Birthday Party Day

This week was a blur of sleeping, working and trying to remember if I should be sleeping or working.

Thursday afternoon I was struck by a car key chain that I saw in the Let's Make Cute Stuff by Aranzi Aronzo! book. From that key chain shape I decided to make up a pillow for my nephew since he was about to get his very on room for the first time. Between Thursday early evening and late night (before and after the wine bar) and Friday evening after work before we drove up to Massachusetts, I was able to finish it up.

The result? A super cute zooming car pillow!!

Zoooooooooooooooom!!

I was happy to have all of the materials in my cupboards awaiting this whirlwind project. Even had the rick rack and piping ready to go.

I found the pillow in his fort on Sunday while helping him look for a misplaced toy, so I guess he likes it. (Hard to compare with new toys at the party... I mean.. it was a GeoTrax fest!)

The party was, as always, contributed to by many creative types. From the "cake" -- a jumbo rice crispies/marshmallow mix in the shape of a dinosaur... to the decorate your own cake car from the Tar Pit!

While some of the big kids were putting together the GeoTrax pieces (old and new), others were building the K'Nex Double Ferris Wheel. How many engineers does it take to put together a toy marked at good for ages 8+?

As the party wound down we busted out the Laser Discs and sung Karaoke until we were dog tired! Fun was had by all! Hmmm...now what to make for my niece for her new room? Her birthday is in a month...

You Take The Good, You Take The Bad...

Sitting here in Chang Ping, China I must announce that the videos are in and the choice was made and sadly I was not chosen this time to join Bobby Flay on Grill It season 2! It would have been fun for sure.

Perhaps they didn't like the video (it was difficult to cut it down so much!), didn't like the recipes (which would be shocking since all of my taste testers have left their plates clean) or I simply didn't fit into the mix this time. There's always next time.

Longer versions of both recipes I'm adding below (includes more info on the recipes themselves that was cut from the submitted version.) Thanks to the great Jimmy Chan for both doing the photography and editing! I will be helping Jimmy on a project of his own between trips to Massachusetts, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Toronto and California...and that's just the travel coming up on the next 2 months!


Grilled Pork Skewers



Grilled Red Snapper with Thai Vegetables


Enjoy!

NOW I'M COOKING & NEED YOUR VOTE

My entry video is posted!
My entry video is posted!!
For what you ask?

I've entered for a chance to head out to LA and do one episode of
Grilling It! with Bobby Flay!!

My video is posted HERE.

Please go take a peek and if you like it, which I'm sure you will, PLEASE RATE IT!

What's on the menu? Two recipes that I created.

Appetizer:
*Pork Skewers with a Mango Dipping Sauce (the skewers are tastily marinaded before grilling)




Entree:
* Grilled Red Snapper with Coconut Thai Veg (all wrapped up in a banana leaf!)

You will have to sit through a 10-15 second commercial from Food TV (sorry), but I'm sure the video will entertain enough to make it worth your while!!!




Go, Click, Rate and even comment if you have the time! I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Please also pass this along to your friends!

If for some reason the link doesn't take you directly to my video, my video is titled Grilled Pork Skewers & Red Snapper with Coconut Thai Veg and is currently listed under Most Recent.

Thanks everyone!!!

(In the photo with me that's Jim, the videographer, during a break trying some pork... It was all gone in a flash!!)

In knitting...

A long overdue look at the WIPs , UFOs and FOs...

The biggest FO? The felted intarsia bag I designed for Debbie Stoller's next Stitch 'n Bitch book (the advanced one.)

The photo sample has been done for a few months (weeee) and I think she's got everything she needs from me to go forward.

It's here that I must admit how much I like using Knit Visualizer on my Mac for charting. Oooh-la la!!!
More on that as the months progress!!

A long overdue congratulations to my friend Shannon Okey for her recent placement as EDITOR of Yarn Forward magazine!! I'm hoping to collaborate with her on some things inthe near future. More on THAT as the months progress too!

