The Square with Rounded Edges: A Traveler's Tale

Real Food on the Go: Episode 4, Christchurch, Part 2

2011-03-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

Real Food on the Go: Episode 4, Christchurch, Part 1

2011-03-07T09:37:00.000-08:00

Here we go, the beginning of the end. It was a crazy day in the kitchen with these two characters, Laurie and Craig! Edited in an insane hurry only to be posted over a year later, this episode definitely leaves much to be desired, but for nostalgia's sake I'm posting it now.

A Traveler's Song

2011-03-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

Title: 9 to 5

Artist: Dolly Parton

Album: Ultimate Dolly Parton

This song takes me back to my time in Te Anau. It was the highlight of my karoke night at The Moose when the bartender would belt out this gem. I soon developed a habit of having Dolly blast on replay when doing my morning cleaning duties at the restaurant.

A Lunch for Champions

2010-07-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

I think that hours spent wax-polishing cars deserves a feast like this--and perhaps a relaxing arm massage as well! Lucky me to have a chef handy to just whip up yummy yummy yummy creations.

What I'd Say to Me Nine Months Ago.....

2010-07-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

1. Don’t travel with someone you just met: Even if s/he is the kindest, most well-meaning person on Earth. And especially not if you know in your heart that you are an independent enough person to go it alone. There are so many unforeseen stresses and last-minute decisions involved in traveling that unless you’re completely comfortable with your travel companion, it’s just a potential recipe for disaster.

2. Get over the fact that there’s no place like Trader Joe’s: It’s so sad, but so true, it’s the best grocery store Ever and it’s only in America. However, other countries have their own grocery perks, like Tim Tams and Sweet Chili Sauce.

3. Moving to New Zealand does not mean you’re on a year-long Holiday: Lighten up on those Tim Tams and Gingernuts and Lollies….you’ll be running many a mile to burn those off your bum!

4. Don’t lose Ginger Jr. in Wellington: A total mental breakdown will ensue.

5. Don’t spend Christmas with a friend’s family: Granted it was nice being welcomed into another family’s holiday traditions, but it’s really difficult not to feel like an outsider, especially when you have a cold! Looking back I think I would have preferred staying in a hostel where everyone’s in the same boat….hostels are great for makeshift families.

6. Don’t chicken out: I swear, the amount of money I’ve wasted on canceled and changed flights is enough to take a whole other trip! Just stay strong through those short-lived homesick episodes, your wallet will be all the bulgier for it.

7. Don’t try to flee to Russia: This goes along with chickening out, it’s a very silly thing to do, especially since Russia doesn’t want you anyway.

8. Don’t fall for the local Bad Boy: The family won’t approve and long-distance love makes for more flight changes, thereby further deflating your wallet. Oh who am I kidding, turn this don’t into a do—life’s an adventure you only live once! Plus, didn’t someone famous once say that “love knows no bounds”?

LOVE

2010-07-30T22:19:00.001-07:00

My oh my, how I do love surprises!!

Searching For those Rings

2010-06-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

After nearly eight months of living in New Zealand, it's about time I began visiting filming locations from the movie that put this small country on the map. Plus, Natalie would be most upset if I didn't at least make an effort to see hobbitland on her Tolkien-fan behalf. Last weekend, while the weather was still calm and mild, we took a wee day drive out of town toward Arthur's Pass to hopefully see snow (my most recent obsession). On the way we stopped at the place Peter Jackson used for numerous fight scenes in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

What a fun playground! All along a rolling hillside limestone rocks of various magnitudes protruded from the Earth, providing endless nooks and crannies to explore. It was a rather stunning sight, a field of massive rocks in the middle of nowhere. But that's New Zealand for you. We got ambitious and climbed to the top of the hillside, thoroughly winding ourselves in the process; the hill was deceptively steep! Needless to say it was cool to see one of the locations and try to guess how the production team organized themselves. This then sparked a need for us to watch The Lord of the Rings in hopes of catching a glimpse or two of the rocky terrain. But alas, we forgot how arduous a task it is to watch those films--my how they go on forever before getting anywhere--and quit watching after an hour into The Fellowship of the Ring.

Exploring

2010-05-31T00:03:00.000-07:00

Traffic Jam!

2010-05-30T00:26:00.000-07:00

So much for getting to Queenstown on time--this fleet of freshly de-fluffed sheepies prompted an unanticipated break in our drive.....on the plus side, at least I didn't stall the car!

SnapShot

2010-04-08T16:58:00.001-07:00

The tail-end of sunset from home, if only my camera did beauty any justice!

SnapShot

2010-04-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

On the way to Queenstown--what a perfect day for a road trip adventure :)

SnapShot

2010-03-28T14:37:00.001-07:00

A birds-eye view of Te Anau taken from the Kepler Track, one of New Zealand's Great Walk Tracks that traverses the mountains on the opposite side of Lake Te Anau. Seriously, it's the best home ever!

My First Pavlova

2010-03-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

In the sweet realm of desserts, no dish is more traditionally Kiwi than a pavlova. Essentially one huge marshmallowy meringue topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, pavlovas were all the rage over here in the sixties and seventies; the dessert then vanished from Kiwi tables until recently, when pavs once again came in vogue.

My first pavlova eating experience occurred only two weeks ago, when the lovely lads in the kitchen treated us waitresses to one of their collapsed creations unfit for the customers. Oh my goodness, so yummy! Naturally, the next morning I was up early baking with Von and Cree, learning how to make the sweet treat before tackling one on my own on my day off.

Pavlovas are fairly uncomplicated to make, the real key is just to make sure you beat the egg whites and sugar for long enough, otherwise they will separate into a sugar syrup after cooling. Yes, I know that from personal experience--although it only happened a wee bit! But practice makes perfect, and I hope to have the pavlova down pat before long. In the meantime, my flatmates love eating my mistakes!

Pavlova

Ingredients:

12 Egg whites

3 Cups sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1-1.5 Tsp. cream of tarter or 1 cap full of white vinegar

Oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius

1. Using the whisk top of your mixmaster, mix the egg whites, about one tablespoon of sugar and the cream of tarter together on high until shiny and moderately stiff.

2. Add the remaining sugar mixture one teaspoon at a time, letting sugar dissolve before each addition. After roughly 5 teaspoons, begin adding the sugar in thirds, once again allowing the sugar to dissolve before each addition. Mix until thick, shiny and heavy.

Important: There must be a good heft to the egg whites, otherwise you haven't mixed them long enough! It should take around 5-8 minutes, and don't be afraid to mix for longer, as it is difficult to over-mix the eggs.

3. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking paper and form the pavlova into your desired shape--be creative! Or at the very least make a circle with soft peaks at the top. Then pop into the oven; turn the oven down to 90 degrees immediately and bake for about an hour.

4. Serve with creme anglaise, fresh whipped cream, fresh fruits (kiwis and strawberries perchance?), and a fruit coulis if you want to get real fancy.

Serves 8-10

Going to the Chapel...

2010-02-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

So if I ever do get married, this might just have to be the place because it looks through to Lake Te Anau! What a swell idea.

Buskers Festival: Christchurch

2010-01-25T16:57:00.000-08:00

One performance from the opening night of the Christchurch Buskers Festival, a week-long festival of free street performances. It's the third largest Busker Festival in the world, and it is SO much fun. I think they've one-uped you Natalie and Gavin!

A Sydney Holiday

2009-12-31T21:02:00.001-08:00

Dinner in Darling Harbor

The top third of the Victoria Mall Christmas Tree

Train village for Dad

Chris with the bigger and better Sydney Harbor Bridge

The Opera House!!!

Megan: My housewarming gift for you and John.

No photoshop here I swear! The most psychedelic side of St. Mary's Cathedral

The Three Sisters at the Blue Mountains

What a poser

My new wallaby friend--soooo soft!

Mr. Popper's Penguins!

Sydney from the Harbor, the only real way to see it

Okay okay, I'm only slightly obsessed!

Merry Christmas to Me

2009-12-29T22:11:00.000-08:00

When I was WWOOFing in Coromandel Rachel, my host, introduced me to a chef named Peter Chaplin. He’s a Kiwi who makes delicious vegetarian and pescatarian food. He also has a cooking school, and I had the pleasure and yummy fortune to attend one of his classes at his restaurant whilst in Auckland.

The theme of the class was a Christmas Barbie that you can prepare ahead of time. We made Thai fish cakes, Saffron, fruit, and cashew basmati rice, Vegetable Kebabs, and Chili and Brown Sugar grilled Pineapple. Definitely not the traditional Christmas dinner fare where I’m from, but it was delicious nonetheless!

The class of about twenty people, all of whom were locals and most of who were over thirty, sat in a semi-circle table formation in front of Peter’s kitchen. We listened to technique and tips before helping prepare the simply scrumptious dishes and finally, chowing down.

