the 3 wheels. But, I have to say, on a beautiful clear night, it is a magical ride through Times Square without smelling like horse poo. Expensive, too.

Snowboarding 2008-2009

I've started planning our 2008-2009 snowboarding and am HIGH just thinking about it. My pulse has quickened, my cheeks hurt from smiling, and I can't stop thinking about:
- 2100 feet vertical drop
- 2.9 mile trail run
- 84 trails
- The B&B gives you soup when you come back from snowboarding

Aaaahhhhhhhhh

Japonais

It was so good to finally catch up with my friend D from Stern - haven't seen her since we graduated. I love this woman. S he is so smart, fun and fabulous. Her career has been unbelievable and I love hearing about her global adventures. She has hung out with the giant tortoises of the Galapagos and roamed New Zealand, Ecuador, Egypt, Argentina, etc.

Since it was restaurant week, I booked us a table at Japonais. To start, the restaurants for restaurant week haven't been that great. Where was Per Se? Oceana? Obviously, those restaurants do not feel the need to participate nor want to offer a 3 course dinner for $35.

I heard about Japonais about a year ago from my co-workers and passed by a couple of times. I've been curious about it and glad there was a table available. There were a lot of Asian people eating there. It is large, fancy, modern and dark. We were seated in the upstairs lounge area (normal dining area below) and given an entire section for like 10 people - to this day, I don't understand how restaurants manage seating. I just love eating on a couch. The music was loud but we chatted above it and the waitress was a doll baby and checked everything I ordered with the chef to make sure it was non-dairy. Very sweet.

Like a shoe sales person trying to help my mother, Japonais was at a disadvantage from the start. I'm very particular about Asian food (I eat a lot of it, my mom is an amazing cook and I've had the best food in hole in the wall dives) and am not a fan of chains. I'm not all that impressed with eating in a club-like atmosphere. My food allergy precluded me from enjoying the French part of the Japanese-French offerings (despite our server's diligence and a Lactaid, I did get sick). The shining stars of the menu were likely to not be on the restaurant week menu and they can't be blamed for me ordering a lobster spring roll (bit on the salty side) and 4 oz filet mignon (our server switched out the mashed potatoes and gave me plain white rice). These were very boring foods that did not let them utilize their high tech food wizardry aka molecular gastronomy. We didn't have anything that had "caviar" - this method of encasing tiny balls of liquid in alginate. That being said, everything was perfectly prepared and presented. The fried prawn head as garnish was clever and good use of something that would've been thrown out. The watermelon juice poured over in the sorbet at the table was a nice touch.

In the end, this is a great place for a fancy night out with friends. It's also a terrific place to bring people who are afraid of Japanese food. You can eat what you want and they can have a nice French item.

http://www.japonaisnewyork.com/index2.html

Me with Low Blood Sugar

I Spy

With my little eye in NYC:

• A convertible Smart Car
• 2 GURU Energy Drink Teams with ZAP Electric Cars
• A Gucci arm sling. That's right. I saw an older woman with her arm in a cast in a Gucci arm sling. Don't get me wrong, I want the Gucci baby bjorn but I have NEVER seen this particular product.
• A woman with a piercing above the bridge of her nose (between her eyes) with a safety pin.

Fit Flop Update

As an old grumpy person, I write emails to companies. Tiffany's has received an email from me about how completely non-user friendly their website is.

As you know, I love my Fit Flops. But, I got anxious because what, pray tell, am I going to wear to work my buns in the winter (MBT and Chung Shi's are kinda fugly)? Well, I wrote an email to Fit Flops and here is their response:

We hope to have our winter range (including clog and mini-boot styles!) ready for launch at some time in November.


Woo-hoo!

Dippin' Low

Specifically, if you are 26, don't be suprised to find yourself in a relationship with a 30 year old. D, maybe you should give those 30 year old guys a chance (or go 5 years younger)! M is 4 years younger than me. My friends N and V are dating guys 4 years younger than them as well. Sure, now we can call ourselves cougars but there is a very good, logical reason that this is happening. Chinese Astrology gives these relationships 4 hearts out of 4! Now who can argue with that?

M keeps me young. She keeps me abreast of hip music, new technology and trends and txt messages. Quick quiz, what is "RAOTFLOL"? Don't know, well date young so that you too can be in the know! She translates youth, urban, techie and southern colloquialisms (What does Fergie mean by "flossy, flossy"?). She has a ready smile and laugh that hasn't been trampled or jaded by time and keeps me laughing and smiling. She has an innocence of heart that doesn't carry a lot of baggage. She has an eagerness to learn and grow without thinking she's seen and done it all. In her own words, "I got her in my 'tims and beater and I will keep her in my 'tims and beater."

