tangier photos

this is my favorite photograph from my trip. we're in tangier here, possibly walking to cafe hafa, the most beautiful, sprawling coffee house looking over the mediterranean sea. it captures the spirit of the trip for me - feeling careless and adventurous, wanting to wander and roam, warm and content and thrilled all at once. i dream of traveling because of photos like this, ones that unearth memories of endless alleyways and new pleasures behind every corner, like little restaurants or souks that become the crowning jewels of how you remember a place, of the thrill of getting lost and the relief of being found, of there being light at the end of every road.

my nostalgia makes me feel at once pleased that i was there and disheartened that i am no longer.

funny how the NY Times travel section story about Tangier, the one i would scan the paper for every sunday, finally came out, exactly a month after i had left the country. funnier still is how similar their photos were to mine:









glad to know i did just fine in tangier without their guidance.

Montreal

the cafe in Mile End, one of the 5 pictures I took over the weekend

I've just returned from Montreal where I accompanied my boyfriend and friends to the prestigious Just For Laughs comedy festival where they had been invited to perform in a sketch show hosted by Michael Ian Black. The trip was very eventful and nonstop in energy. We stayed out until 5am each night, drinking for free, dancing, shmoozing, and laughing.

Some highlights:
+trying Poutine
+visiting sweet coffee shops and vintage store in Mile End, Montreal's answer to Bushwick
+playing with Maggie in the swimming pool
+dancing insatiably at a semi-house party in a car wash
+dancing and drinking for free and rapping at a tremendous loft party
+dancing in the car on the way over to Canada
+invoking the phrase "just for laughs" whenever and wherever possible
+learning about my new obsession, Beardyman, at the most awesome midnight music show

check out this absurd jam session between 3 incredible and unusual musicians:

+the Tom Green show - surprisingly funny and enjoyable
+the Alternative Comedy show - nearly everyone was memorable. Never thought I'd like stand-up that much
+biking through Old Montreal and by the canal
+some kind of Caramel ice cream that will be forever unbeatable
+watching my sweet boyfriend and our even sweeter friends kick ass two nights in a row

Some lowlights:
+Losing my voice, completely and painfully
+Fighting with my American bank about urgently releasing at $250 authorization hold for a $5 bike rental
+Missing out on Au Pied du Cochon
+Not going swimming more often

la tangerina

the hotel we booked in tangier looks killer. it's called la tangerina. it gets me all shook up!

Hideous Kinky

Watched Hideous Kinky last night to get me pumped for Morocco. I like the way Kate sleeps with her hippie daughters. That's how I'm going to sleep with my little girls when and if I have them.

Morocco

Did I tell you that Billy and I are going to Morocco? Because we are! On July 26th. And we're never coming back...








Just kidding, we'll be back. And that's just Part 1 of our six-week long adventure! Stay tuned to hear more. Meanwhile, anyone been to Morocco? Tips? Riad recommendations? Guides?

24 hours to go

I'm leaving to Korea tomorrow morning!

I'm putting in a final few hours at work, then running around frantically for a few hours with last minute errands, and then finalizing my packing--including downloading new jams and podcasts to get me through the 13 hour flight! (Any recs?)

Then in the AM, B and I are going to a much-awaited breakfast (after this past weekend's vegan juice fast), then we're taking a zipcar to the airport!

Here's a sneak peek at opening ceremony red carpet outfit:

Sun and Rocks

via olivia malone

I love this photograph. I'm yearning to feel what she's feeling. It strikes a memory in me, one I haven't felt yet but expect to feel (as if memories and times were cyclical), of how I'll feel when I get to Morocco. I'll sit on a beach in Tangier just like that a feel freedom and happiness and achievement.

B and I finally bought our guidebook. We're inching our way closer to Africa day by day. Have been looking into all the affordable riads we can stay at. Mesmerizing.

Mom

This is what I want to look like when I'm a mom.

Jane Birkin, via the thinking tank

NEWS!

Where have I been? That's the question that's probably on your mind, reader. I know what it's like to inquisitevly check a blog, only to see the same stale post that's been sitting around the internet inactively for days, practically snoring.

Well, my answer is that I've been all over the place. I flew out to Los Angeles for a few reasons, mainly to work on a cafe I'm opening with my parents in a few months. We were doing pastry tastings with some fabulous local bakeries, including Cake Monkey (OMG their scones, apple galette, and all of their snacks!) and Hotcakes (try their canneles and danish!). I also celebrated the first night of Passover with my family for the first time in years, contributing with my annual Brisket with Merlot & Prunes. We also went to Osteria Mozza for my parents' 25th anniversary, which was a real treat. I'll tell you. Best dishes: Butter Lettuces with hazelnuts, bacon, gorgonzola dolce & egg, Burricotta with radicchio, spiced walnuts, honey & fried rosemary, Linguine with clams pancetta & spicy Fresno chiles, and Butternut Squash Mezzalune with amaretti.