It was such a wonderful experience, cooking with Peter. He’s so warm and knowledgeable and creates smart, simple, and savory dishes. No wonder why Madonna hired him as her personal chef way back in the day during her Blonde Ambition Tour!

I walked away with a full tummy and my very own autographed copy of Peter’s newest cookbook, Rock Around the Kitchen. Believe you me, I cannot wait until I get to Rock around my own Kitchen once again!

Rotorua Museum

2009-12-29T21:57:00.000-08:00

Rotorua may just be the smelliest place in New Zealand, but that didn’t stop early explorers from exploiting its natural wonders. People used Rotorua’s natural thermal baths since the mid 1800s, but the Rotorua Bath House (now home to the Rotorua Museum), which opened in 1908 as a spa and treatment center, marks the New Zealand Government’s first major investment in the tourism industry. Patrons came to the bath house not only to cure ailments such as arthritis and poor circulation but also to beautify themselves in the mineral waters and mud baths.

The building itself is gorgeous and its Elizabethan style architecture proves just as interesting as the museum’s contents. The bath house is the most standout building in Rotorua, a city built in the crater of a volcano. Too bad the sulfuric smell was so nauseating—I could only spend about 45 minutes there before I had to flee the putrid egg scent for fresher air!

Real Food on the Go: Episode 3, Rotorua

2009-12-25T14:21:00.000-08:00

Walking in a Thermal Wonderland

2009-12-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

Today I drove down a lovely country road nestled in between lush rolling hills dotted with grazing cows and went to Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park, which is located in between Taupo and Rotorua.

After purchasing my $34NZ ticket, I hopped on a ferry to the other side of Lake Ohakuri, where I began my thermal journey. It was fascinating walking around steaming, bubbling, gurgling Earth; the smell, not so cool, in fact rather nauseating! The craziest thing is that approximately 20 million liters of hot water trickles thru these streams into the lake each day!

Everything about the walk was enchanting. Around every bend was a natural treasure more striking than its predecessor. Highlights include:

Anawaniwa

the artist's palette

and mud pools which seemed to create their own songs with their symphony of popping.

However, hands down the most amazing thing was Ruatapu Cave. No picture, not even video footage from my HD handycam can do justice to this cave. It’s majestic, humble, humbling, brilliant. Vibrant green moss covers the rose rock walls at points and I swear the cave has a pulse…it just felt to alive. After slowly descending into the mouth of the cave I stood there, jaw-dropped, trying to soak in its unspoiled beauty. I think I could have stayed forever in “Alladin’s Cave” and never fully grasped the subtle magnitude of this natural wonder.

The turquoise pool at the bottom of the cave was warm to the touch, stunning to look at, and can even remove the tarnish from your silver jewelry. Too bad I left the Tiffany’s at home!

If you venture to the North Island of New Zealand, Orakei Korako is something you absolutely must see. Because it is on an island it is one of the only places in the world that looks like it did millions of years ago.

Road Trip of Emotion

2009-12-20T02:19:00.000-08:00

Chris and Me with our little-old-lady car, affectionately named Freda.

Eating vegan-gluten-free-chocolate cake that the Green Party gave me in honor of their ten-year anniversary in Wellington. This was after endless visa troubles but before the 2-litre container of Hokey Pokey ice cream. Yes, I felt very judged and thankfully no, I couldn't finish it!

Chris, larger than the Tui Brewery. No big deal.

Excited to be with the trolls in Danervike, a Scandinavian town between Wellington and Napier.

In awe of Huca Falls in Taupo.

from the Road...7

2009-12-20T01:42:00.000-08:00

From the Road...6

2009-12-19T03:02:00.000-08:00

SnapShot

2009-12-14T16:58:00.001-08:00

Thames, Coromandel, New Zealand.

Redwoods...in New Zealand?!

2009-12-14T16:47:00.001-08:00

Yes, it turns out that California Redwoods have been planted in New Zealand! I first stumbled upon a small Redwood forest in the Te Mata Trust Park near Hastings, which is in Hawke's Bay on the North Island. I then found more in Rotorua, where the forest is a proper tourist attraction! The trees were planted in Rotorua over one hundred years ago as an experiment to see if the Redwood could grow in New Zealand and then be harvested for timber. I'm not sure how they got to Te Mata Trust Park. Either way, it was fun seeing a familiar tree, even though they have nothing on the truly massive Redwoods of California!

Te Mata Trust Park

Rotorua

For the Bro

2009-12-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

Oh Brother-in-Law, where art thou? Probably off in a marsh somewhere hunting little quackers. Naturally, this made me think of you, and how I may in fact try some of your game one day.

That's So Kiwi

2009-12-14T16:08:00.000-08:00

Having been in New Zealand for over a month now, I figured it was about time to compile a short list of observations I've made about the Kiwi culture. Here goes:

Hokey Pokey Ice Cream: You may not have to put your left foot in and shake it all about, but Hokey Pokey Ice Cream is definitely what it’s all about! Hokey Pokey, a chocolate-covered-honey-comb-candy, only gets better when surrounded by the creamiest, fattiest, silkiest, hokey pokey flavored ice cream imaginable. While there are many brands of this tasty treat, by far the best kind is Tip Top, which, perhaps unsurprisingly, was not only the original New Zealand ice creamery, but also the creator of Hokey Pokey ice cream.

Having really large cutouts at the entrance of town: This is especially popular in the Central North Island. A Lemon&Paeroa bottle, a carrot, a paint pallet, a trout, whatever the city is known for greets you at the border in a larger-than-life size. My personal favorite? The gumboot in Taihape.

Walking around Barefoot: The grocery store, the gas station, public toilets, city streets, it seems that shoes are in fact optional in all of these places! Slightly bizarre to me, but hey, so long as I can still wear my jandals (flip-flops) it makes no difference to me.

Driving 120km on super narrow roads: First off, most roads here in New Zealand are single lane roads that sharply curve around mountain after mountain under the guise of two-lane State roads. Second, Kiwi drivers are speed demons, taking the hills and curves at a minimum of 110km. Poor old Freda hated going up hill and often refused to exceed 60km, much to the displeasure of surrounding drivers. I can’t even count the number of screams of terror that escaped my mouth when freight trucks came barreling around the corner destined to hit our little car!

Despising Auckland: No joke, everybody hates Auckland unless s/he lives there. It’s so strange, the rage and blunt disgust people have for that place. The funny thing is, at least on the North Island, Auckland most resembles every other city I’ve been to in America and England, so what must the Kiwis’ think of the world when they leave the Island?!

Sweet as…: This lovely little phrase is hugely popular with the Kiwis, and the closest American phrase I can think of is “cool,” (which, ironically, isn’t nearly as cool as sweet as!). But it also can mean “no worries” or “awesome” or “the best” etc, etc, etc, and if you’re like my super-fit and quirkily-charming caving guide, you find it necessary to utter “sweet as” every fifth word.

Saying heaps….well, heaps: Another favorite word for New Zealanders. I’m sure it’s just because it’s not a part of my American English vocabulary, but I find “heaps” way more positive a word than “loads;” it’s lighter and somehow sounds more optimistic.

Honey Honey Honey: Yes, New Zealanders love their honey and in fact are rather famous for it. Manuka honey is quite popular here (see flowers to left), but the options are endless. I passed numerous honey stands during my road trip, each place decked out in honeybee festiveness.

Bennett's Galore

2009-12-14T15:59:00.000-08:00

According to Napier's Famous Art Deco Self-Guided Walking Tour Booklet, this building, called Bennetts Building, was built in 1929 and survived the massive 7.8 Earthquake in Feb. 1931! Here is the rest of the blurb: The fact that it was the first building in New Zealand to be designed with a floating foundation of reinforced concrete was no doubt a factor. The client, Harold Bennett, had learned of this technique on a visit to San Francisco. Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (that's blog for creepy sci-fi music) Is it a small world or what?!

Mr. Albert

2009-12-14T15:52:00.000-08:00

When I saw this liscense plate in Coromandel, I saw Liverpool. Then I thought of you John Allan. Then I thought, hmm, it doesn't really actually look all that much like Liverpool. But hello nonetheless!

From the Road...5

2009-12-10T15:39:00.000-08:00

From the Road...4

2009-12-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

From the Road...3

2009-12-10T15:15:00.000-08:00

SnapShot

2009-12-06T00:52:00.001-08:00

Where am I? Oh that's right, Lake Taupo. Sorry, I got confused for a moment. Boo globalization.

For the Madre, on Her Birthday

2009-12-06T00:15:00.000-08:00

SO, I wish so much that I could be with you during your birthday festivities, but alas, I cannot so instead I have compiled a few photos that I took because they reminded me of you. Happy Birthday and eat lots of cake for me!!

(It says "To the bestest Mommy EVER, I love you, Happy Birthday")

From the Road...2

2009-12-05T21:22:00.000-08:00

From the Road...

2009-12-05T20:06:00.000-08:00

SnapShot

2009-12-05T19:54:00.001-08:00

Off to milk Faith, the house cow and new mommy to the absolutely adorable Sophie.