X-Files: I Don't Want to Believe (spoiler alert)

This weekend M and I went to see the X-Files movie. Like the Sex in the City movie, it was great to hear the old theme song and see what our old friends Mulder and Scully have been up to in the past 6 years. Then, it got uncomfortable.

It really was an extended TV show (okay, fine, you could say the same for SATC). You would think for a movie - something that would force us to leave the comfort and sanitariness of our home and mingle with the public - it would have better production quality or more razzmatazz. A car blowing up or people flying. Couldn't they have done this as a made-for-TV movie? No, the greedy pigs want our $14.

For one thing, Mulder and Scully are together. I know it's not a big surprise from the last movie but they are in bed together and discussing their relationship. The connection between the "psychic" and the crime was tenuous. I would've liked the movie to have gone a bit deeper between why this pedophile priest can see these visions. Or why and how the pedophile priest's victim (who is now gay and aided by his domestic partner to procure medical help) hatched this diabolical plan. Then, women were being abducted to be used as body parts for this GUY! A guy! Poor M had to deal with me ranting about this since the movie but why would they abduct women? If I were a guy and this crazy doctor was building me a new body, I would want male body parts! I mean, he now has a woman's forearm with pretty red nails! Why?! And does that now make him a woman? How does his partner feel about now being in a heterosexual relationship?

The good news is that we were in the company of Mulder and Scully for an hour and forty minutes. She looked AMAZING. She's smart, the perfect skeptic and it was interesting to see them work together (and not work together) on this paper thin crime. Note to self, do not move to any creepy rural areas.

This isn't the end of creepiness and I know that there will be more. Post M, I've been watching a lot of Law and Order SVU and we are scheduled to be voluntarily locked overnight in the West Virginia Penetentiary to hunt ghosts. I don't go through life skipping beneath rainbows and fairy princesses but I don't watch horror movies or seek out spookiness. My friends L and A and now their little baby S are top notch spook seekers and have published a book about their adventures called Creepy Crawls. Admittedly, I used to read a lot about serial killers and people with multiple personality disorders and one of my best classes at Wellesley was abnormal psych. However, images do get burned into my mind: Black Dahlia crime scene, mutilated girl in SVU, Rape of Nanking or comfort women from WWII. In addition to being disturbed and sick to my stomach for a few days, I try to be really aware of my surroundings and try to protect myself and those around me (note: I can only protect myself from right-handed people), am passionate about fighting human trafficking and protecting children. At the end of X-Files, Scully asks Mulder if they will ever escape the darkness (or something like that). Mulder replies, "The darkness finds us." To me, one has to sometimes be in darkness in order to be a light for others.

Great Dane!

My sister and I like to take pictures with large things. M and I had a delicious Vietnamese dinner with H and Z - followed by Rita's Water Ice. I had a kid's Wild Black Cherry. Thank goodness for non-dairy options! It was somewhat cough syrup like with real bits of cherries! We then took Silva to this terrific huge dog park (City of Bowie Dog Park) and ran into Louis (white dog in back) and Gus, a 9 month old Great Dane PUPPY.

My Food Allergy

M: For someone who likes to eat so much, I would expect you to have a stomach of steel.

Yeah, I don't. My post that said "I didn't get sick." Got sick. Past two dinners. Got sick. Boy, that Ethiopian sure cleans out a system! I heard in my WSJ podcast that doctors are treating some colicky babies for heartburn, gas or allergies to milk proteins. I was a colicky baby (bright red, arms stretched out screaming hell child) so maybe I've been allergic to dairy from the very beginning. I know that I had a certain reputation at Wellesley - coined by my girlfriend at the time and one that I shall not repeat. My poor best friend H was exposed to unfortunate incidences which she claims I did on purpose. I'm also mostly a pescetarian and they didn't make bean-o for no reason.

At first, I blamed the restaurants. Oh, that place is dirty. When I had crossed off all the restaurants in midtown and spent nearly each afternoon doubled over in pain, I realized, hey, it might be me. My dad was lactose intolerant and taking Lactaid. Mostly everyone except for Europeans have a certain degree of milk allergy. Maybe I should try not eating dairy and see how it goes. That, my friends, is close to impossible. EVERYTHING has dairy. Even things that you would not expect to have dairy, has dairy. It's a good thing that I love Asian food and found a vegan dark chocolate bar. Note: yogurt and cheese with 0 grams of Lactose also made me ill. And, thanks Z for pointing out that I need to take calcium supplements. I desperately miss a whole bunch of things: D's cheesecake, cream cheese, sour cream, whipped cream, Coach Farm goat cheese, manchego cheese, pizza, penne vodka - okay, all Italian, Indian, Ethiopian and French food, mashed potatos, spinach pie, quiche, sweet cheese danish, Chinese egg custard pastry, ice cream, Korean frozen yogurt, etc.

