reflections on a retrospective

and so tonight we conclude the year and the decade. now is the time to denounce, pronounce, exclaim, defame, declare, swear, concede, proceed, regret, accept, move forward, look towards, start anew, begin a new you.

my new year's resolutions:

1. figure out what i want to be when i grow up and then figure out how to be a grown up.

2. going to bed at a reasonable hour and then waking up at a reasonable hour.

3. be happy almost all of the time.

the holidays are always a good time  to do some serious soul searching,  but i have a done a lot of soul searching the past few months so i think for right now i'm going to use the impending new year  as an excuse to make some lists of things i've really enjoyed this past decade.  i love making lists; i even like making lists about what lists i want to make. more often than not i don't get around to making the original list i intended to make, so please indulge in me in a little organisation de me.

MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE 2000'S

THE LOVELY BONES by alice sebold (2002)
this is a devastating and beautiful novel written from the perspective of  a young girl who has been murdered. there is a movie coming out any day now-- i can only hope it has managed to retain the gorgeous voice that the author has written in.

THE HISTORY OF LOVE by Nicole Krauss (2005)
this novel follows the journey of two disparate lives; a teenage girl trying to discover who authored the novel that her mother is in the process of translating, and an old man trying to track down the the book he wrote many years previous that was published unbeknownst to him under the name of a different author. this story tells the promise of a tenacious young woman with her whole life ahead of her and the reflections of a man at the end of a lifetime trying to come to terms with who he is. i was literally crying by pg. 13.

KAFKA ON THE SHORE by Haruki Murakami (2002)
i read this book in 2007 and have subsequently savored every other novel and short story written by murakami. this is not a book i can describe in a few short sentences, but i will say that murakami's books completely blur the line between what is physically possible and what is science-fiction. events that take place in real time can quickly become meta-physical and ask you to call upon your suspension of disbelief while still being emotionally connected to the basic plot-line and the characters at hand. he is, simply put, the most creative, imaginative and ingenious writer i have ever read. other murakami favorites include:
A WILD SHEEP CHASE
THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE
DANCE DANCE DANCE
NORWEGIAN WOOD

EAT, PRAY, LOVE by elizabeth gilbert (2006)
everyone has read it and you either love or hate it, but if you hate it it's because you're cynical and jaded and can't appreciate excellent writing when you're staring it in the face. i devoured this decadent memoir about the lucky author's itinerant quest for love and happiness. like the majority of readers, i vicariously enjoyed the explicit chronicle of her overseas journeys and appreciated her intelligent reflections of her own personal struggles with her relationships and self-worth. this is a book that anyone who has ever had a broken heart, succumbed to wanderlust, has a thirst for life, or has ever needed to start over can relate to--so yeah, this is book everyone should read.

THE SHADOW OF THE WIND by carlos ruiz  zafon (2001)
this incredible story of a boy who gets involved in the mysterious and dangerous  life of a little known writer is suspenseful, thrilling and lush. set in barcelona, this wonderful novel is reminiscent of the magical realism genre a la gabriel garcia marquez, but is entirely original. i was utterly absorbed from start to finish.

THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by erik larson (2003)
published in 2003, this unbelievable account of the chicago world's fair reads like fiction but is not. you will be equally compelled by the remarkable stories of the architects and curators of the fair, as you will by a few notable citizens living in  chicago during that time, namely one particularly innocuous serial killer.

OTHER VERY NOTABLE MENTIONS

THE FALLS by joyce carol oates (2004)
THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED by wally lamb (2008)
EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED by jonathan safran foer (2002)
DREAMS FROM MY FATHER by barack obama (re-released in 2004)
THE NAMESAKE by jhumpa lahari (2003)
THE CORRECTIONS by jonathan franzen (2001)
SNOW by orhan pamuk (2004)
NEVER LET ME GO by kazuo ishiguro (2005)

MY FAVORITE FILMS OF THE 2000'S

CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (2003) dir. ang lee
because it was just so beautiful and the characters could fly and kick-ass at the same time.