Life on Bennett Road

2009-12-05T19:12:00.000-08:00

I’ve been house-sitting in a straw bale home in Te Mata, a rural area of Thames, with two French girls; words cannot begin to describe how amazing the experience has been!

We spend the mornings waging war against the gorse that has overrun the property fence line. It’s difficult physical work, especially in the heat, not to mention the constant painful pricks from the gorse’s thistles, but I quite like using my handsaw to destroy the prickly pests. Honestly, some of the gorse “bushes” are proper trees, with at least a 6-inch trunk!

The afternoons are usually spent exploring the beautiful countryside or the river inside the hidden valley, but today mine was full of culinary adventures. I first made whole wheat orange and date muffins for our morning tea break. I baked them in Ian and Lou’s fire-operated oven; Allison and I used the dead gorse tree trunks to light the fire, boy did that feel great! The recipe called for a 200 degree Celsius oven and I’m pretty sure we never got the oven much about 50 degrees, but they still cooked perfectly in about an hours time.

With the muffins out of the oven, I took a wee stroll down to the garden by the chicken coop and picked three gorgeous leeks. Then I harvested some massive broad bean pods and returned to the house to prepare dinner: Pumpkin, leek, and beans served over coconut and cinnamon rice.

I had so much fun using a fire-oven and small gas burners to prepare the food I picked fresh from the garden—what a great new challenge! However, the best part of my day was sitting down to a lovely meal, modest though it was, with my new friends. They spoke English. I spoke French. They spoke French. I spoke English. It was wonderful practicing my French and being able to understand them at full speed! Allison and Aline spoke about their families; then I told them about mine. We shared hopes, dreams, and future travel plans. We laughed and laughed and laughed. Mrs. Wagner would be so proud.

Real Food on the Go: Episode 2, Te Mata

2009-12-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

Real Food on the Go: Episode 1, Auckland

2009-11-25T23:50:00.000-08:00

Alright here it is, the series premier of Real Food on the Go! The adventure begins in Auckland, New Zealand, in a lovely hostel kitchen. It's a work in progress, and much can be imp-roved, but hey, I must start somewhere, no?!

To Katherine and Mike

2009-11-22T21:54:00.000-08:00

I told you I'd do it. xxxx

Let's Go Find Us Some Supper, eh?

2009-11-22T21:47:00.000-08:00

After a morning full of weeding kikuia—essentially grass on steroids—and planting seedlings in the garden, we ventured down the road to forage for our supper. Turns out that here in Te Mata on the Coromandel Peninsula, if you time your trip to the beach with low tide, you’ll find oodles of mussels.

Find mussels we did! At first all I saw was a bunch of rocks and sand, but then my eyes adjusted (à la the days of the Magic Eye pictures) and I saw mussel shells nestled in amongst the rocks. Turns out spotting them is the easy part; prying them from the rocks required a bit of mussel!…sorry, I couldn’t resist.

I’ve never eaten a mussel, and I was super excited that the first mussels to touch my palate would be ones I collected myself. It only took about twenty minutes for the four of us to collect 100 mussels (you’re allowed to harvest 25 per person), and then that was it. Easy days.

Bruce cooked them in a tomato and onion sauce and served that over rice. I must say, I don’t think Mussels will ever really be my shellfish of choice, but the dish was delicious nonetheless. And you really couldn’t beat the freshness!

The next day I made us mussel chowder for lunch. I used my Grandma’s clam chowder recipe and simply swapped in the mussels (and added some celery). It was quite the hit! Bruce, Rachel, Ian, Louise, and Chris all devoured the chowder, and I must say, it was rather tasty! I’ve left a copy of the chowder recipe with Bruce and Rachel at their request; how wonderful that my Grandmother’s legacy of extraordinary clam chowder has been passed on to Kiwis in New Zealand!! Ah, I love food, the stories behind the dishes, the way you become the most important ingredient in your dish, and how enjoyable it is to share food with others.

Hamilton Farmer's Market

2009-11-22T21:17:00.000-08:00

Baaawoooba. Baaaawooooba. A slap of my hand silences the obnoxious noise of the alarm. After taking a moment to wipe the bleariness from my eyes, I bop out of bed, dress quickly in the first moments of dawn, and make my way to the kitchen. Today is a momentous day for me—my first time working a stall at a Farmer’s Market—and I struggle to suppress my excitement.

Meg’s already busy packing the coolers when I get to the kitchen. Date scones, lavender shortbread, whole wheat and rye shortbread, Irish soda bread, Brown Bread, Yorkshire Parkin, Oat Cakes, and Tatty Cakes –all the fruits of our baking labors yesterday—make their way into the Celtic Cuisine van, along with 24 dozen free range eggs, an awning, chalk board, Meg, Karina, and myself.

After the half-hour car journey through the rolling hills of the countryside, we arrive in Hamilton—the fourth largest city in New Zealand—and the home of the Hamilton Farmer’s Market.

By the time 7:30 rolls around, the Celtic Cuisine stall is set up, the showcase bursting with all our delicious treats. I crate the eggs in dozen and half-dozen cartons, and by eight o’clock we’re ready for the market to open!

Honestly, four of the loveliest hours of my life. Everyone was so pleasant and friendly, and it’s amazing how easy it was to differentiate the newbie shoppers from the regulars. And there was this amazing sense of camaraderie amongst all the farmers, it was like we were all in it together, selling products we love and labored over. How sensational it was to be on their side!

I even saw a Trader Joe’s shopping bag at the market! Naturally, this sparked a long conversation with the Kiwi couple about their trip to Trader Joe’s in Los Angeles, how much they loved the store, etc, etc.

The eggs sold and sold, the breads as well. Meg is known for her Irish Oat Cakes, it’s the recipe she hopes to one paten, mass-produce, and sell to supermarkets in New Zealand.

The stall across from us belonged to Jonathan and The Soggy Bottom Holding. He raises rare breed animals and makes them into sausages and bacons (after sending them out to be processed of course!) The pork sausage with olive is particularly scrumptious…not that I know firsthand, but a trusty source told me so. If you visit Jonathan at his farm, you can take a class on salami making and create your own tasty cold-cuts to take home with you. How cool!

There was also Monavale Blueberries nearby, and I can say that their fresh blueberry ice cream is top notch! I also scored some divine apple juice from Jack’s Orchard; simply pure pressed apples, yum.

I loved my time at the Hamilton Farmer’s Market. It felt so great to share our breads with the customers, to share the joy of food with them. Their google eyes and oohs and aahs gave me so much satisfaction; they almost felt as good as the huge wad of cash in my apron!

Something to Aspire to

2009-11-21T01:23:00.000-08:00

"When did I first experience the exquisite sense of surrender that is possible only with another person? The peace of mind are experiences on one's own, one's certainty of self in the serenity of solitude, are nothing in comparison to the release and openness and fluency one shares with another in close relationship...when did I first feel so blissfully relaxed in the presence of a man?"

-Muriel Barbery, The Elegance of the Hedgehog

It's quote time again! I recently finished reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog--it's about time as well, seeing as though I began the book way back in May! I must say it's rather interesting and entertaining, especially if you're of the existential persuasion. Barbery sprinkled many a profound tidbit throughout her novel, and I found myself reaching for my pen on numerous occasions! Here is one particular quote I love, and I hope one day I'll have the same thought.

A Whole New World?...More Like Same Old Same Old

2009-11-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

As soon as I found the New World Market, New Zealand’s major supermarket, I couldn't wait to go exploring inside! What would it look like, what would it sell, what new exciting treats would there be for me to eat?

I walked thru the perfectly clean sliding doors and found myself transported...to Ralphs. Or Fred Meyer. There was even a Starbucks Coffee stand inside the store. Deflation.

This is not to say that I didn't thoroughly enjoy my two-hour exploration of the place; after all, reading labels fascinates me to no end! Turns out New Zealand produces just as many meal bars, fruit snacks, and frozen dinners as America, the brands just have way more creative names over here.

It seems as though Kiwi’s love making their own yogurt—there was a small section devoted to different mixes of dried yogurt flavors that require a yogurt-making machine and water to make. Very interesting, and definitely something I have never seen before!

The beef selection was also fascinating—labeled out to a tee. The most interesting company to me was one called “New Zealand Angus Pure.” The cuts of meat are solely from naturally aged, grass fed cattle in New Zealand. The fillets were so tender and pink, I was actually tempted to try it! And the prices proved more than reasonable, less expensive than some other brands with ambiguous product origin.

The dried fruit selection however, paled in comparison to my beloved Trader Joe’s. There were only raisins, apricots, and prunes (thankfully!) but all of the above cost way more than they do back home. 250g of dried plums cost about $3NZ , whereas I can buy a 450g for about $2.50US. So I must learn to savor my prunes, which is probably for the best anyway!