I hope minimize the discomfort by popping a Lactaid but it really does little. Some soy products are fantastic. Whole Soy & Co. Blueberry Soygurt - YES! Cheddar Soy Cheese - BARF! I've also found that I can't eat junk food, can't handle caffeine (2 cups of tea and I'm a manic mess) and really sugary things (busts my endocrine system and gives me canker sores). Don't worry, I will get sick for some things like the 10 layer crepe cake.

Craft Lounge

My family is pretty crafty. 90% of the furniture in the house was made by my father or rescued from the curb. He also liked to refurbish cigar boxes and make knives. He even gave M one which she lovingly calls a "shank". My mother made us clothes, dolls, halloween costumes, paper dolls, nearly everything. I like to sew, paint (Chinese watercolor, pottery), and "create" (this blog helps me blow creative steam while I'm confined at work). My brother and sister drew non-stop and are extremely musically gifted. I can't wait to get a place and hang some of D's photographs and these cards she made of fruit and vegetables with faces. Something I really love about M is her artistry and eye for beauty. I'm always impressed by her work and stuff she picks out.

So you can imagine how I could hardly contain myself when the "Craft Lounge" finally opened down the street from my house. From the moment the awning went up, I've been longing to run in. Now, I'm not sure if one can do crafts there or if they would have classes or if it a store selling crafts that people have made but I'll let you know.

Also opening near me: Red Mango!

Giants and Little People

My sister and I are obsessed about quite a lot of things. One of which are really little people and really large people. We were riveted by National Geographic Channel Presents: Science of Dwarfism. We found primordial dwarves especially fascinating.
Yesterday alone I saw a GIANT in the subway tunnel between the ACE and the 7. He towered a good 2-3 feet above everyone and this was while he was bent over so as not to knock himself out on the support beams. There are many times that I'm desperate to take photos but I know better not to. Plus, it takes too long to unlock my blackberry. Then, on the way to work I saw a primordial dwarf and last night, after my dinner with G, I saw this gentleman dancing to Michael Jackson's Beat It. He was okay with having his picture taken.

Crema

I have a monthly dinner with an old workmate and friend I treasure - who else can rock a white skirt with pink bow and ruffles? We had to have a few moments of silence for these killer boots she used to have. On the way back from the last dinner at The House (really fantastic and such a cute place), we passed by Crema and Housing Works and said this had to be the next dinner (shopping first, of course).

I will start by admitting that I don't know much about Mexican cuisine. Like the person who only associates chicken and broccoli as Chinese food, I think of Mexican more as yummy snack food and variations on a theme of guacamole, salsa and tortillas. I've been to Pampano - another fancy Mexican restaurant in Midtown and felt the food was so-so - certainly nothing I craved. So, I wasn't super excited about the food but had so much fun walking there. From the 1/9 on 14th St., I passed by Loehmann's and Sacco (I used to house-sit on 16th St and "picking up things" on the way home nearly bankrupted me). I rounded the corner on 17th and was awestruck by the gorgeous Asian art outside the Rubin Museum of Art - who knew it was there? Then Housing Works which was thankfully closing at that very moment and Angel Street (another really enticing fancy thrift store). I barely made it with my wallet intact.
G noticed the super cute Crema "Dog Bar" outside - I just love a place that is dog friendly (but I would never let Petunia drink from a public bowl - who knows what people have poured into it!). We entered a bright, airy, beautiful space (even the bathrooms were pretty with seashells in the sink) and I longed for a moment to be seated outside on this gorgeous and finally low humidity evening under a beautiful white umbrella. Then, I remembered the skeeters.

We were just in time for restaurant week and they had me at "fried oysters" and "soft shelled crab." The crab was had a really nice cornmeal beer batter - what I use for my fried green tomatoes. G selected "De Huitlacoche corn masa turnovers filled with mexican black truffle, zucchini "fideos" grilled portobello goat cheese and chili paste." Oh, I miss goat cheese! The presentation was gorgeous and I liked the slow burn spiciness contrasted with a cool cream.

