Aya Arrives

Yukari & Aya at the Northgate! A welcome toast to London!

Prince Charles Cinema

There'll be an Almodovar double-bill at the Prince Charles Cinema on Thursday this week: Bad Education followed by Live Flesh... But I have sort of had to face the fact that I can't afford to spend my valuable evening (the time when I do my best studying/writing) watching movies. So sad that I am so behind on my dissertation. This Almodovar marathon is timed with the opening of Volver (which I'd also like to watch, but at Screen on the Green, but it's more likely that I will have to wait till post-dissertation and try to improve my Spanish by watching the unsubtitled version I downloaded via Limewire).

But I did decide to enjoy a little alone time this morning before getting to work today. I made coffee and had a late breakfast before heading to Prince Charles for a matinee. It was so cool! Only £4 (it's not £1 Friday) and I practically had the theater to myself. I should go to movies on my own more often.

physicality spirituality

About to die, I learn to breathe again.
My heart finds a rythm,
a rhythm that works in time with the bass reverberations,
the snap snap of straps that fasten foot to pedal,
the hum of 12 flywheels spinning in unison; metalic becoming organic...
vibration like a room of people chanting a post-savasana 'om'
individual and united...
The movement of my limbs, lungs, blood coursing; sychronized
automatic now
my heart is free, my mind still

Here piggy piggy

These days, I am working from Mildmay Library. Doggy chases Piggy is on a wall beside the library.

Hip Hop Happy

Went to the gym again after a long absense. Feeling bad as I am at my least fit ever, but it all started well... went to the gym floor to warm up before class and found out that there was one of those 15 minute ab sessions being led by Delmar (OK, I cheated and looked at his name tag.. even so, I can't be sure I am remembering correctly). He always says the most ludicrous things... like that I am looking fit and must have been working out lately (Could it be veiled sarcasm?). I was too late for his first 15 minute abs program and the second was cancelled, so I got a private one while we talked about flaky things, like that he is a Gemini and that he fell off a treadmill and hurt his arm and that his dissertation was only 10,000 words (whereas mine will likely be 15,000). Then he invited himself along to Hummingbird next time I go... wonder if he will be taking his gf along... I have seen her at the gym before.

Then I went to my first class ever with Winston... Billed as an aerobics class, but it wasn't really... It was hip hop! Reminded me of when I was in Taiwan and took a salsa class at a studio right after a group of 'youngsters' finished their 'popping' class. It was pretty fun and I am thinking next place I will go, I will buy some outrageous '80s dance gear and join a bunch of baggy trouser, airmax nike-wearing teens and learn popping and other hip hop kind of stuff... It is pretty fun and also takes coordination and talent. Eventually, I will be able to quit all this ELT nonsense and do something important, like teach dance-inspired aerobics or pseudo-yoga at a gym somewhere. (This may sound slightly sarcastic, but it is partly serious).

Passports, Paris and Picasso

In yesterday's Guardian, there was a double page spread in the center of G2 with a huge picture of the HUGE artwork 'Women at thier Toilette.' If you search this title on the Internet, you will find other pictures by the same name, but not that one. It's political and pretty ugly (in my humble opinion). You can read the article, 'Can you tell what it is yet?' for the description. Apparently, it belongs to the French state and is in the current rehang at the Musee Picasso (The art is on rotation). Sol and I stood before it for a while commenting on it's disturbingness. It is a kind of wallpaper collage and is very (did I mention?) huge and prominently displayed.

When we were in the museum, Sol commented (in her usual way of identifying and articulating something niggling at my consciousness that I can't put my finger on) that many of Picasso's paintings needed to be three dimensional.... like the sculpture above (Tete de femme)... and in fact she likes the sculptures, all but those of guitars! (And ironically, if you click on the link pasted above, you will see a pictures NOT of 'Women at their Toilette' but of one of his many 3D guitar studies!) Hmmm... These 'guitar' studies are disturbing for Sol, who practices Spanish classical and loves the guitar. The one in the picture is one of the less masculine/less violent looking ones.

Anyway, this becoming a long and windy (as in 'wind'-up, not weather 'wind') story - sorry! Let me get move on from Picasso and get to Paris and my passport... So today I received email from Sol. Samir is staying at her place now and he bought a million of those French yogurts I love so much. (Chestnut is GREAT!) And Sol and Samir are practicing (duet style) a little bossa nova on their guitars for tomorrow (when Raphael will go teach some musical tricks and Fousti will make the crepes). This is like my university life - the grown-up version. And the point is, I want to go... but I am stuck in London- I mean REALLY stuck! Yesterday I sent in my passport for an extension to my limited validity passport. SIGH.