I managed to stumble on many interesting treats in the fresh food sections…and the candy aisle. Here’s a short list of yummy tastes New Zealand has to offer:

Plum and Cinnamon Yogurt

Pumpkin, Kumara, and Red Pepper Hummus (SO GOOD!)

Eskimos (stiff Marshmallow candy uncannily similar to Circus Peanuts; quite the exciting find!)

Roasted Chickpeas

I cannot wait to explore New World once their Christmas candies hit the shelves—obviously I need to taste my way thru my first Kiwi Christmas!!

What I Love...

2009-11-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

The fact that at Cafe Cezanne, on Ponsonby Road, they serve their Lattes in a bowl. A bowl of deliciously creamy coffee?! Yippie.

A Festival of Roses

2009-11-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

What better way to celebrate my return to spring-–and Halloween--than to stop and smell some freshly blooming roses? I went to the Rose Festival in Parnell this past weekend. A mere twenty minute stroll east of the Auckland city center, Parnell is a posh suburb full of lovely homes, boutique shops, friendly faces, and obviously, a rose garden. The festival went on all weekend, and there was a free bus named Doris--need I say how I thrilled I am that New Zealand shares my love for naming inanimate objects?!--that took you from the Parnell Farmer’s Market to Parnell Road to the Rose Garden every half hour. Parnell Road was bustling with Kiwi’s out and about, enjoying the shop sales and free snacks.

After perusing the Farmer’s Market, where I got a beautiful red pepper, and meandering down Parnell Road, I hopped on Doris and ventured up to the main attraction.

Situated atop a hill that provides stunning views of Auckland and the sea, the rose garden was beautifully maintained, with a lovely maze of freshly cut lush grass leading me thru the modest-sized selection of roses. In general, the roses tended to be much rounder than varieties I am accustom to seeing, but they were beautiful nonetheless…although it has nothing on Portland’s Rose Garden!

There was also tent after tent of tasty treat, the most impressive of which was a pizza stand that had a portable wood-burning oven with it!

A brass band played upbeat music next to a dance floor where loads of adorable children moved to their own beat. The other main festival event was an outdoor screening of La Vie en Rose Saturday evening…movies and roses and sitting outside? I love it!!

Getting There

2009-11-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

As I Depart...

2009-10-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

Recently I have become obsessed with country music. I cannot explain why, but I just love the twang and the silly lyrics and the way country music focuses on the little beautiful things in life. Here are the lyrics to a Garth Brooks' song that I've found really inspiring as I'm about to embark on my trip. A country song as my new theme song?! Perhaps I'm more in touch with my American roots than I let myself think; and maybe that's not such a bad thing after all.

The River

You know a dream is like a river

Ever changin' as it flows,

And a dreamer's just a vessel

That must follow where it goes.

Trying to learn from what's behind you

And never knowing what's in store

Makes each day a constant battle

Just to stay between the shores.

And I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry.

Like a bird upon the wind

These waters are my sky.

I'll never reach my destination

If I never try,

So I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry.

Too many times we stand aside

And let the waters slip away;

'Til what we put off 'til tomorrow

Has now become today.

So don't you sit upon the shoreline

And say your satisfied

Choose to chance the rapids

And dare to dance the tide.

There's bound to be rough waters

And I know I'll take some falls,

But with the World as my captain

I can make it through them all.

Yes I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry.

Like a bird upon the wind,

These waters are my sky.

I'll never reach my destination

If I never try.

So I will sail my vessel

'Til the river runs dry.

SnapShot

2009-10-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

View from the McKenzie Pass, elevation 5300 feet, in Oregon. The black ground is lava, the white stuff snow, and the mountains two of the three Sisters Mountains. Taken on October 6, 2009.

From Me to You

2009-10-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

I've turned our itty-bitty kitchen into a laboratory of sorts over the past month, cooking and baking up a storm, concocting all sorts of things that luckily, mostly yielded tasty results. Thank you Mom, Katherine, and Mike for lending your taste buds and tummies; your feedback was much appreciated!

Below is the recipe for my Zucchini-Carrot Fruit Bread, my favorite new dish. It's delicious and super quick and easy to make! The recipe makes one loaf of bread. Or, if you're going to New Zealand like I am, you can bake mini loafs so that you can take one...okay, maybe two...on the plane with you!

Zucchini-Carrot Fruit Bread

Preheat Oven: 350 degrees

A 9-by-5in. loaf pan, greased

Dry Ingredients:

3 Cups Whole Wheat Flour Sifted*

*Whole Wheat Flour is more dense than All Purpose Flour, so sifting here is very important because it helps lighten the batter. I suppose you could also use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour and say adios to sifting!

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

Pinch of Cloves

Wet Ingredients:

1 Egg

3/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce

1 Cup milk of your choice

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

Zest and Juice of one Lemon (about 3 tbsp. juice)

1 tbsp. Honey

1/4 Cup Raw Cane Sugar, plus extra for dusting

The Good Stuff:

1 Cup shredded Zucchini*

1 Cup shredded Carrot*

*I don't shred them super super fine because I love seeing the slightly larger bits of veggie in my bread. It adds gorgeous color and lets you know what you're eating!

1/2 Cup Raisins**

3/4 Cup assorted dried fruit roughly chopped (Suggestions: Prunes, Apricots, Cranberries, Cherries)**

**This is really where you can make my bread your own. Add your favorite types of dried fruit to add even more color, texture, and deliciousness to the bread! I happen to be obsessed with dried fruit, so I always have various kinds around, and I think that the Prunes and Apricots work wonderfully. Or you can keep it simple and omit the assortment. Whatever you do, add the Raisins! The bread is not super sweet and the Raisins add a juicy little surprise from time to time, really waking up the bread.

Directions:

1. Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg. Then stir in wet ingredients until blended. Fold in zucchini and carrot. Fold in raisins and other fruit.

3. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not over mix :)

4. Pour the batter into your pan, making sure it's spread evenly. Then dust the top with raw cane sugar (however much your little heart desires!). Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until the toothpick test comes out clean.

5. Try to let it cool before you eat it. Yummy!

Visual Memories

2009-10-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I have run out of time to make any sort of substantial narrative, nor do I have time to edit our wakeboarding adventures (I'm not even going to pretend like I know how to edit water sports!), but here are some highlights from our time during Family Camp Part II, roughly chopped and mashed together as they may be. Whether we're in Thailand, England, Colorado, or the South Pacific, we'll always have these memories from our wonderful time together. I love you all and miss you oodles!!!

FALLing in Love

2009-10-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

Warm sunshine breaking through crisp fresh air. Feet crinkling fallen leaves on the sidewalk. Trees changing the hillside into a collage of yellow, orange, red, and brown. Pumpkins. Cinnamon. Cloves. Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce. Molasses. Butternut squash. Pumpkin Bread. Yum. It must be Fall, and I'm in love!

Growing up, Fall always was my favorite season. It meant the start of school, field hockey games-way back in Middle School when I actually played sports, raking leaves into a large neat pile only to jump in it into disarray mere minutes later, breaking out lightweight sweaters and scarves, falling backwards with an extra hour of sleep, candy corn, and settling into the coziness of the holiday season. Living in Los Angeles for the past few years where the only season is sunshine, I quickly forgot how much I enjoy the freshness of Fall (although I did still manage to eat many a candy corn!). So Yay that I'm in Portland experiencing the season before jetting off to Summer once again.

We went to a farm on Sauvie Island the other weekend in search of our mandatory October pumpkins, and it was so much fun! We started our day by eatting lunch, which for me was a fresh piece of corn on the cob with salt and butter. Seriously, the most delicious thing I've eaten in weeks--and I eat only scrumptious food. I'm salivating just thinking about it again! Sweet, savory, crunchy, complex yet comforting, corn on the cob really is something I could eat everyday for the rest of my life.

Our tummies full of starchy goodness, we hopped on a wagon and got a ten-minute ride out to the pumpkin patch. Pumpkins. Everywhere. I didn't even know where to begin my search! Big ones, little ones, green ones, orange ones, rotten ones; too many choices. After an eternity of cross-comparing my top five, I settled on my slightly lopsided, pale orange baby, which still had its leaves intact from when I picked it off the vine. Why did Petunia win? Her texture; she was the smoothest pumpkin I ever felt. So soft and silky that Mike, awestruck, said "that pumpkin is so smooth it's sexy!" Also, Petunia sounded nice and hollow, a sign of a healthy pumpkin, and I couldn't wait to harvest and toast her sexy seeds.

After the pumpkin patch we made our way into the Pumpkin Patch Market. Upon walking thru the doorway I went bug-eyed and uttered a small squeal. So much fresh food! I left Katherine and Mike behind and embarked on at least an hour-long visual, olfactory, and tactile journey through the rows of buckets of farm produce. I walked by familiar types of pears, bananas, broccoli, and peppers; I perused unknown crops of peaches and plums, as well as the juiciest, most succulent red tomatoes ever. There were these crazy big white beans encased in a purpley-pink marble pod. Fresh fennel. Sweet potatoes. I found more ears of corn. Before I knew it, my basket weighed a good ten pounds and I could no longer lug it around--after all I didn't come to Sauvie Island for an arm workout!--so I did what any sane person would do and traded in the basket for a cart.