They even gave us a shot of basil margarita - yummy, bright and fresh as a shot. I think the sweetness would become cloying in a full size. We finished with a coconut flan - oh, fresh whipped cream! Lovely. Next stop: P*Ong.

www.cremarestaurante.com

Reclaiming Sass

Sass: 1. impudent or disrespectful back talk, 2.
to answer back in an impudent manner

Sas·sy (sās'ē) adj.: 1. Rude and disrespectful; impudent, 2. Lively and spirited; jaunty, 3. Stylish; chic.

I remember subscribing to and devouring a teen magazine called Sassy in my high school years. My friend L used to write for it which I've always thought was so cool. Sassy, unfortunately was absorbed by Teen in 1997.

Post the magazine, the term sassy always rubbed me the wrong way. Especially, when the first syllable was emphasized the word practically spit at you. SASSsay! This girl who was trying to flirt with me once was like, "oh, you are so SASSsay!" Yeah, that was the end of that (that amongst other things which may be divulged in later posts).

My trip to San Francisco to visit my cousin and second cousin made me realize that I come from a long line of sass (see photo of second cousin in mid-sass). That sass is in the blood. We are all snakes (my cousin is twelve years older than me and my second cousin 24 years younger than me). In Chinese astrology it is believed that they are self-confident, driven, focused and willing to listen to someone else's opinion, but don't necessarily take it 'on board'. Refusing to listen to constructive advice; intelligent and headstrong. M sometimes asks me, "Why you nasty?" Then, last night, my friend C was comparing me to a friend of theirs who was nice, sweet, considerate, etc. She said I was that but with sass. So, how about if I take sass in its noun form but with the adjective meaning of stylish and chic?

*Ethiopian Food

M: Why is it that you don't know or remember tons of things but you seem to remember nearly every meal you've had?

In preparing for this post, I realized that I distinctly remembered all of the Ethiopian restuarants that I've been to and most of the people that shared the meals with me. I first laid hands on the spongy, addictively tangy sourdough bread (injera) the summer of 1998. I had just been introduced to R by my Wellesley friend and we were going on our first date. She picked Meskerem in Adam's Morgan and it was really fun. We sat on these littls stools around a small woven table (mesob) that looked like a mushroom. It was fun and really intimate to take a piece of injera and dig right into the flavorful little piles of things in sauce.

Since then, my Wellesley girls and I would go to Addis Red Sea throughout our college years. Back in the city, I frequented Meskerem on Macdougal because for some reason I was always in that area - gay stuff, shopping, the school thing. I did try the Meskerem on 47th with M & E but found it salty. J introduced C and I to Queen of Sheba and I don't know if the food was seasoned by hunger from 2 hours of rock climbing or if it is really just that darn good, but it was so yummy. And for one of our dates, M took me to Dukem which proved its reputation as the best Ethiopian restuarant in the DC area. I highly recommend the DUKEM SPECIAL TIBS (Cubed tender lamb or beef fried marinated with our dukem special sauce sautéed with onion rosemary, tomato, jalapeno touch of fresh garlic). Last night, I found myself back at Meskerem with B&C, stuffing nearly all of the collard greens into my face and loving sharing a meal with them.

I generally order a combo meal to get a bit of everything but I especially love: timatim fitfit (who doesn't love a bread salad), tibs wat, and the collard greens. Note, service at all the restuarants I've been to has been leisurely and the bread does expand in your stomach so be prepared to feel REALLY full (one could eat less but it is nearly impossible to exercise that kind of control).

Meskerem, 2434 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009 (202) 462-4100
Addis Red Sea, 544 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116 (617) 426-8727
Meskerem, 124 Macdougal St, New York 10012 Btwn W 3rd St & Minetta Ln Phone: 212-777-8111
Meskerem, 468 W 47th St, New York 10036, Btwn 9th & 10th Ave Phone: 212-664-0520
Queen of Sheba, 650 10th Ave, New York 10036 Btwn 45th & 46th St Phone: 212-397-0610
Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant, 1114 - 1118 U Street (12th Street NW), Washington D.C. 20009 202-667-8735

Snowboarding on the Brain

Lately, when I'm not dreaming about being at the beach, my mind turns to snowboarding. My parents came from Taiwan and one doesn't hit the slopes very often in a tropical island. I suffered through 4 brutal winters at Wellesley and now, now in my 30th year I discovered things like gore-tex, fleece, and base layers! Well, if I had known about such things previously, maybe I would've gone to more classes! All water under the bridge.