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) dirs. joel & ethan coen
the coen brothers did it again with this adaptation of the novel by cormac mccarthy. this gritty, often bleak epic story of one man's attempt to escape his death at the hands of an outlaw reminded us just how prolific the coen bros actually are. the acting is fantastic; josh brolin, javier bardem, and tommy lee jones are three of our finest.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004) dir. michel gondry
written by dream team michel gondry and charlie kaufman, this joyous, heart-breaking, and utterly original movie allowed jim carrey to take himself seriously on screen and kate winslet to claim her title as one of the best actresses of this generation. a total marvel to watch, it won me over completely.

DONNIE DARKO (2001) dir. richard kelly
written and directed by richard kelly, this startling film brings us inside the depths of a troubled teenager's mind (played by a baby-faced jake gyllenhal) whose brain seems to be battling psychological warfare upon itself.

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005) dir. ang lee
a love story tried and true, except complicated by the fact that the lovers are both male, cowboys, married to women, and the time period is the 1960's. this movie transcends sexuality issues and you will find yourself blown away by the force that love can play between two people. heath ledger's unbelievably transformative performance is reason enough to see it.

AMELIE (2001) by jean-pierre jeunet
this beautifully filmed whimsical movie introduced us to audrey tautou and showed us a much more upbeat side of jean-pierre jeunet. ridiculously charming and as elaborately constructed as all of jeunet's films, you will simultaneously fall in love with paris and tautou over and over agin throughout this film.

LITTLE CHILDREN (2006) dir. todd field
this under-recognized film starring the amazing kate winslet blew me away in the theater. this very dark portrait of suburban life focuses on the story of a woman in an unhappy marriage who finds herself in an unlikely affair with the  neighborhood heartthrob. meanwhile, the community's reaction to a registered sex offender who has infiltrated the community forces the audience to question their sympathies and calculate their  priorities based on a general empathy for humans alike vs. a person's past record of wrong doing.

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (2009) dir. quentin tarantino
pure unadulterated quentin tarantino in all his glory, this incredible film explores the fantasy of what should coulda woulda  happened, had a band of particularly ornery jews been able to rise up and take down hitler during world war II. completely triumphant, devastatingly beautiful, exhilarating and brutally sinister all at once, this was a very different take on a holocaust movie as only tarantino could have conceived.

BIG FISH (2003) dir. tim burton
vintage tim burton, this fantastical tale whimsically tells the story of one man's unbelievable life as he lays on his death bed. ultimately, this is a tender movie about a father and son, and the emotional scenes between billy crudup and albert finney will catch you by surprise after experiencing the joyous ride of story telling.

MILK (2008) dir. gus van sant
in a year of incredible films, this film outshone all the rest for me in 2008. sean penn BRILLIANTLY  portrays harvey milk; the first openly gay man to be elected to office in california. the true story of harvey milk is as compelling as it is ultimately tragic.

MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF THE 2000'S

THE MOON & ANTARTICA-modest mouse (2000)
their last great album, i will always be a die-hard fan of mm because of this album and the others proceeding it.

KID A-radiohead (2000)
possibly the quintessential soundtrack of my college years, i will never forget the first time i heard "idioteque." this album solidified radiohead's status as one of the best bands of all time.

MAMA'S GUN-erykah badu (2000)
the second studio album from miss badu, i was instantly hooked by the smart fresh lyrics, and unique fusion of r & b, soul, and jazz. this album is fearless and very funky.

STANKONIA-outkast (2000)
outkast completely challenged  the stereotypes of hip-hop by turning the rules inside out and created so many hits with this album, they were able to transcend the musical genre and appeal to the masses.

SHARPEN YOUR TEETH -ugly casanova (2002)
a side project of isaac brock from modest mouse and several collaborators, sharpen your teeth is the only album ever released from ugly casanova, but it is one of my all time favorites. sounding like a stripped down version of modest mouse's early albums, the songs range from acoustic ballads to harder sounds and is overall a haunting and explorative work.