Then, I caught a whiff of the most appley apple scent. I started smelling every type of apple in sight until I found the source of that sweet fragrance. Imagine the smell of applesauce, then intensify it by five and that's what the one apple in my hand smelled like. It was the most aromatic apple I'd ever encountered. To be honest, I can't even remember the name of the type of apple it was, all I knew was that I had to buy these two-toned pale green and pink fruits and see if the flesh tasted as good as the way the skin smelled; they did not disappoint.

Before leaving the farm we all got carmel apples for the road. I've never been a huge fan of carmel apples--they're sticky and they fall off their wood pole and what am I suppose to do with the apple once the carmel is gone?--but this was totally different. I realized I'd never had carmel until that moment. Dark, thick, soft, and not overly sweet, this carmel didn't leave stringy bits over my chin or stick my teeth together. I savored every bite of that sweet treat, shaking my head in disbelief at the divine flavors tantalizing my taste buds the entire time. I confess, I am now converted to a lover of carmel apples, if only the ones from that wonderful farm on Sauvie Island.

Take advantage of the bounty of deliciousness that Fall brings. There are so many types of yummy squashes that cook up in no time and add gorgeous color to your day. Few things can top a hot root vegetable soup on a cool and cloudy evening--can cooking get any easier than throwing things into a pot and letting them simmer for an hour?! I think not. Alas, I must be off. Petunia is staring at me, and while I have enjoyed having her as the centerpiece for my table, I want toasted pumpkin seeds more!

SnapShot

2009-10-08T09:41:00.001-07:00

This photo pretty much sums me up as a child. What a sourpuss. I'll admit that I still have these moments on occasion. I'm not sure Mr. Chris knows what he's getting himself into traveling with me!

I Saw My Whales!!!

2009-09-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Joel showed me this video just about a year ago when, on the eve of our graduation, we bonded over our undeniable closeness to the most majestic animals on Earth (Beluga whales for him and Orcas for me) and our shared love of Eighties music. I love it so much, and I have since forced anyone who means anything to me to watch this youtube masterpiece at least once!

At long last I have seen my Killer Whales in the wild, and I must confess I feel more complete. And I'm addicted; I simply cannot wait until I have another opportunity to stand a foot away from my finned friends! Too bad I didn't like science class, otherwise I could have made a career out of following the Orcas around the sea.

Enjoy the video; just like seeing whales in their natural habitat, it's a one-of-a-kind experience!

TIME to change our eating ways!

2009-09-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Even though I have been heading down this path for awhile, after reading this TIME article I am officially going to grow my own food one day! My Gramma and Grandpa would be so proud.

Camping in the Dunes

2009-08-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week the Family Camp Crew ventured to Pismo Beach for two fun-filled days of camping on the Dunes. We packed the Skylake van full of sleeping bags, snacks, booze, tents, and all seven of us and we were off! I finally fully understood why the Fresno area got the nickname “armpit of California," as we definitely passed many an ugly sight; but then all of a sudden the mass amounts of crushed car debris and dirt-brown hills dissipated and gave way to the awesome beauty of the Pacific Ocean and its quirky coastal towns. In roughly three short hours we parked ourselves on the beach amongst RVs of all shapes and sizes and I think about a million AVs. We pitched our tent--which took a grand total of two minutes to be filled with sand--started a fire and watched the sun set.

By far my favorite part of the trip was exploring the sand dunes behind the beach. Absolutely unreal. A mere thirty steps into the dunes and all of a sudden I left civilization behind and was surrounded by rolling hills of white powder. The massive dunes muffled the ocean's waves and I was walking all alone in a nondescript desert; I half-expected to see a camel pop up over the next dune...but maybe that was a side effect of the sweet tea. Just me and a butt-load of sand and a bright blue sky. Talk about realizing how insignificant my existence is, how the Earth literally erases my footsteps with the wind. Amazing.

It goes without saying that Pismo is an amazing beach town. It completely embodies the laid-back California vibe and has many delicious dining options, countless tattoo parlors, salt water taffy shops, and great rental deals on surf gear. The only downside to the Dunes are the abundance of four-wheelers zooming around all day long, but I think I'm probably one of the few people who doesn't find them to be all kinds of fun, so my annoyance was probably simply me being overly judgmental. I absolutely recommend camping on the Dunes if you're seeking abundant adventure for a small price: two nights of camping cost $20, surf board and boogie board rental prices for a day costs $30 and $12 respectively, and you can eat for as little as $5 a meal (or better yet grill your own food on the beach!).

A Day of Firsts

2009-08-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

Family Camp Part II started in full force today! I'm not gonna lie, it's very strange being here sans sixty staff and a million munchkins; the hollowness was more of a downer than I thought it would be, but it's still A-mazingly fun. And I'm back to being a regular old counselor again, which is nothing short of refreshing!

I drove the boat for my first wakeboarder this morning. It was thrilling being back on the lake again--I feel I haven't been there in ages! Whilst zooming round the lake--which in the yellow boat equals roughly 15mph--I had to interrupt the boarding session to help our new friend Jordan retrieve our sunken ski boat from the lake. That's right: Skylake's second Red Boat sank. We are still investigating what exactly happened, but I can't help but find it an amusingly fitting thing to happen at Skylake. So, I towed a submerged boat to the boat launch and helped drag it out of the water. And the Yellow Boat lived to drive more skiiers. What a morning!

I love that this is my third summer at Skylake and I'm still having so many firsts. I've never been one to return to places, do things more than once, etc, but I'm so glad I decided to spend extensive amounts of time here. Skylake has so much to offer everyone, and I cannot thank it enough for all this place and the people I have met through camp have helped me grow. I cannot wait to wake up tomorrow morning and see what other firsts the day brings!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2009-08-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

I have recently come to the conclusion that my twenty-second year will be an emotional one. It is such a bizarre feeling having no control over that all-consuming upsurge of emotion that infiltrates my body right before the tears gush out. But that has happened to me numerous times in the past few months. For awhile I found it utterly perplexing--in fact I was about to diagnose myself with some sort of neurosis--but then it hit me that all the major changes in my life are merely culminating with a semi-nervous breakdown.

While I graduated all the way back in December, the concept that I won't be going back to school really didn't hit me until a few weeks ago when I realized that come August 16th, I literally have nothing to do. Ack. That is not a familiar concept to me, and being a person who enjoys the comfort of a certain amount of structure, I first found this notion rather disconcerting. The next major event on my horizon is New Zealand; while I have been fantasizing about moving there for almost two years now, the fact that I am actually going utterly terrifies me. Dreaming and doing are two completely different games; I just hope I am brave enough to live out my dream.

Katherine got married. That still feels so weird to write. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and for lack of a better word, perfect. Joy flowed freely from Katherine the whole weekend, making her even more exquisite. It was such a surreal experience watching her walk down the aisle, so excited for and so certain about her future. In typical Laura fashion these days, I was crying. I'm tearing up again just thinking about it. I mean it was epic; Katherine's wedding is something that will only happen once in our lives, and it has passed. We dreamt about her wedding since we were tots, and watching her and Dad dance to Billy Joel's Lullaby made me lose it. Of course it is also a day I wish I could go back and live again and again because it was one of the happiest days of my life.

Then there's this summer at camp. Realizing it's goodbye is another surreal feeling. As much as I have been looking forward to the day when I won't have to deal with the bullshit of being around you 24-hours a day, the thought that we will not see one another again—a rather realistic thought—is still an upsetting one. Deep down I know that I am too good for you. It finally became clear to me this summer. When you left last year I knew that you were going to be my biggest heartbreak. It's weird to feel so much pain that I struggle to breathe and see, but at the same time it makes me feel so completely human. And that is a beautiful feeling. I hate that I miss the way you smell. I hate myself for letting you kiss me--that despite my dislike for you I still can't say no. It's terrible and it hurts people. However, I'm the most disappointed in myself for putting myself in a situation where I would bring someone else to tears. Why can I say no to countless other men but not to you, someone who has seriously treated me like shit? You led me on and you were selfish. But I believe that when you find the right woman, that will not be the case; you'll break your pattern because you are a good person. You have changed my life in so many ways, and for that I thank you. I wish you happiness and the gumption to persevere. So goodbye, good luck, and strive for greatness.

The truly amazing thing is that despite all of these major changes tugging me in a million different ways, my life continues to get better each and every day. I am constantly surprised by the way everything in my life manages to work itself out the way I want it to. How is that possible and how did I get so lucky? This emotional year will take some getting used to, but I have a feeling it will be the best year of my life. With each and every phase of my life I re-realize how spectacular this world is, and honestly, every time I think things couldn't get any better, they do.