Then when I got back, I had a whirlwind week of work coupled with a Long Island Easter trip and a final-night monumental Seder that I hosted. Needless to say, I was exhausted for a bit.

But the most exciting news that I will let you in on, that crept upon me in the middle of that hectic week is this... I'm going to Korea! In 10 days!

What??!?!

So, two years ago I worked on a feature film with a well-regarded Korean director living in New York after completing his MFA at NYU. This film was to be his feature film debut. I auditioned for nearly 4 weeks in November of 2007 and participated in preparing for the shoot for 2 months, and then we filmed it in February of 2008 on a shoe-string budget in 18 days. It was fantastic. I can't wait to do it again.

Anyway, that film has been selected to be the Opening Film of the Jeonju Int'l Film Festival in South Korea, premiering on April 29th at 6pm following an opening ceremony. I am being flown out to Korea to attend the festival, including the press conference, opening ceremony, premiere, additional screenings, and q&a's. This is all very exciting, overwhelming, unexpected, and over-my-head. It's taken my this long to announce it here as I have been undergoing a wealth of emotions over this.


I'll try to post more often than not, as I have a lot on my mind and plenty to share. But do forgive me in light of my hectic schedule. And also know that last night I overdosed on allergy medication, as if I knew that was possible.

Spring Travel

I can stand to visit any and all of these places featured in New York Magazine's Spring Travel write-up.

Especially, this one:

Anything is Possible

It's time to watch this again. This weekend.



Anything is possible.

"All the lives we could live, all the people we will never know, never will be, they are everywhere. That is what the world is."

- Aleksandar Hemon, the Lazarus Project

I Want To Go There

I, too was filled with wanderlust while perusing these worldly photographs on kris atomic. The one of Santorini audibly took my breath away. I cannot wait to see that with my own eyes. All of these places, in fact. I want to go to them all. I'll have to settle for the sand dunes of Morocco--they'll be mine come summertime.

The Artist is Present

Some time ago, I became fascinated with Marina Abramovic. It probably had something to with our shared name. I was curious. I remember the first article I read about her left me disgusted, intrigued, and shocked. As if I had not expected this from another Marina.

If you are not familiar with her, Marina Abramovic is a Serbian-Yugoslavian performance artist who primarily uses her body as her canvas and invokes physical pain on herself in exploration of different subject matters. The first work of hers I had heard of was called Lips of Thomas and here is the description of what she would do:

Performance

I slowly eat 1 kilo of honey with a silver spoon.

I slowly drink 1 liter of red wine out of a crystal glass.

I break the glass with my right hand.

I cut a five pointed star on my stomach with a razor blade.

I violently whip myself until I no longer feel any pain.

I lay down on a cross made of ice blocks.

The heat of a suspended space heater pointed at my stomach
Causes the cut star to bleed.

The rest of my body begins to freeze

I remain on the ice cross for 30 minutes until the audience interrupts the piece by removing the ice blocks from underneath.

Having read about her in the past, I never expected to see her work, nor did I think I would want to. I actually thought I vehemently wouldn't want to.

However, Abramovic has a show that opens tomorrow at MoMA called The Artist is Present. In it are re-enactments of her previous works performed by artists she trained herself in a vigorous program, as well as performance by Abramovic herself wherein she sits still in a chair across a table from another empty chair, which is open for visitors to sit in and interact with her. If I hadn't been bombarded with articles about the show (New Yorker, New York Times, NY Magazine), I probably wouldn't have mustered the courage to go. But, I think I'm ready. Well, not ready, more like determined to face my fears and see it, see her. And, I think I even want to sit down in that chair in front of her.

February is Ending

Tuesday night: Happened to have all of the ingredients to whip up this unexpected dinner. Thyme-roasted scallops over with sweet corn risotto topped with a bit of truffle oil. Adapted from this. And then I watched Lost!

Wednesday: My dear friend Maggie works at SoHo's premiere chocolate shop, Vosges and she was hosting a chocolate tasting party there for their new coquette collection of chocolates. H'or doeurves were served and truffles were paired with rose champagne, mezcal, sake, and rum. One of the truffles had oyster in it! I was very adventurous and I tried it--turned out I liked it... I had two or three. Although not my favorite of the truffles, I adored the presentation of the absinthe truffe paired with a fennel-mint-grapefruit "salad". Beautiful.



Weds continued: Jessica and I, decided to continue on to dinner despite having had our dessert first and being massively full. We went Sel de Mer in Williamsburg for some well-priced lobster, mussels, fries, and white wine. We cleared our plates!

Thursday: My evening class was cancelled because of the weather! Snuck home before the worsening of the winter storm. Made my favorite Sedona White Corn Tortilla soup, which I grew up on at CPK and then they took it off the menu! Adapted from here. Served with Monterey Jack cheese, homemade tortilla chips, and chives. Watched McCabe and Mrs. Miller--loved it!