SO MUCH SHOUTING, SO MUCH LAUGHTER-ani difranco (2002)
a compilation of many of her earlier songs as well as some more recent (at the time), i listed this album because of how influential ani difranco was to me in my formative years. a brilliant lyricist and outspoken activist, she had a tremendous affect on me as a teenager and young adult. even though i lost touch with her music in the latter part of this decade, i will always be nostalgic for these songs.

PHRENOLOGY-the roots (2002)
to be totally honest, i loved things fall apart (1999) a bit more, but phrenology only further confirmed how incredibly sharp and and talented the roots are. one of the most articulate and savvy hip-hop bands of all time, i was lucky enough to see them in concert a few times, and they are incredible.

GREETINGS FROM MICHIGAN: THE GREAT LAKE STATE-sufjan stevens (2003)
the first album i ever heard by sufjan, and still my favorite. having never heard arrangements like the ones found on many of the songs of this album, sufjan has changed my understanding of what music can be. an unbelievable lyricist, sufjan has a way of finding a way in that is so simple, pure, and unpretentious, that i am utterly in awe of him as an artist.

FUNERAL-arcade fire 2005)
utilizing almost every instrument known to man (including a hurdy gurdy!) and a chorus of voices, this canadian band debuted with this album that feels almost like the anthem to every fantastic day you've ever had--so uplifting and exhilarating to listen to, this relatively new band fits in so well they feel like  they've always been there.

THE CRANE WIFE-the decemberists (2006)
part historical fiction, this epic album spans so many different subjects, just listening to it is an education in itself. the smartest indie rock band on the block, i am a huge fan of colin meloy's quirky voice and fastidious song writing.

EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME-band of horses (2006)
a little bit country, a little bit folk, and another part indie rock, band of horses released two albums in two years, and both are excellent. i am slightly partial to everything all the time because it came first and it contains some of my favorite songs. i was lucky enough to see them in concert last year and i was astounded by lead singer ben bridwell's effortless voice and gorgeous lyrics.

500 DAYS OF SUMMER SOUNDTRACK-various (2009)
this wonderful soundtrack from this pretty good movie fills me with joy every time i listen to it. it made me remember why the smiths rule and introduced me to carla bruni (yes, that one) as a singer. regina spektor and feist both make appearances, as does she and him (a.k.a zooey deschanel and m. ward) basically, if you are looking for a little bit of happiness in cd form, you can't go wrong with this album.

happy, happy, everyone! here's to the next 10!

(these are) a few of my favorite things

christmas and chanukah are officially over and though i resisted the magnetic forces of holiday shopping for as long as i could, i finally succumbed within hours of the 25th.

i can't help it. i'm a sucker for a great gift (as in giving). i love the hunt of it..with enough patience and focus, holiday shopping becomes sport and  the satisfaction of finding the perfect present is addictive.

in my quest, i couldn't help noticing a few pretty things here and there i would like to add to my ever expanding wish list.

first off, tokyo milk  perfumes. i'm not much of a perfume wearer, but i will confess i wish someone would buy me a few of these lovely bottles. not too sweet or floral smelling, the perfumes come in subtle nuanced scents like gin & rose-water and tobacco (with green tea and apple). they also carry soaps, candles, bubble bath etc., all adorned with their signature vintage packaging.

exit 9 gift emporium is one of my favorite shops in nyc. it is perfect for a gift with a sense of humor, as it is well stocked with ironic tchotchkes, but they also carry great jewelry, bags, and hats. i have been buying my wallets here for years, and although it is not exactly time for me to buy a new one, i was taken with several of the  loungefly wallets they had in stock. i want nothing to do with their hello kitty collection, but i am definitely enamored with these embroidered checkbook wallets:

hands down my favorite place to buy (and receive) gifts is sterling place on atlantic ave. in brooklyn (also one in park slope). the collection is a mix of innovative and elegant vintage and modern pieces for the home, as well as some beautiful books, and vintage cufflinks, watches, jewelry, etc. in my fantasy dream apt, everything is from sterling place. i bought several of my gifts there this year, including a beautiful antique-looking wooden telescope. they are also ridiculously well priced, so they are always my first choice when i need something special. there is nothing in that store i don't want.  here a few examples of things i love from their website, but really the website doesn't do the store justice--just go there!

