Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter at the Lake

                              Easter lunch at the Queens' house on the Lake.

Just the family, small and intimate - my Girl helped make the decorations and No.1 Son filled the empty eggshells with sponge cake to make little eggcakes.

We started off with an Antipasto plate: Prosciutto San Daniele, Mortadella and some Speck. There is always an element of Italian in all our holidays, either bread or sauce or antipasti, I like to be reminded of where we come from and where we can go back to, especially in the sensual experience of sharing food and memories.

Uncle brought some Argentinian rose  in the spirit of celebrating holiday and Spring at once.

Since I never think there is enough food for everyone, I couldn't resist making just a little bit of 'primo' and so un asaggio di Gnocchi with creamy Pesto Sauce found it's way to the table for an interim course.
.
I'm crazy for Lamb but we decided to keep it light this year and so I created an Asparagus feast instead...

Asparagus
with Parmiggiano and EVOO

and more Asparagus with Farm Fresh Eggs from Uncle's next door neighbor The Guy with Chickens.

In between the cooking, serving, talking, laughing...I had myself a little dirty martini in this pretty glass that I received as a gift long ago 


...and for dessert we all ate homemade sponge cake with strawberries and almond laced whipped cream.

After

we drank strong coffee and peered into our cups


 Uncle revealed a spontaneous vision of me moving down to Santa Fe to tell fortunes from a  colorful caravan...which we all thought was pretty amusing, each in our own secret way.....

Soon it was over - a beautiful, rainy Easter Sunday came and went, intimate and unusual in it's harmony and simplicity. Here's to more of these kind of days.

More Wall


Photo's by Mrs Peel

The Wall

Hanging out with Mrs. Peel late one night.What else could we have done but....
 Passed from terribly funny conversations with goofy Persian looking boys inside to momentary art shock once back on the streets: the beautifully decorated west side wall right outside the door at Z Cuisine, {courtesy of the MoP mob} (Redline, the amazing Mark Sink).

Tantalizing backdrop, just like the Boulevard St. Germaine cup inside. Groovy moods show.

 The gorgeous Mrs. Peel and I will be hanging out at the wall, our new love object, for the next week, watching the paint dry and kissing passers by.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

23ed Avenue Dresses for Spring

Walking the animals the other day I found myself one street over from the Queen's house admiring a lovely tunnel of trees that guided us back around to the Lake...

Bosnia Long Ago

 

{I saw this initially at Old Postcards BiH and then found it again on YouTube}

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Coglione Sandwich

Saveur Magazine Tweeted it today. At Huffington Post they featured it too. The same video of same two guys named Frank.  In New York. The center of the universe. The Franks make a pasta sandwich and call it genius.

Mama Mia, che schifo!

 Just because you can, does not mean you should. More than that, no one should take you seriously when you do.

In my humble opinion, this is just one fine example of why povera America will never rule the world again. Gluttony, greed, disrespect for culture, tradition.  No attempt at at greatness, just putting together any ol thing and call it good. Kind of like a sandwich.

What is a sandwich anyway?  It's something between two pieces of bread, no? An afterthought, a midday snack, something to give children when they come home from school. An in between. It is not 'a meal between two pieces of bread', because a meal is something else all together. Not to say that sandwiches aren't fantastic. I love, adore, am tempted to eat all sorts of sandwiches. Just not a fucking pasta sandwich. Yikes people. Stop it.

The paninification of America. With those two coglioni making a pasta sandwich and getting it featured in Saveur, well...there is little left between today and Circles 3, 4 & 6.

Anyway. Opinions are my own.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Questioning Stable Life

From my Window


I am proud to announce that I am featured once more with a new guest blog post at Anastasia Ashman's expat+HAREM website. Be sure to read it and then browse the rest of the site for fascinating accounts from women all over the world describing how they successfully integrate their art, work and play while living the expat life far from their countries of origin. 
(painting by Albert Shvilly)