A Traveler's Song

2009-05-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

Title: Taking the Long Way

Artist: Dixie Chicks

Album: Taking the Long Way

This is my anthem, circa summer 2006. Look out Bass Lake, I'm a comin'!

Bend-Ward Bound!

2009-05-06T06:55:00.000-07:00

Who needs Mexico in May when you have Central Oregon?!? Okay...maybe Mexico would have been better!

SnapShot

2009-05-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

The Columbia River in Oregon, April 23, 2009.

The Dash

2009-04-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a little something I got from Jon Moore way back in the day. It's a little poem that gets you thinking without squashing your optimism. Wherever you are, whatever your aspirations, this poem is for you. Maybe you've traveled the globe, maybe you want to see the seven wonders of the world one day, or maybe you have no desire to ever leave the comfort of your hometown. Regardless of who you are and what you believe, just remember that you only have one shot on this planet as you, so make the most of it!

THE DASH

I read of a reverend who stood to speak

at the funeral of his friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone

from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth

and spoke of the following date with tears,

but he said what mattered most of all

was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time

that she spent alive on Earth,

and now only those who loved her

know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;

the cars, the house, the cash.

What matters is how we live and love

and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard,

are there things you'd like to change?

For you never know how much time is left.

(You could be at "dash mid-range.")

If we could just slow down enough

to consider what's true and real,

and always try to understand

the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,

and show appreciation more

and love the people in our lives

like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,

and more often wear a smile,

remembering that this special dash

might only last awhile.

So, when your eulogy is being read

with your life's actions to rehash...

would you be pleased with the things they say

about how you spent your dash?

Paris, Je t'aime

2009-04-28T23:03:00.000-07:00

Well, here you have it. This is most likely the last part of my and Natalie's winter holiday in Europe, seeing as though my footage of Versailles is lost in tape land.

Reflections on Paris

2009-04-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

Ah, Paris. Where to begin? It was so much fun and so surreal. Everything there was so large, old, and more opulent and lavish than anything I have ever seen. I found the atmosphere of Paris to be something of a slight contradiction. It is tremendously romantic, with couples canoodling and the buildings exuding a warm peach glow, thanks to the smog and sunshine. But at the same time, there is an undeniable harshness to the city; people don't look at one another on the street and they walk around with sullen faces. I almost felt like it wasn't okay to be happy. And, Paris is really dirty.

However, Paris had its lovely little quirks too. I could always hear the soft hum of a motorcycle. I always saw someone jogging-no matter the hour. And 95% of the time they were jogging slower than I was walking...I have no idea how they got anywhere! Shops closed in the early evening--how refreshing to see that the French value life outside the workplace. Also, there were condom dispensers on many streets; Paris is definitely a city of safe love.

Natalie and I visited so many places I don't even think I can remember them all now! Notre Dame was cool inside and the view from the Sacre Cœur was ah, out of this world! The Musée d'Orsay had many a cool piece of art and is really neat because it is an old train station. I lack the ability to adequately describe Versailles, so I won't bother trying; it is just something you simply must see with your own eyes. We saw the Arc de Triomphe: massive. The Tuileries and the gardens at Luxembourg were both beautiful when frozen and snow-covered; I can only imagine how exquisite they are when the flowers are in bloom! Oh, and of course we visited the Eiffel Tower, which is surprisingly large, and we took half a billion photos. Always fun.

The Louvre was rather overrated. However, it was amazing to see hallways lined from floor to ceiling with artwork, and the architecture/moldings of the Louvre itself were far and away the most beautiful things to look at. The dungeon area was pretty neat-o too, and haunted. But, at least now I can say I've seen the Mona Lisa--which let's get real, is why everyone goes there anyway.

My favorite place we visited was L'hôtel des Invalides. Back in the day it was a veteran's hospital, but today it is the museum of the French Army...yawn. BUT, once again, the building itself is gorgeous, and at night the chapel glows gold. The chapel is absolutely stunning inside as well, and it holds Napoleon's extremely large tomb.

I loved being able to speak the language. I remembered way more French than I thought I would, and I loved understanding tidbits of conversations and making sense of the noise. But mostly, I'm glad I knew French so I could order our daily dose of bread from the local boulangeries. Two baguettes, four croissants, and two pain au chocolate. Dip any of that in Nutella and you are in heaven. Natalie and I lived off that for our entire stay, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Seriously, fresh bread--croissants no less!--is one of the best things ever. Just thinking about all that deliciousness has made me hungry, so now I gotta go eat!

A Traveler's Song

2009-04-25T15:25:00.000-07:00

Title: I Must Belong Somewhere

Artist: Bright Eyes

Album: Cassadaga

Do you ever look at your life and think to yourself how you are exactly where you should be? How, whether good or bad, it makes total sense that you wound up where you are? I often find that my life has this way of serendipitously placing me right where I need to be in every chapter of my life. That's what this song is all about: wherever you are is where you belong. In our world people have various lifestyles depending on their location, circumstance, luck, and misfortune; instead of judging those who live alternatively to ourselves, why don't we embrace people for who they are? After all, you would not be where you are if others were not where they are (how's that for a horribly vague sentence?!). Who knows how the heck we got here on Earth, perhaps by a miraculous molecular reaction, perhaps by God, or perhaps merely by happenstance--which just might be the most magical explanation of all. So take a moment to pause, absorb your surroundings, and embrace the perfection of your existence. Carpe Diem.

Art is Life

2009-04-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photographs from my 25-print 5x7 black and white photography piece titled An Occurrence. The piece follows a Subject on a journey. When displayed properly, the prints create a free-flowing-map-type-thing that loosely forms various paths, all of which lead to the same three final photographs. The map begins at eye-level and ascends--so the display is totally lost through the blog format!

My intent was to show that depending of where you begin, a different journey awaits you, but ultimately you reach the same destination. The repetition through the similarities in the photos evokes the idea that in your life you may revisit certain places, but these places always feel slightly different to you because time changes you. The ambiguity resulting from the openness of the Subject's journey reflects life and the murkiness of our own personal journey.

Chicken Fried Steak

2009-04-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

I love Paula Deen. She is absolutely hilarious, and I admire how she manages to incorporate mayonnaise into virtually all of her savory dishes. These days, her cooking shows are my distraction of choice if I reach for the TV remote.

Recently, Paula was fixin' to show us how to make yet another Southern favorite, chicken fried steak. It was not until recently that I even knew what exactly this is--I was always slightly perplexed as to how you would fry steak in a chicken--and now that I know what it is, I'm still baffled. And intrigued.

The concept of deep-frying steak seems rather silly to me. After all, a bite of prime rib might just be one of the most succulent things to touch the taste buds, so why would you take something so perfect and plop it in the deep fryer? Well you wouldn't, because it turns out that a really tough cut of beef is used instead...but that's just a minor detail.

I sat there and watched Paula fix her meal, which no doubt made her salivate. And I still think the whole concept of deep-frying steak is an overindulgence of the deep fryer, but you know what? It looked kinda good. Good enough that I think I have to try it, whenever I make it down South. I just hope curiosity doesn't kill this cat!

What's Cookin

2009-04-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

Mix some flour, baking soda, sugar, egg, vanilla, oil, and various types of decadent chocolate together and voila--you have Laura's Super Chocolaty because I love Chocolate Chocolate Cake. It's rich and oh so delicious. And depending on your mood, it's small enough for one or big enough to share!

Why You Should Visit Upstate New York...or any Countryside for that Matter

2009-04-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

The highlight of my childhood summers was when my mom, sisters, and I would pile in the car and make the eight hour drive to Boston, New York, to visit Gramma and Grandpa. I would always be so excited for the car ride and I would want to leave as early as possible; I suppose my excitement for my escape to the countryside blurred out the memory that eight hours is an extremely long time to sit in a car, no matter how early you leave! Katherine and I filled the time by planning skits to perform for our favorite audience upon our arrival--I even recall a tiff or two over who would use Grandpa's cane as their microphone. No doubt the infamous phrase "are we there yet?!?" spewed from our mouths many a time--our poor mother!--but once we reached Genesee Road, we knew we were getting close. If we were lucky, Mom would speed over the rolling hills of the road so we could get butterflies in our tummies. Eventually we made it to Back Creek Road, and arrived at the cozy one-story house Grandpa designed and built with his own two hands.

Their estate was magic. The smell: fresh, thick, grass, pine, and rose. There was no internet and they had cable only so they could watch CNN--which to the eight-year-old me was worse than no TV at all--so us girlies found better ways to amuse ourselves. We often made the short walk down to the creek, where we loved to splash around in the summertime; if we made it to the other side, a treasure of fresh clay awaited us. I learned to drive on Grandpa's John Deer tractor, which I would race across the luscious green lawn, much to Gramma's worry and dismay. Gramma always had tasty treats for us to eat--chocolate chip cookies, sweet rolls, hello dollies, apple pie--you name it, she'd bake it. In the evening we watched the deer cross the lawn on their way to the creek for a nightcap. And of course there was plenty a game of Pinochle, the most amazing card game ever.