Torrential Downpour

Picture taken while waiting out a torrential downpour at a bus shelter at King's Cross.
Rain is starting to abate. Off to find Bus Stop T for the 214 to Camden Town.
Camden Town station after the rain.

Anna's Party

OK... so I know I didn't really want to go, but I went anyway... only 15 minutes away on foot. Spent most of the time sharing a chair with C. and talking to her Canadian coworker (very nice woman from Saskatoon) and a student who she taught for all of 2 weeks - a Dutch-Korean guy (but in Holland, he studies Chinese, not English). So sad for me that I don't want to return to Asia, but feel most comfortable when I can chat switching between English and 1-2 Asian languages. I miss Asia... It is chaotic, but there is also something quiet there. I most miss something from Korea, but can't place what.

Anyway, I have nothing much to say about party as I stayed ever so briefly, but anyway, since Anna seemed proud of the invite, seemed worth posting.

Doubles

Last night, A. travelled all the way up North to accompany me to Hummingbird, a Trinidadian restaurant the Caribbean fast food stall (jerk chicken and patties) clerk told me about. We had poulorie and roti, but took doubles to go for today! I don't agree with clerk that it's the best I've ever had... but it's not too bad. The best was the doubles I had on in the Florida airport after carrying the greasy bag from a Trinidad stopover on the way from Barbados. (They were bought from a stand in front of what appeared to be a sports field and there was a steel band practising on the bleachers!)

Anyway, here is a recipe (adapted from epicurious), so I can do as A does and try making it myself next time:

For dough (bara):
1/3 cup warm water (100°-110°F).
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For filling (curried channa):
2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in 6 cups of water, or 1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder (see Tips, below)
Pinch of ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

For assembly:
1 cup vegetable oil
Hot pepper sauce (see Tips, below)
Kuchela (green mango chutney, but tamarind and/or regular mango chutney also OK)
Thinly shredded cucumber (optional)

Preparations:
Make dough:
In small bowl, stir together water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 or 6 minutes.

In large bowl whisk together flour, salt, turmeric, cumin, and pepper. Stir in yeast mixture, then add additional warm water, if needed, until mixture comes together into slightly firm dough. Knead dough in bowl 2 minutes, then form into ball and cover with damp cloth. Let dough rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Make filling:
If using dried chickpeas, drain and add 6 cups fresh water. Simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse well with cold water.

In heavy skillet over moderately high heat, heat oil. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Mix in curry powder and sauté 30 seconds, then add 1/4 cup water.

Stir in chickpeas, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, until chickpeas are very tender, approximately 20 minutes.

Assemble:
Punch down risen dough and allow to rest 10 minutes.

Dampen hands, pinch off walnut-size piece of dough, and flatten into 4 1/2-inch diameter circle. Set aside. Repeat with remaining dough.

In deep frying pan over moderately high heat, heat oil. Fry dough circles, in batches if necessary, until lightly browned, about 40 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels or on wire rack set over baking sheet.

Place 2 tablespoons filling on 1 piece fried dough. Add pepper sauce, kuchela, and cucumber. Top with another piece fried dough. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Serve as snack or appetizer.

Back in London

While getting ready to leave Paris, I got to listen to classical Spanish guitar and a few of Sol's originals... I think she is going to play them at Central Perk (but Dubai's). I am looking forward to hearing some stream-of-consciousness lyrics...
This was much more pleaseant than my trip TO Paris... supposed to be at Waterloo before 5:00am. I made it, BUT the two passports in my bag were both expired. After going home, unloading a few drawers on my bed to find the passport and rushing back, I had to take the next train. Leaving Paris was much less stressful, but I miss it already. Sigh.

Brunch at L'Apparemment

18, rue des Saint-Gerviais - 75003 Paris

In search of Picasso

Web-album: Paris page

Well, it's been posted. If I manage to extend my stay... which I hope I can, then there may be more pics... but if not, this page is all the photos there will be this time around: Paris Getaway

Quick!

Is it a last name... or do people here just think it's cute to use an English word to name their establishment. Of course it is appropriate for a fast food chain... however, if it's a last name, I may have a friend in Vancouver who could be related to some very wealthy chain store owners in France.