Friday: Snow day. Watched Paper Heart. Meh. Recorded ADR at a fancy Manhattan studio for a project I was in. Went to a book release party at the beloved Gowanus Studio Space for How to Doodle, a book about doodling.


Saturday: Utilizing my new French Press this morning. Yearning for my NY Times. It never comes on time. Working at the restaurant later.

Sent Home

photo by Marlene Marino

I was just sent home from work for not wearing the right shoes. Why, you ask? Let me recap for you.

I'm standing behind the bar, greeting the bartenders, getting organized, lighting candles, etc... Suddenly, the frenetic maitre d runs up to me like a psychopath, grabs my wrists, and says, "I need you to wear different shoes!"
I look at her calmly and said, "OK, I don't have other shoes now. I just told the manager. I can bring new ones tomorrow."
She stutters, then says, "And your hair..."
OK. Bring it.
She stares at my hair and starts inspecting my pony tail with her hand, as if she could magically fix it.
"What's wrong with my hair?" Straight-faced. Not amused. Business.
"Nothing!" she said. "Nothing is wrong with your hair. Ha ha. It's just that...the chef is just so particular. Can you...just...just put it in a bun."
"Ok." I put it in a bun in front of her.
She laughs. "Great!" She walks away and before she leaves, she turns back and gives me a wink and a double thumbs up, at the same time. It was retarded.
I turn around and everyone is looking at me.

Five minutes later, I'm looking over the wine list, memorizing this and that.
A manager comes up to me, says "Can I speak to you privately?"
"Sure."
She pulls me aside, to the middle of the service floor. "The owner is going to flip if all the waitresses aren't wearing high heels tonight."
"OK..."
"Do you have any sort of...other shoes with you?"
"No." I don't carry a pair of heels around in my bag for shits and giggles.
"Can you maybe go buy some now?"
"Now? Really? Where?"
"Hmm...well, we're all the way on the west side, so how about Times Square?"
"How about Macy's?"
"Sure!"
"Are you serious? I have black heels at home."
"OK, well I'd really like you to be here tonight. But, I don't want to make you feel cornered."
"I feel cornered, you're asking me to leave and go buy new shoes and come back. To work."
"OK, well I can give you some money..."
"I have other shoes at home."
"OK, well how about you come back tomorrow with new shoes?"
"Done."
"Thank you so much."
I turn around to get my belongings. It wouldn't have been so humiliating if I didn't turn around to see 2 bartenders, 2 cocktail servers, 5 hosts, 6 waiters, 4 busboys, and 3 other directors looking at me. Yup.

Mind you, I sent the same manager an e-mail exactly a week ago saying the following:

Hi Blablabla,

Hope you're somewhat well-rested today despite your early morning. Last night went well, was getting to know the ropes.

Blablablalbalbalbalblablablablablala, and also, is there a certain shoe I need to buy? Blablabla was saying something about a mary jane with a heel... If you have a name/model, specific style, or photo, I'll go out and get them!

To no response.

Now I have a Friday night ahead of me and a bottle of tequila. I'm going to the gym to blow of steam.

Snow Day!

It's the first official snow day! Everyone's work was cancelled for today, including mine!

Look at the beautiful globe light addition to my bedroom. Dreamy, right? I've been eagerly awaiting their arrival and jumped at the chance to set them up despite coming home after a long day.

Anyway, I expected to lounge around in front of the computer and TV and stove today, but, alas, no real snow day for us adults. I have to go to two meetings and do some secretive shopping for my Valentine while I'm in the city. But, then I'm going to make Boeuf Bourguignon! Finally! And I'll tell you all about it. And, I'll also tell you a bit about fried chicken night at Momofuku Noodle Bar...that's right! Stay tuned.

The Underground Lobster Pound

This is really cool. I want to have an underground something, too.

The Underground Lobster Pound: A Purist, An Apartment & The Perfect Lobster Roll - *food curated* from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo.

via mackenzie

Where Have I Been?

photo via flickr

+I saw two plays: Circle Mirror Transformation, which I adored, and As You Like It, which was OK.
+I went through an intense spirits and cocktail training for my new restaurant with this guy. I now know the differences between all kinds of whiskeys!
+I've been rehearsing a scene from this play for my new scene study class.
+I stopped by a sale at my usually favorite dress shop, but it was just OK.
+I've been gearing up for tonight's premiere by catching up on fun Desmond-centered episodes of LOST.
+I devoured delicious yellowtail-jalapeno sashimi and shrimp tempura sushi with spicy mayo at a nearby restaurant.
+I became addicted to Tanqueray 10 and tonic.

Desert Utopia

Dreaming about this place that exists somewhere in my future:


via Dwell

Coolest Houses

1. From excavation by spoonfuls








2. via cup of jo