i stopped in pink olive boutique in the east village on a whim, and fell in love with this little whimsical shop. they have wonderful candles, soaps, baby gifts and DIY books for the crafty types. i really liked their playful artwork, like this print that you can buy online:

i bought this cozy homemade knit headband as a gift, but i think i want to go back and get one for myself!

sadly, the brooklyn flea has closed up shop for the winter, but one of my favorite artists sells her unique jewelry online at etsy. the site is mamacantsing and she makes rings and cufflinks out of vintage typewriter keys. she also makes amazing bracelets and necklaces out of vintage watches. you can order anything custom made, and they are all really affordable. she also sells crafting supplies if you want to make your own jewelry! i bought a ring from her at the ft greene flea market made from an "s" key. tragically, it has gone missing. if it doesn't turn up soon, i may have to reorder...i miss it so.

 

how to keep warm in a snow storm OR why i ate so much fried food yesterday

the first snow of the season came this weekend and it was extremely fast and very furious. saturday night was a surreal montage of heavy flakes and angry winds. christmas decorations were smothered by  blankets of snow, leaving weird alien scenes of barely visible blinking lights under white mushroomy formations (formerly knows as bushes). the next morning recovery ensued and the shivering exoskeletons of santa's reindeer were again seen protecting the stoops of brooklyn's brownstones and delighting the neighborhood with their twinkling silhouettes.

sunday we were all relieved that our ritual of going for bagels and coffee would not be the hardship we had anticipated. siberia had given way to cobble hill and we could happily stroll and brunch as we always had.

so, bloody mary time.

my friend, katia, and i decided to take refuge from the cold at new brooklyn local, henry public (no website yet). i was instantly charmed by the dark wood and black & white photos on the wall. the 1930's parlor aesthetic is nothing new in the bars of this neighborhood, but i guess i'm a sucker for it anyhow. it felt like a cross between a library and a saloon, which combines the pleasures of reading and drinking! i guess you could describe it as the thinking man's (or woman's) bar...perfect. there certainly does seem to be a lot of thought put behind the elaborate cocktails and simple but hearty menu. katia and i had missed brunch but we managed to score bloody mary's served in mason jars. we were pleased as punch. we snacked on smoked almonds (neither of us opted for the marrow bones or burger on the menu) and defrosted until hunger motivated us to venture outside again for  dinner.

we met up with friends at chip shop on atlantic ave., which is probably the closest you'll get to london while still in new york. i couldn't resist trying their famous fish & chips special which i happily loaded with vinegar (i'm convinced that my birth in canada is responsible for my inexplicable affinity for vinegar) and sampled a double ipa that the waitress recommended. this place will fry anything! their menu includes fried mac & cheese, fried pizza, and twice-fried cherry pie (which was temporarily removed for violating the trans-fats health code). we skipped the cherry pie but could not resist trying their fried twinkie and fried reeses peanut butter cup. (click here to see someone else's photo of the fried reeses cups.) the twinkie was not improved by the batter (a twinkie is perfection on its own) but i have to admit the reeses made peanut butter taste like a whole new creation; warm, sweet, creamy, and heavenly. i can't say it made me feel very good this morning, but you only live once, right?  oh yeah, i also learned that welsh rarebit was not a product made from rabbit as i had envisioned, but is actually a kind of cheese and when served on toast with tomato, it's really good. i don't think i ever need to find out what kidney pie or fried sausage tastes like, but i can a check a few things off the list of previously unexplored territory...and i never need to try them again. i swear i am eating nothing but salad for the rest of the week!