On the sticks:
*Wrapping up the two-stranded man's skully (in Frog Tree Alpaca).
*Stained Glass Scarf (in Frog Tree Alpaca) from handknit holidays - double-knitting.
*Mermaid mits
*cotton child's hat for the next Bonadurer coming this month!

And did you see the article in the Observer this week? Yeah for Knitty City & Ravelry for the shout out!

Some things are too fun to leave behind!

I took these photos on my last whirlwind trip a few months back in China but never took the time to post them. Now's as good a time as any eh?

It seems where ever I go in Asia, the women like to show the peace sign, with both hands.
Here I was asked to show it with my ails out since she had just done them. There had been a small battle amongst the gals as to who'd get to do the white ladies nails (there aren't many white ladies who visit that region and even less who go to the local mall to get their nails done) but as always - when in Rome!

I asked her to give me what was the MOST popular thing right now in nail fashion locally.
She did!

Fingers: Sparkle PLENTY!


Toes: Dressed in flowers and sparkle too!

There was even a feller now working there. I liked his tattoo which seemed to cover an unusual looking scar. See how he's on that tiny stool? No fancy seats or massage chairs here! Just a bucket with warm water for a soak and then they get to work!

I have to make prints of the photos with the nail gal for her booth before I go back in 2 weeks. She said it would "up her cred" to have a photo with her Caucasian customer.

Pretty

Sometimes things in the kitchen are just so pretty. (ie: leeks and tomato in the pan cooking at right.)

I made this soup today -- Winter Lentil Soup -- which is perfect. I can't think of a single reason to change the recipe.

Try it! You won't be sorry!!!
Oh -- and it's super healthy to boot!!!

Happy Birthday Jane!

Jane joins us this month in the 30s club!!!
It's nice that we were able to meet the lovely Jane while on the singles weekend away last Memorial Day weekend. My friend and I had booked the 4 day weekend away, single, a few months in advance. By the time we went, we were no longer single but thought we'd go for the heck of it.

Let's just say the sports and activites by day were lovely. It's the lusty 15-year-old boys attitudes that were carried by the 30/40/50 something men that was so lousy.
Thankfully, as said, we were no longer looking to meet men for any sort of relationship (especially notches on belts), but we did met Jane!

Jane threw a lovely party last night at the White Rabbit Lounge down on East Houston. Her friend Orion was tending bar and the staff who were taking care of us - did in deed take care of us. The apps they sent around were tasty too. No complaints. Seems a lovely time was had by all!!

Happy 30th Jane! Many happy returns!!!

Rockin' and Rollin'

Jane's been telling us for the longest time that we need to come hear her friend Orion and his band play (The Orion Experience). Sadly every time she's announced a show, I've been busy. But...not this time! She gave me enough notice that it was planted in my calendar and voila!

Mercury Lounge, Thursday night, 10pm.

SJ & Hiromi were able to join me and we met Jane and her pals there too!

The band: Front man, Orion Simprini on lead & vocals.
Linda Horwatt shown here in the sequined shirt and cape, sings vocals and plays a little keyboard. Not pictured, guitarist Reef, drummer Jon Weber and bassist Chris Lucas.

Catchy tunes like "Obsessed with You" have set You Tube on fire with Fan videos containing coked-up Mr. Potato Heads, teen age girls and stalker fans.
Even Perez Hilton has sung their praises!

Check out their new video:
Obsessed with You.

One aside... I really liked the performance. The band seems to have a great chemistry and their tunes kept my attention through out the set. I've since met Orion twice off stage and he's a lovely fellow. BUT...No more white trousers!!! I think that was the thing I heard most from the women in the audience. Whispers of "They're great, but what's with the white pants on the men?" Yes, the next band also had men sporting (tighter) white jeans...um - still a no no. They just don't look good!!

Orion, call me up before your NBC gig and we'll put together a great outfit for nationwide consumption! (A white suit on TV...no no no! TV adds 10lbs before you add a WHITE SUIT!!!)

Towards the end of the set Yuko was able to stop in too! After the music we headed down the block for a feast of Turkish and Middle Eastern delights.

Snowy Saturday!!!