I've never enjoyed gym, team sports or working out. My head is a magnet for all objects in the air. I have been hit in the face from a volleyball I just set for my friend on the other side of the court. She attempted to spike the ball but it instead rolled along the bottom of the net back down to me and popped me in my face. At surf camp, I gave my 9 foot foam board a tug and it jabbed me in my throat (note, do not tug on the cord). I have enjoyed yoga and various classes at Crunch but E, B & C helped me discover my inner jock. They still haven't convinced me to pee outdoors. I started snowboarding the week after Thanksgiving in 2006 and it has bored a hole and permanently lodged itself into my brain, heart and soul. In addition to all new clothes and gear, I have a sport I can do.

My co-worker coached me on it for weeks to get me mentally ready, I read a book on it, studied websites, watched tricks on youtube and went on a shopping extravaganza - hey, you gotta look cute on the slopes. Finally, E took me to Windham for my first run and I've tried to go every weekend in the short northeast season since. E also found a hill just 20 minutes from my house where I can go for a 9-12 session for $20 and be home by 1 to do laundry. I had a weekly, 10 AM private lesson with a 17 year old (who thought I was 16!!!!) and just pushed through (I cried my first day at Windham riding the magic carpet). In spite of 2 bruised ribs, getting the wind knocked out of me several times, and few minor concussions, I can fly down a blue, pop an ollie, hit a manual, a butter and a ground 360. At Stowe, I kind of did a 50/50 slide on a box. Sometimes I ride with my brother and a 14 year old family friend and those guys really push me. Yeah, hey, black diamond, no problem.

I dream of the cold, crisp and fresh air, the feeling of flying down the slopes, the absolute pleasure of being able to do something that I couldn't do a few years ago, trying new trails and tricks, being out on the mountains among the trees...

Been there: Windham Mountain, Hunter, Mount Peter, Camp Gaw, Stowe, Ski Liberty, Camelback

Dreaming: Whistler, Mt. Hood (Oregon), Tahoe, Park City, Colorado

Beijing Duck House

M has never had Peking Duck. So, my mom, sister and I took her on Sunday night to our local duck house (call ahead to order your duck). It's not a fancy place and actually used to be a bar but the food is pretty authentic and we usually run into old friends there. M drove with mom front-seat driving. Normally, her pestering makes me furious but M and her were like a stand up comedy act. M drove through a yellow light and mom, knuckles white from gripping the dash, screamed, "Xiaoxin! Xiaoxin!" M doesn't speak Mandarin so we translated that it meant, "Be careful!" M laughed and said that she thought mom said, "Go faster!" Mom retorts, "I would never tell you to do that."

We ordered what to me is a perfect Chinese dinner. A cold plate of jellyfish, ginger-scallion sauteed lobster, Chinese watercress sauteed with garlic and the Peking Duck. The duck arrived carved and sliced. Each tender roasted piece of meat had a piece of the signature crispy skin. We showed M how to take a crepe, add a bit of hoisin sauce, cucumber, scallion and duck and make a little wrap. She and D polished off at least 5 wraps each.

Beijing Duck House, 359 S. Washington Ave., Bergenfield, NJ 07621 (201) 385-2234

The Men's Room

So, it's late at night at the office and on my way to the ladies' room, I passed the men's room. The cleaning people had propped the door open and my co-worker was using the urinal. The embarassing parts were blocked but it was still very shocking. I'm wondering if guys have seen each other's goods?

Update: I have asked 2 guys at the office and they have never "seen anyone's junk."

*Kang Suh

I grew up near two meccas of all things Korean. Starting in the two towns beside me, store signs have morphed from English to Korean. I've learned some key phrases: food, how to order food, "I'm hungry" and "stop it!" Actually, despite the fact that I cannot speak any other languages besides English and a smidge of Mandarin, I do make it a point to know how to order food. Well, I have been told that I have the accent of a Korean country bumpkin.

Although we are in the 'burbs, it is difficult to get a table at some of the fancy Korean BBQ joints. So, my family and I just head to this little family place where we get kalbi but without all the fixin's. With M in town and her quest for all Asian food, I asked a couple of my Korean friends for the best Korean BBQ and interestingly came up with Kang Suh. I say interestingly because I've been there before many years ago and it still retains its top seat.

Kang Suh didn't disappoint. We enjoyed a multitude of panchan (free Korean appetizers) - watercress salad (Yummers!), raw blue crab, pickled radish, kimchi, etc. I ordered comfort food - the crispy and chewy Hae mool Pajun (seafood scallion pancake), sol lang tang (slow simmered beef soup with thin noodles, brisket and scallions), and of course, kalbi (BBQ marinated short ribs). The extra special treats were the accompanying sanchu (lettuce), tienjiang (tangy fermented bean sauce), and scallion salad. You basically make a lettuce wrap of rice, a piece of kalbi, the sauce and scallion salad. Unbelievably tasty and a rare treat for me.