Aunt Judy lived roughly twenty minutes down the road, so obvi we saw her a lot too. We always passed my favorite barn en route--a red building with a hodge-podge shackled roof. Thinking back on it, the roof was probably mix-matched because the farmer slapped on any shingle he had, unable to afford a uniform roof. After all, this was not a super wealthy area, but one of modesty and simplicity. But to me, the imperfection of the barn made it the best barn ever.

At Aunt Judy's we played with her dog Daisy, ate more delicious home cooked food, and of course played even more Pinochle. Aunt Judy's 4th of July family picnics were one of my favorite things--burgers off the grill, fresh corn on the cob, and a bunch of my mom's crazy old Polish cousins mingling and reminiscing.

We almost always went fruit picking at least once during our visit, which I loved. Depending on our mood, we would go strawberry, blueberry, or cherry picking. It was such a novelty to me--picking the fruit yourself for the pie you were going to make that night. And I'll never forget how thrilled Gramma--a farmer's wife--always was to be out in the fields picking fruit. Honestly, few things taste as delicious as a ripe cherry five seconds after it's been plucked from the tree.

So find a way to escape to the countryside, wherever you may be. It just might be the most therapeutic experience you have. The countryside is humble, lush, and beautiful. Goodness knows I miss it.

Pillow Chat with Laura and Nat

2009-04-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

What's Cookin

2009-04-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

I'm channeling Betty Crocker and the domesticated 1950s suburban housewife with this tiny tasty treat: Pineapple Mallow Pie.

Invisible Bags

2009-04-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

I recently read something a dear friend of mine wrote about the personal meanings we impose upon ordinary objects. How it's strange the way even the most mundane of items can be infused with the deepest of memories. This concept is undeniably true...it's like structuralism for inanimate objects rather than words. And it got me thinking.

An object, for the sake of fun let's say it's a blanket, to an untrained eye appears to be nothing more than tatters tied together begging to be thrown out. The eye doesn't realize that it kept the monsters from creeping out from under my bed at night, that its cool, soft texture calmed me whenever I ran it through my fingers, that it wiped away countless tears, that it traveled with me to far away lands, and that amazingly, despite its inanimate label, it somehow manages to love me unconditionally. I suppose there is a kernel of truth in that old cliched saying, "one man's trash is another man's treasure" after all. I definitely think that each person has their own language of object-memory association, and this language of emotion is one of the most complex out there.

I decided to psychoanalyze myself, as I often like to do, and try to become aware of the meanings and memories I associate with objects in my everyday life.

There is a big green mug with a picture of Goofy--your favorite Disney character--on it that I bought for you when I went to Disney World in the 8th grade. Every time I use it I remember that your response was, "When am I ever going to use this. Like I need another mug. What a waste of money."

When I see the bright striped tie of yours, which is sprinkled through many pictures in the apartment, I remember your comment "I have so many ties already, why do people keep buying them for me?" Another reaction to a present I got for you.

When I see one of the miracle blade never-dulling knives, I remember how you bought this expensive set of knives for Mrs. Smith--the mother/wife of the family you so obviously wish was your own--ages before you gave them to Mom.

Every morning when I boil water for my coffee in the fish kettle with the bubbly spout we bought for Mom one Mother's Day, I remember how you made me cry in the store because you told me the kettle was ugly and that I was silly for liking it. I must have been six or seven. And Mom loved the kettle.

These memories haunt me, plague me, are embedded in me. And I think I officially spend too much time in the kitchen. But I use the kettle. And I drink from the mug--I suppose as a way of defiance, a way of survival, a way of perseverance. But I will always have those memories, so long as I have a mental image of those objects. And that is my baggage. Baggage I carry with me everywhere, every moment of every day. Baggage that affects the way I see the world, the way I perceive people, the way I think and the way I feel; for good and for ill. Try as I might, these memories follow me everywhere I go, and I have no doubt they will venture to the opposite side of the world with me too.

Perhaps forgiveness would lighten my load. Forgiveness might rid me of these constant reminders of your condescension, negativity, and disinterest. I've tried that before, many a time, but I always reached the same result: my blanket absorbed my tears and my load got a little heavier. And I am not a big enough person to open myself to you again. Not now anyway. Maybe not ever.

People rarely realize the impact they have on others. How, despite their arbitrary origins, words and things and memories really have epic significance. I wish with all my heart that I could trade in all my baggage associated with you for one memory of love. But I cannot, so I do my best to simply move forward and try my damnedest not to let my load weigh me down.

Bienvenue à Paris

2009-04-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

At long last we've made it to the most romantic city on the planet!

LOVE

2009-04-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

Ah, Stephen Colbert, you are one of my heroes. Not for this interview in particular, but because you are A-mazing, intelligent, courageous, hilarious, brilliant, and you constantly dare to push the envelope. And I love you. And you're funny. And I love you. Did I mention you're funny?

However, I do not love your website, which won't let me embed the clip on my blog for some annoying reason, leaving me no option other than a hot link.

For Michael Klein

2009-04-14T10:03:00.001-07:00

Now that you have vowed to read my blog, I am giving you un petit gift: a super yummy recipe to add even more scrumptious delight to your newfound life of vegetarianism! Careful though, the glaze is super sweet, so I'd maybe taste it as you make it and only add as much of the syrup as you need. And I promise it's not even that difficult to make! Also, be sure to check out the Vegetarian Times website, because I don't think they have made a bad recipe...ever. And yes, that's where this one came from!

Fiery Tofu with Red Chilies, Orange, and Ginger

18 oz. extra-firm tofu, drained and halved lengthwise

1/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup lime juice

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

6 small dried red chiles (such as chile de arbol), divided

4 large garlic cloves

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 Tbs. orange zest

3 tsp. canola oil, divided

1 medium onion, sliced (1.5 cups)

2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

1. Line plate with paper towels. Place tofu on paper towels, cover with more paper towels, and top with another plate and heavy can. Let drain for 15 minutes. Cut tofu into 3/4-inch cubes.

2. Meanwhile, blend orange juice, lime juice, maple syrup, 3 red chiles, garlic, ginger, and orange zest in bowl.

3. Heat 2 tsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add remaining 3 chiles, and saute 2 minutes, or until toasted. Transfer to plate. Add tofu to same pan, and saute 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to plate with chiles.

4. Add onion and remaining 1 tsp. oil to pan, and saute 5 minutes, or until onion is golden and beginning to soften. Return tofu and chiles to pan.

5. Stir in chile sauce, cilantro, and soy sauce, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer 20 minutes, or until onion is very tender, liquid evaporates, and sauce coats tofu, stirring occasionally. Serve over brown rice if desired.

Walkabout

2009-04-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Back in the world of Accidental Enlightenment, our wandering Gulliver Banick has just befriended a thirty-something Australian on a "walkabout." What exactly is that, might you ask? Well, Banick describes it as follows:

The custom of walkabout, an Aussie adaptation of an unpronounceable Aboriginal word, was hardwired into every youngster's brain during his or her teenage years. It basically involved traipsing about in a gypsy, nomadic fashion for up to several years, and taking in the larger world. Schools could wait, and employers could go hang themselves. But of course, those institutions understood--they were once young Australians (and New Zealanders) too. For an Aborigine, the journey may have consisted of hundreds of miles out into the barren, orange Outback. For modern-day white kids, it meant Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa, Antarctica, lots of islands, and the stars and planets, if they could get there.

Wow, a country that values experiencing other cultures and absorbing other world views, rather than instilling a sensibility of indomitable cultural superiority (which, let's be honest, these days isn't even so much the case)? How fabulous!

Think about it. The Australians have walkabout. Europe has the gap year. And what do we Americans have?--oh that's right, a semester abroad. Maybe we really just love the idea of multitasking, but I think this whole study abroad thing evolved so as to give young Americans a small opportunity to stretch their wings while keeping them right on track to grow up on time (roughly, May of their 22nd year).

Hmm, I must be digressing or something because it is starting to sound like I have beef with Americans studying abroad, which is absolutely not the case. In fact, I don't necessarily have beef with anything, more of just a saddening confusion. Why is it that in America traveling has shifted into this column of "something to do in my leisure time with my extra capital" instead of into the arena of "world travel is an integral part of my life?"

Whenever I tell someone about my plans to travel extensively over the next year or so--I suppose in the Laura version of a walkabout--the reaction consists of some variation of "wow, that's really great, good for you," but the tone remains the same: one of surprise and awe. As though my travel plans, in place of finding a "proper" job, are a rarity. I don't know, perhaps they are. But I wish they weren't.

This is not to say that Americans don't travel, and I am not trying to shed a superior light upon myself in an attempt to appear more cultured. I simply feel that on the whole, our culture does not place significant value on experiencing new things. And that is a tragedy.