Sudden Storm

Thunder and lightening and everything! And out of nowhere. These pictures are pure silliness. If you can't make it out, one shows people finding temporary shelter at Artisan Boulanger (taken through raindrops) and frog on balcony with railing reflected in puddle. The rain was so heavy, that heavy smokers gave up smoking as there was nowhere dry on the balcony to stand.

Downfalls of Life in Paris

Well, as you can see... it's no easy trek to run out and grab a cup of take-out coffee... and lugging groceries upstairs is even more arduous! But Sol is only 3 floors up, whereas Fousti is 5! No elevators you know as all the residents would have to agree that one was neccessary and contribute to the cost.... wonder what people in wheelchairs do... elderly, those with vertigo... The stairs look pretty flimsy too, but Sol insists you don't read stories of people falling through rickety stairscases, just people calling the police because you are playing music after 10:00pm. Apparently floors are thin and you can hear the toaster pop in the apartment downstairs. Hmmmm... as Martin Dewey would say.

Fousti's Banana Bread

Today, Fousti (also known as Sabrina) gave us her recipe for banana bread. Below, in her own words:

Take 2 bananas… chop, chop, chop…
Put them in a pan with some butter, and sprinkle some sugar... even better if it’s vanilla sugar and leave it in the pan maybe 10 minutes until it caramelizes.
Put aside and take 100 gm of dark baking chocolate and chop, chop, chop… and you put aside.
And then you break 3 eggs, you add 150 grams of sugar, you beat, yout beat, you beat, you beat. It becomes white.
Then you add 160 grams of white flour with baking powder in it... in French ‘levure’ . I think it will be a teaspoon and a half of baking powder.
You slowly add it to the sugar and egg base and you mix it you mix it you mix it.
Take 120 grams of salted butter, you nuke it and you put the melted butter in your base. And when all that is mixe up, that’s when you add your chocolate and your bananas and you stir delicately. And then you need a cake pan. This shape! (loaf). I put wax paper in the cooking pan because it’s easier or put butter and flour. And then you bake for 45 minutes in 180 degree C pre-heated oven.

Botticelli, Botticini, and a bottle of Asahi!

So yesterday's outings started with a late morning Louvre visit. We really only did Italian, Spanish and French paintings - one wing of one floor. The Dutch and Flemish painters will be my next visit. I didn't take a lot of photos here as the ones on the website are better than any I had the motivation not to take and the artworks themselves, well they are in every coffee table art book tome - A History of Art by J. Jansen (or was it Kenneth Clark?) and the like.
After the Louvre, Sol went for coffee with Omaya and I worked at home. Then Sol, Fousti and I went to the Japanese quarter for cheap Japanese food... sorry to say it was no better than last time I was there, but passable anyway... and CHEAP! Well, that's all for now...

Rue de Rivoli

This is a balcony shot of the street where Sol lives. Not far away is the Artisan Boulanger (for pain au chocolat), Starbucks (useful for the lactose intolerant as there is a soy option and those who want to get their coffee take-out), a gazillion shoe shops and the Maxi ??? peep show. The fan-like looking roof beside the white truck is Chatelet metro station. The Louvre is in the other direction.

My Parisian Office

So here is the promised pic of the orange office! The big white ibook is mine, and the little Powerbook is Sol's (what she calls the 'fooking mac'). Unfortunately, I discovered the sound is only working in the left speaker/earphone from mine, so I have been transcribing interviews on her mac and using mine for talking to my dissertion tutor via Skype (her OS is too old to install it) and updating my blog. As you can see... the apartment is bright and there is also a table at which I can work (see orange table cloth in right upper corner?) On the left under the window is my 'room'. I have a little futon... all the other pics are in the album... to be uploaded tomorrow.

Le Loup Blanc

The post is named after today's only real outing.
After yesterday's party (post immediately following), we couldn't really get up until 11 or so... breakfast at 2:00pm - baguette and butter, instant coffee and juice, chestnut yogurt. Then Fousti, Sol's sister arrived. We three wen't out for to the cafe to wait for Samir... Unfortunately, Fousti couldn't stay, but Samir, Sol and I went for dinner at Le Loup Blanc.

Sol wanted me to meet Samir as he is exactly THE character I described to her as the protagonist of my first (as yet unwritten) novel! She wasn't entirely wrong. He told us a little story about getting home late the night before and needing to vomit at 7:00am. Unfortunately, he didn't notice the toilet lid was still down. Oops... Anyway, that story is not really so much like my protaginist as much as the way he told the story! With suitable comic deadpan expression and an insistance that I listen in French. How would I learn otherwise. (His English is near perfect by the way, but he didn't let this on until much later).