Kang Suh, 1250 BroadwayNew York, NY 10001-3701Phone: (212) 564-6845

*Sushi of Gari

My favorite fancy sushi place is Sushi of Gari. I've been to 2 out of 3 NY locations (UES, Times Square). My friend E - big foodie, who dated a chef from Nobu - introduced it to me.
1. Make a reservation via phone (they aren't on opentable). Unfortunately, the secret is out and without a reservation, the wait can be quite long.
2. The menu looks like it has the same stuff as other Japanese restaurants. Even the sushi menu is unremarkable. The key is the omakase (around $100). It is quite the treat to get one per person. M and I just got one and split each piece (somewhat messily). It is with the omakase that you get the fresh, beautiful and totally original and mind-blowing sushi that they are known for. You can request items you like - M wanted uni and abalone. She loved the fluke with salad and crispy lotus root. I always ask for the foie gras sushi and salmon and tomato sushi.
http://sushiofgari.com/

I Miss the Beach

I can't remember when it started (surprise) but I think maybe 2004 - so that would make this the 4th Annual Fire Island Birthday Outting. It really is one of my favorite birthday traditions. A bunch of ladies meet at the Sayville Ferry. I can feel the stress get blown away by the breeze as we cross the beautiful bay. We land in a magical land of 365 days/year rainbow flags, seafood and frozen drinks. It's a nature preserve so there are no cars, deer that come and raid your 80 lb bag of snacks and sometimes dolphins racing along the horizon. Lessons learned from all these trips: (1) bring 2 baguettes at least, pre-cut fresh fruit, tomato and artichoke bruschetta spread and pepperoni, (2) it is cooler to sit closer to the water, (3) bring clothes to change into and a sweatshirt, (4) sit on the top of the ferry going in and on the bottom towards the front going out, (5) parking fills up after 10:30 AM so try to get there beforehand.
I've only done day trips and this year we had a house in Mastic so we could sample the energetic nightlife. But, who knew that lying out in the sun and eating could be so exhausting! We ended up taking a 6:20 ferry back. The house we stayed at was so lovely. Right on the water, cooled by the ocean breezes. This is the view from the bedroom of the low red moon and picket fence. We had yummy breakfast at Jimmy's Diner which had a surly bouncer at the door! "What, are you drinking coffee? I've got people outside that are gonna eat!" It was sad to say good-bye to our waterfront paradise - I miss it already. But, we'll be back in August.

Happy Birthday Indeed

It was a fantastic birthday filled with love. Lots of email, calls, text messages and presents all day. A little office get together over 2 chocolate cakes and then 45 of my darlings for amazing food and wine. M got me 6 cupcakes and an amazing strawberry shortcake. I really love the staff and the space - I think I've found my party/ birthday place!

http://vintageny.com/winebar.html

Birthday Eve

Diaper cake that two coworkers and I made for my friend's baby shower. I think it came out quite lovely.

My favorite dish at Tia Pol: Navajas Y Almejas razor clams and cockles

Bon Jovi @ MSG

No Work and All Play

LEMME OUT OF HERE!

I'm still at work. You see, I have an 8 PM S-Factor class and well, I wasn't as productive as I hoped during the day. So here I am, late Friday night. Reviewing 50+ page documents and killing acres of trees.

M has Crabs

Marina, Washington DC

Yes, M has crabs. She's given crabs to me before.
7 or so years ago, B and I had gone to visit her and her girlfriend at the time in Baltimore. Despite the fact that she is not a morning person, she had gotten up early, drove 2 hours to the Marina and brought back a seafood brunch for me - oysters on half shell that she labored to shuck and subsequently clogged up her kitchen sink, crabs, king crab legs and clams on half-shell. Her girlfriend at the time said, "um, I like seafood, too." These days, one of our favorite restaurants is the Dancing Crab. 2 cold glasses of Hefeweizen, a dozen crabs steamed to order in Old Bay seasoning, paper covered tables and a bucket for the shells.

Now she's giving about a hundred of crabs to my family. I'm drooling just looking at them. She's just the sweetest.

How'd You Know?

Me: N, guess what I'm getting for my birthday?
N: Hmmm...a wii?

How did she know? My sweetie got me a wii! The last electronic game type item I've ever bought/gotten was a Gameboy.