A Day in Seattle

2009-04-09T13:32:00.001-07:00

Excuse Me While I Stand on My Soap Box

2009-04-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

Katherine and I were out walking on a beautiful spring evening a few days back when she said to me, "Mike and I have our theories about you...I don't understand how you can watch that show, it makes me want to throw up." She would be speaking about The L Word, a really amazing TV series that apparently makes me a lesbian for liking.

In December, when Donna was looking at the DVD cases she said to me, "I dunno Laura, are you gonna turn into a lesbian on me? You like this show, you like that music...I think you might." What an asinine thing to say! First of all, I would not become a lesbian, I would simply be a lesbian. After all, you don't decide to be straight, do you? Second, you don't have to be gay to enjoy music produced by lesbians--I just happen to like the syncopated tambourine and vocal harmonies of the Indigo Girls. Nor do you have to be gay to enjoy The L Word--I love the show because of the complex and sophisticated stories it tells, not because it has steamy sex scenes.

And I know there is this little joke about my "girlfriend" from freshmen year, but she really wasn't my girlfriend...after all, I've seen The L Word, and we never did anything like that. Not that it would matter if we did because WHO CARES?! Love is love and if two people find it with one another, regardless of their sex, why should we deny them happiness? Simply because more often than not we are miserable in our own lives, and misery loves company? Weak Sauce.

Milk, the recent movie where Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk, a gay politician in San Francisco, happens to be my favorite movie of this year--does that mean I'm gay? I also interned at The Ellen DeGeneres Show; good thing I was only there for one semester, otherwise she may have turned me gay.

Then there is my Dad, who the other week was talking about Carl's daughter, a tween applying to GA, my high school. I guess she went and interviewed there and really liked it (which makes her crazy mind you), but Carl is concerned because GA now has a gay/lesbian support group. He finds it an issue that a school have a place where confused and ostracised students can meet and find solace and protection from closed-minded people? Ludicrous.

Now, Carl happens to be a deeply religious man, so his problems with homosexuality go all the way back to the Bible. And you know what, that's fine, he doesn't have to agree with that lifestyle. And, if gay people really are just a bunch of immoral sinners, then they won't be joining Carl in the hereafter anyway, so why not just let them dig their own grave to darkness?

If I were Carl, I'd be more concerned about my daughter befriending the rich socialite druggies who use their parents' money to get loaded every weekend. That is something that could actually be harmful...a gay support group? Not so much. The reality of the situation is that GA most likely formed this gay/lesbian support group because students felt the wrath of disapproval from all of those people like Carl, who find difference concerning and damning--despite the whole God-loves-everyone bit--and incidentally are kind of the root of suffering for the gay youth. Oh irony, how I love thee.

However, I'm allergic to Republicans, so maybe I shouldn't talk. Although, I think you can make a stronger case for the harm they have caused our society.

Trekking...From the Comfort of My Couch.

2009-04-07T14:50:00.000-07:00

I watched Globe Trekker yesterday, and where do you suppose they were trekking this week?--New Zealand! How scrumptiously convenient. Everything oozed raw beauty; the two dudes divided and conquered all the highlights on both the North and South Islands, giving the viewer ample opportunities to sit, stare, and wonder why the heck she is living anywhere but there! The program most certainly jump-started my desire to bite the bullet and actually apply for my visa; it's now officially on my To-Do list, right under my taxes (need I say ick?).

Basically, anywhere you choose to venture in New Zealand will reward you with epic landscapes of either lush greens or desert browns, depending on the climate. And, it's really cool because the weather in certain parts of the big NZ is known for its ever-changing nature, and it is entirely possible to experience all four seasons in one day! And the best part is that there is no one there--New Zealand is still one of the least populated places on the planet.

Of course the program included a journey on the Milford Track--the most popular walk in the world. The footage from the guy's trek on the Track was some of the most exquisite stuff I've ever seen and I simply MUST go on that hike. Like now. I've climbed Half Dome twice, so I think that makes me somewhat prepared for the 18ish mile Track...hopefully. You must make reservations to walk on the Milford Track--often at a minimum of six months in advance!--not only because you need to make reservations at the huts along the way, but also because they do not allow more than 40 hikers on the Track in one day. This almost insures that you won't see anyone else along the trail (plus it's a one-way road), and this lovely little feature makes it even easier to commune with nature.

Take me to the mountains mate, I really wanna go hang out with some sheep.

London!: Europe Part III

2009-04-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Here's Part III of the European Adventure, and if the title isn't an obvious enough indicator of the location, we're in London!

I Can't WAIT to be on the Road Again!

2009-04-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

My recent adventure to Seattle reminded me how badly I want to road trip across America. It is something I have been wanting to do ever since I was a teenager, and it officially is something I must do very very soon.

There is something so singularly wonderful about driving down the highway, the windows down, the Earth's breath blowing my hair, the sun shining, the music playing, and nothing but miles and miles of road ahead of me. I feel very much at home on long car journeys--perhaps from all those trips to Gramma's in my youth--and love waking up super early, getting a yummy coffee, piling into a car and hitting the road...the anticipation never fails to excite me.

It wasn't until I drove to Seattle that I realized just how long it had been since I'd spent any decent amount of time in my car. These days I walk pretty much everywhere, and believe you me I do not miss the car-driven lifestyle of Southern California, but it was still refreshing to have someplace exciting to drive to. Plus, Jazmine is a stellar travel buddy, except for when she goes all diva on me and decides to malfunction. What a lovely treat to reconnect with my wheels; our last trip together was when I moved from LA to Portland, a two-day drive that turned into a one-day-17-hour-marathon in an attempt to beat Mother Nature and her snowstorms, which culminated with me going temporarily insane when I got stuck in standstill traffic on hour 16 (sorry Natalie!).

But yes, this road trip. My initial plan from way back in the day was to venture to every single landlocked state; having recently bought a super-amazing-laminated-folding-map and measured the milage on it, I now see how beyond impractical an idea that was. My country is just too huge. So, where to go? Well, I really really want to go to Colorado because I have never been and hear it is absolutely beautiful. Apparently Michigan is sublime in the summertime by all those lakes. And I kinda really wanna drive through Kansas just to see what the middle of nowhere looks like. Oh, and I also want to go to Austin and explore that country known as Texas. Then there is the Grand Canyon which is a must at some point in my life, but it's boiling in the summer and there are a bazillion and a half tourists there then...and I don't really like people that much. And I also sort of just want to get in my car and start driving and see where I end up. Who knows what will happen, but as per usual, my desired destinations have no real form of proximity to one another, which is bound to make any form of planning a mathematical and cartographical nightmare.

A Traveler's Song

2009-04-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

Title: Till We Run Out of Road

Artist: Jewel

Album: This Way

I feel like this song shares many sentiments to what I'm reading in Accidental Enlightenment. There is a beauty in exploring, an excitement in experiencing the unknown that beats the monotony of the everyday drudge. But even traveling has its occasional downside, as this song references through its melody more so than its lyrics. Plus, Jewel's bull-riding hubby is unbelievably adorable when he two-steps (yes, I've seen Dancing with the Stars).

Hot off the Shelf

2009-04-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

I've been reading. Copious amounts, in fact. It's quite possibly the biggest perk of no more school! Most recently I dove into the realm of travel literature, as a means of both education and inspiration, and I am absolutely loving my current read, Accidental Enlightenment: The Extraordinary Travels of a Modern-Day Gulliver by Stephen Banick.

This is a guy who dabbled in America's 9-5 workforce, tried to settle into the normalcy of society, but constantly felt squished by the edges of his cookie-cutter lifestyle. So, he embarked on a series of journeys in different parts of his life (he's like forty-something now), and has complied his stories into a travel memoir. And it is fabulous.

I am only on Part I, which details his travels across America to his new job at Hewlett Packard in Idaho, but I'm hooked. Seriously, some of the things he writes I swear have come out of my mouth. He just has such a fabulously refreshing take on the world, and it frequently makes me ponder my own views and values. Here are two excerpts from Accidental Enlightenment--and I'm sure they're not the last. Oh, and fyi, he sometimes refers to himself as Gulliver...kinda cheesy, but I've decided to just go with it.

Blessed be those aware of their dharma, for they shall inherit the Earth. It takes some of us Gullivers a bit longer to hone down priorities and chart that map...sometimes even several lifetimes, the mystics would assert. Which is why it seems futile to judge anyone; we have no idea where they are on their journey....Maybe this was another insight: to recognize that we not only call certain people into our lives, but also have enough wisdom not to ask why and just let things unfold...as they will.

Gulliver had been given another opportunity to ponder what he did not want to include in his own life journey. Better get rid of all the anger, frustration, resentment and pent-up regrets at an early age so they don't spill out into the years like a bushel of bad apples, contaminating the entire harvest of one's days thereafter. Provincialism of family roots that choked off the life force was exactly what needed to be dispensed with--and how better than by travel, exploring the world, to witness the same dangerous sinkholes in every part of the planet?