Anyway... Le Loup Blanc! Lovely! Click to see the menu! All three of us had cocktails of ginger, mint, green tea and ??? and steak! Vegetable dishes came in HOT (ex: broad beans and snow peas) or COLD (ex: grapefruit and fiddleheads). Deserts were fab too! We split 2 desserts 3-ways: 1. some sort of little chocolate half-baked cake filled with pistachio creme and accompanied by mango coulis and coconut ice cream... and 2. a rasberry almond tart with cotton candy and ginger icecream. The atmosphere was tres romantic!

I really like how big Paris apartment windows are, how pretty the streets are and how lovely the simple groceries in the corner grocers... am thinking I should really be looking for temporary jobs here and not in London so I can sublet Sol's charming apartment on Rue de Rivoli! It is furnished in ORANGE - like it was designed for me. Will post pictures of the apartment tomorrow or Thursday.

Anything HOT!

OK... So I arrived in Paris safely, and with enough time to prepare for the evenings festivities, yet another of Fousti and Kardi's fabulous theme parties... (like the New Year's disco party I had to miss because I had to write a paper)! Anyway, the theme was anything HOT! (Interpretation of 'hot' is up to attendee - most important is attitidue!)



So this is Sol - friend from Year 2 of Uni (Queen's in Kingston, ONT). Note the headphones, the clipboard is somewhere else and she has a measuring stick as well! She is disguised as herself - porn film script writer/director?






Quentin is also disguised as himelf! But in my red hot sunglasses (I meant to be a version of Liz HUrley as the devil - 2 kinds of hot). Anyway, my 'red hot' was no match for Quentin's chest carpet!









And this 'Le Sucette' (the lollipop!) also sporting chest rug, shades and fabulous facial hair! See his beautiful friend sporting the same moustache in photos on my web-album (to be uploaded sometime next week).










And how can you really have a 'hot' party without handcuffing an Italian guy to the sofa-bed? (Feather boa is mine... and I think Allessandro may have been set up and the whip is not actually his! My guess would be that its Kardi's)

On the Bridge

A. on the Millenium Bridge... apparently it used to sway! I wonder if it felt like the Capilano Suspension Bridge! Anyway, we had just viewed the Kandinsky exhibit at the Tate and were on the way back to return home and work on our dissertations... Too bad I got sidetracked and ended up at the Castle in Camberwell with Simon and Sarah.

Hot Pink Soho

In Soho in search of red fishnets and feather boas... Also bought some flame-shaped HOT red sunglasses which will feature in Paris posts (to come).

Nothing however, was hotter than this hot pink Thai restaurant! I have never eaten here, but love the pink umbrellas at Lion City in Soho... Note the owner (in doorway).

Peace and Quiet

Well, quiet is relative. I am at the Northgate and there are people all around me talking, but my cellphone is at home! I am going to Paris tomorrow early AM and am SO looking forward to leaving London behind for a few days... I miss quiet time just sorting through photo albums on my computer or reading a novel or... Well, OK, in Paris, I will have to be reading articles for my dissertation, but I won't mind that from some little cafe near to Sol's apartment... Looking forward!

From outside the Globe

Picture taken during intermission at the Globe. Went for the view and passed on the soft serve ice cream served from the truck - so nostalgic. There is an ice-cream truck in my neighborhood that goes up and down back streets, but I never catch it as I can't tell whether that wind-upy music-box-like song is coming from my street or the one behind. Anyway, it never comes at dusk in my neighborhood.

On the No. 176 bus...

Saturday, August 5: about 6:00 pm.
This is me behind some tourists on the bus as it passes through 'the city' on the way to London Bridge to meet C. I had never taken the bus before, so surprised it was so quick. I waited for C. by Evan's cycles and then we wandered a bit along the South Bank until we found somewhere for a beer and a quick snack. Nice to share out impressions of life in London, the MA program and some fears about the future.

Anyway, after that, we went to the Globe to see Corriolanus. Unfortunately, Shakespearean English in several different UK accents were a bit of a challenge and it was a good hour before we (or at least I) started understanding anything.

So the Globe was 'neat' (sorry for the unexpressive word). Open in the middle with actors mingling with the audience on the ground (main floor). We had seats - not really wanting to stand for 2 hours. But the performance was mediocre at best I thought. Hamlet in York was much better. Maybe I should try Stratford on Avon next time.