And it is in addition to all kinds of super giftees like tickets to a Bon Jovi concert. I can't wait to snowboard, play tennis and box my mom.

Banzai!

You might not know this as you speed past exit 9 on the NJ Turnpike, but you have just passed an oasis of Asian food - Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Malaysian (yes, even Panang has a restaurant there). My brother is finishing up his last year at Rutgers and we eat very well whenever we visit him.

Last night I took a lovely train ride to New Brunswick to meet up with him and my cousin (parents drove from the house). Side note: I love the train. It was a gorgeous day and I got to see his new lodging - definitely an upgrade from the last two crack dens, I mean frat houses. Side note: I got two bug bites walking from the car to the house (augh!).

P picked Banzai, a Japanese Seafood Buffet (560 Stelton Rd Piscataway, NJ 08854 (732) 968-6688). Yes, I know, I'm voilating a bunch of M's rules. I thought it was pretty great. It's brand new with a ballroom - I can't even imagine being at an event there, I'd be like "can't [talk/ dance/ kareoke], eating." The young hosts and servers were very sweet. She really believed me when I said we had to leave because they didn't have their liquor license yet. I had sushi, clams on half shell, good Alaskan crab legs, ginger scallion blue crab, ginger scallion lobster (you need to time yourself for when the lobster comes out because all I got was two heads), shrimp tempura, yummy salt and pepper cuttle fish, veggies, seafood soup, these delicious steamed prawns and fruit. I thought it was a pretty fantastic deal for $27.50/ person.

And, I didn't get sick.

Feeling Bleh

My tummy doesn't feel so good today - am gnawing on some ginger chips.

From M:
honey, stay away from:
1) weirdo japaneese restaurants
2) buffets
3) dairy
4) shady ethiopian restaurants
5) tuna pasta salads
6) stuff containing mayonnaise

Hmm, I ate #2, 3, 5 and 6 at lunch today. Honey, what am I supposed to eat for my 6+ meals a day?!

*Tre Dici

Eat It!!! That's what M screamed at us. Yes, loudly at the restaurant. We were having our monthly get together and I really look forward to catching up with them. It's like when you see a little kid every day, you don't realize how much they've grown. Well, we catch up at least once a month and it's amazing to hear what adventures have transpired. I am always inspired, entertained and really proud of these gorgeous, brilliant women.

Tre Dici is my favorite Italian restaurant in NY (http://www.tredicinyc.com/). I originally chose it because they serve risotto balls with the bread. Soft, creamy tasty risotto in a ball, breaded and fried to a perfect golden crisp! AND, they have the 20 layer crepe cake. I first saw this cake on the Food Network when they went to the Lady M Bakery (http://www.ladymconfections.com/millecrepes.html). I fell in love the crepe cake - soft, lightly sweet crepes with a layer of fresh smooth cream in between. I've been pining for a taste of this cake for months and when I found out it was on Tre Dici's dessert menu, I pounced.

The executive chef worked at Felidia (and it is a sad place without him). The restaurant is red, curvy and cozy. It's a place to have an intimate dinner with friends where everyone is comfortable and can hear each other - we always have so much to say!

We shared 2 appetizers: the panzarella and the chilled lobster salad. You can see how delicious it was because I couldn't get a shot in before we devoured it. So light, flavorful and delicious.

I love the Kobe Beef Ravioli (decadent), Pappardelle (my favorite pasta shape and with duck! Mmm!), Pinched Ravioli Plin (my favorite pasta at Tre Dici - who knew ramps could be so addictive?), Tagiatelle (yes, I love lobster). Ok, so I have tried almost all the pasta dishes. The Orrachiette is next because who can resist the word "tidbit"? They always have fantastic specials so last night I tried the crab, shrimp and scallop ravioli in white wine, tomato and caper sauce (love its plumpness in the photo). Yum!
And there it is, my beautiful cake. It renders me speechless.

Mosquito Candy

People are horrified by the extra red swollen "boobs" that are on my leg and above my elbow. They are so hot and itchy. I was doing so great this season (20 or so bites so far). The bites have been pretty small and went away quickly and I've been neurotic about spraying Repel Plant Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent on myself and everyone near me without warning (I'm afraid I'll grow another eyeball by using the other stuff).

But they waited. And the one second I was in the backyard and didn't spray myself down, they attacked. I'm on Benedryl at night, Benedryl topical and prescription cortisone. Hopefully, it'll go away by Friday but...