deviled eggs and pad thai

in the past 2 weeks things have changed dramatically. i am now working nights instead of days, on my feet instead of in front of a computer, getting home last instead of getting up early, and it is really messing with my head. i really have no sense of what day of the week it is, what time it is when i wake up, or what i'm supposed to do with my daytime. this is my decision; it is my choice to have left my job so that i can take time to reevaluate my life and really think about what it is i want to do, but this is no easy feat. it is not as simple to figure out what you want to do with your life as i may have expected when i was 16 or 18 or even 22. now that i am approaching 30, i can not trivialize what it feels like to be taking dinner orders and being asked if i am in college, but i also know that i made the right decision for myself and i do need to use this time to really pursue what will be my next step. for now, i am reacquainting myself with the simple pleasures of the afternoon--there are so many. not waking up to an alarm, reading in bed, sitting in a coffee shop, not having to wait for a machine at the gym---there are many benefits to be an evening worker, and i missed them all while i was working days. for now, i am going to keep enjoying these little luxuries, and in my hours of sunlight and contemplation, i am going to listen, quietly, to myself.

in the meantime, it is has turned cold and winter has settled in. the air that was crisp only a few weeks ago is now harsh and unforgiving. i wanted to make something hearty for dinner last night but i wanted something less conventional than pasta. in the winter months i tend to crave warm, spicy food that is best  showcased in asian dishes. i decided to make pad thai, which is not that exotic but fun to make every now and then. i have also been craving deviled eggs lately and while i was at trader joe's i picked up a bag of their already hard-boiled eggs (genius). when it comes to deviled eggs, i am at a bit of a cross roads--i have a fear of mayonnaise. i always have. i just don't understand it; it's white, kind of gooey, sort of nondescript- i just don't get it, and therefore fear it. but i LOVE deviled eggs, and when i make them at home, i use my good friend nayonaisse, which isn't any less confusing, but somehow comforting and invaluable to me when it comes to tuna salad, and our friend, the deviled egg.

DEVILED EGGS

(makes 8-10)

2 tbsp nayonaisse or mayonnaise

2 tsps dijon or brown mustard

1 tsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp celery salt

1/2 chipotle (or to tastes)

scoop out egg yolks and place them in a bowl. add all ingredients and use a spoon to mash yolks and mix with all other ingredients until creamy (or use a blender). add puree back into egg whites. garnish with chipotle and serve.

i made these quick, so please pardon the untidiness of them. they may not seem like a traditional hors d'oeuvre for thai food, but they are perfect with a glass of wine while you're cooking up the main course. speaking of wine, after i went to trader joe's on court st. yesterday, i popped in the new wine store that opened up next door. they're called brooklyn wine exchange, and i think i'm in love. this place is fantastic--chock full of interesting yet unpretentious wine, including a section devoted to organic & biodynamic wines and a table full of good choices for under $12. i picked up a $10 primitivo but i was tempted by a sparkling shiraz and their tidy sake section. the staff is approachable and eager, and i had a lengthy conversation with one of the employees who explained their featured selection of umbrian wines from the paolo bea vineyard in montefalco. they were a bit out of my price range, but i was very happy for my free lesson in italian wines. brooklyn wine exchange doesn't have a website yet, but check out this article in the village voice with owner patrick watson. him and his wife, michele, have the monopoly on cheese and wine in cobble hill. brooklyn wine exchange is the newest addition to their family that already includes smith & vine,  stinky bklyn, and the jakewalk, and what a lovely family it is. welcome to the neighborhood, bwe!

oh yeah, pad thai. that turned out pretty well and my less greasy version of the traditional was very satisfying for a winter night. i made my own peanut sauce, which is different than a traditional pad thai but the sweetness and spiciness made for a complete meal in a bowl.

PAD THAI

serves 4

1 package of that rice noodles

1 package of firm tofu cut into small pieces (or the already pre-seasoned that flavor variety works great)

1/3 cup exotic mushrooms (shitake, oyster, etc.)

1/3 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup snow peas

1/4 cup sliced scallions

1/3 cup sliced bell peppers (any color)

1/2 cup chopped bok choy

PEANUT SAUCE

1/4 cup low-sodium tamari or shoyu

2 tbsp natural creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp thai red curry

1 lime

1 tsp brown sugar or unrefined sugar

1 tsp hot sauce

simmer all vegetable and tofu on low heat in olive oil. cook noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes or until soft. mix all ingredients of sauce together until there are no lumps from the peanut butter or curry. add noodles and sauce to the pan with with vegetables and stir. cook for 5 more minutes. add lime or lemon juice to taste.