I think I need to get some Skin So Soft and be covered at all times with an extra layer of Repel when I plan on being outside, surround the house with Venus Fly Traps and build some bat houses. I know I'm tasty but those buggies don't know who they are messing with!

Talk Nerdy to Me

So, M and I play our version of Beauty and the Geek where we quiz each other. Today's questions from M:

ROUND 1:
True or False:
1) Reference variables are stored in heap memory while primitive variables are stored in stack memory.
2) NKOTB's first album, Hangin Tough went triple platinum.
3) RAM stands for Read All Memory (I am proud to say that I did not have to Google #3.)

My questions to M:
1) Name 3 disadvantages of ethanol
2) Mao Zedong did not brush his teeth (T/F)
3) Bobby Flay wins most of his throw-downs (T/F)

ROUND 2:
Questions from M:
1) Name 5 different Internet browsers.
2) NKOTB's first album went platinum. (T/F)
3) Name the 3 key concepts of Object Oriented Programming
a) Interface, Class, Object
b) Inheritance, Polymorphism, Encapsulation
c) Object, Class, Data
d) Abstraction, Encapsulation, Polymorphism

My questions:
1) Rotten shark is an important part of Icelandic cuisine (T/F)
2) The Milgram Experiment proved that the majority of people could resist authority (T/F)
3) Who won Socamonarch at the Trinadad's 2008 Carnival?

*Kara's Cupcakes

I heart cupcakes. My sister bakes me some awesome cupcakes and we end up eating about 6 a day until they are gone (we can't let them go to waste and no, we will not halve the recipe)! J made gorgeous hydrangea cupcakes for my birthday a few years ago that I hold very dear in my heart.

We were on our way to lunch and I saw the sign for Kara's Cupcakes in Ghiradelli Square in San Francisco before I saw the store. It was sparse, modern, had beautiful flowers and was PINK! I fell in love with their cuteness and the fact that nearly all of the ingredients were locally sourced and organic (San Francisco has a place in my heart for its food, eco-friendliness, proximity to Lake Tahoe and this amazing sculpture). The forks and knives were biodegradable!

Not only is the cupcake so pretty, it is YUM! Just the right touch of sweetness, moist, and flavorful. I'm a vanilla cake/ vanilla frosting/ sprinkle kind of girl and the Simply Vanilla was so heavenly. Kara's and Slanted Door were definitely highlights of the trip. http://www.karascupcakes.com/

2nd Place (and available in NY): Crumbs (www.crumbsbakeshop.com)

Fit Flop

Could there be a shoe that is (1) comfortable - I need some serious arch support for my flat rice patty farmer feet, (2) cute - at least cuter than MBTs, (3) gives me a work out just from walking? Ladies and gents (I just saw fit flops for men!), have I got something for you!

"In independent University testing, FitFlops have been shown to trigger increase gluteal muscle response, increased hamstring response, increase rectus femoris (thigh) response and increased calf muscle response." I am sore in that really good "I just worked out" way. My booty and legs really feel it on my mile walk to and from work. I like how my posture is improved and I really enjoy walking in these.

Now, if only the Fit Flop people can talk to my other favorite shoe and create the Fit Flop Ugg, I'd be in heaven for the winter.

Great selection and free shipping (they run big): http://www.soleprovisionsshop.com/

Wha?

I listen to the WSJ podcast every morning (I can't be bothered to read and flip and fold paper plus that Gordon Deal says the darndest things). And this morning on the WSJ, they reported that the top downloaded song from both iTunes and Walmart (Walmart!) was I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry.

BBQ

How many people does it take to put a grill together? Answer: 6. Note: do not let drunk people hold parts that can fall through your deck.

My parents bought a cheap crappy grill from the supermarket and I had to return it for them. Since we were having a cookout in about 3 hours, they were going to get another cheap crappy grill and I thought, what the hell, let's get a real gas grill (I got an Aussie Koala gas grill with side burner from Target for $99 - aw, yeah).

1 hour and 10 minutes later, all 60+ parts were assembled. We had read most of the manual - especially the "Spider Alert." Yes, if spiders nest in your pipes, the grill could explode. Any number of things can make the grill explode so I was really surprised that the thing actually worked. Bobby Flay, I'm coming for you. Actually, you want some amazing BBQ? Z has made the best steaks I've ever had in my entire life.

A's Kalbi:
- L.A. Kalbi cut short ribs
- soy sauce
- sesame oil
- Coke (I know, I know, but try it)
- garlic
- ginger
- scallions

A's Potato Salad:
- boiled and cubed potatoes
- mayo
- rice wine vinegar
- Vidalia onions
- celery seed