While SJ spent the day relaxing and recuperating (it's almost been a ful 6 weeks since his surgery), I bopped down to Chelsea to meet with a few friends to view the Postcards From the Edge... Benefit for Visual AIDS Benefit Sale

Over 1,500 original postcard-sized works of art. $75 EACH. Buy 4 cards and get 1 free!
First-come, first served. Unfortunately what they mean by first come, first served is that once the postcard is bought it's removed... so I know next year I need to arrive when it opens!

"Postcards From the Edge is a Visual AIDS benefit show and sale of original, postcard-sized works on paper by established and emerging artists. All works are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. The works are signed on the back and exhibited so the artists' signatures cannot be seen. While buyers receive a list of all participating artists, they don't know who created which piece until purchased.

All proceeds support the work of Visual AIDS, utilizing contemporary art for AIDS advocacy and historicizing the work of HIV-positive artists while offering career support."

From here we popped across the street to a restaurant on the south east corner of 23rd and 10th avenue. No, I don't remember the name. I do recall the waiter being funny, the food being sparse and the cost being more than it should have though. Jo, as always, rode her bike. She's a total road warrior - snow and all!

A subway hop home, toss together some cheeses, sausages, crackers, dips and snacks, pop the wine and voila...time to hang out with SJ and his friend before we head to the show. What are we seeing?

Al Di Meola World Sinfonia '09: Fusion Jazz Guitar Legend at The Concert Hall (2 west 64th street). Happily my friend Lisa is back from her holidays at home with family in Italy and was able to join us. The space at the Concert Hall was wonder. Small, almost intimate with a feeling of a modern church (which I think it's used as more often than not.)

The international ensemble was wonderful.

Beautiful sound and well worth trudging out in the snow for!!

If Di Meola comes your way, run, don't walk, to get a ticket or two.

Happy and Sad

It's often the little things isn't it?
Today I had to throw away my mug. The mug that I drink my coffee in. Have that cup of soup in. The mug that makes me smile and maybe even giggle when I pull it out of the cabinet.

It's my foolish Uncle Donut mug that I picked up years ago in the mall at the Peak in Hong Kong at, duh, Uncle Gene's Donuts. They make mini donuts and serve them with a variety of dipping sauces. Perhaps I'll makeit back to the peak of these trips. It's just so out of the way from where my work brings me in HK.

Rather than dwelling, I met up with my friend Allegra for an early breakfast at my local diner, the Metro Diner.

She was in town for an interview and we were lucky to be able to meet up! I figured I'd best take this opportunity to give her her house warming/holiday gift!!

By the way --- if there's anyone who's reading this who needs a wonderfully talented designer of children's clothing/textiles etc., drop me a line as she's just WONDERFUL!!! (Damned layoffs!) Full time? Freelance? Let me know!

It was a wonderful way to start the day after the mug incident.

Thanks for meeting for breakfast!!!

Gypsy!

I was so happy that Sandi and Jason were able to join me for dinner at Hagi followed by this amazing show! As always, [Sake Bar] Hagi was delish!The Pork with garlic sprouts was simple and fantastic . I have a difficult time finding the garlic sprouts in the US. Sometimes I can find them in Chinatown. What are they some have asked? Think chives but thicker and with a garlic flavor. Um - YUM! We of course got the Daikon Radish Salad with its million little eyes from the crispy tiny sardines that top it, a bowl of Pork Ramen, Bonito Sashimi, and grilled Hamachi (Yellowtail collar grilled and served with lemon. Perfect.)

I'm thrilled to have been able to see Patti LuPone in such a wonderful role as Mamma Rose last night. I'd been dying to see Gypsy for months when Monday an email popped up saying this was its last week. LAST WEEK! I sent out an email and a few friends were game to join me (thankfully the email also had discount codes!) Tuesday I dashed to the box office (to save the $10-$15 worth of per ticket fees) and got 3 of the last 10 tickets available. WOW!

It has been said long before now that LuPone was made for this role. She certainly gave it 110%. She must be exhousted at the end of each performance. Boyd Gains portrays an amazing

Herbie. You feel his pain and his love for Mamma Rose. Her more mild manored and wall floweresque daughter, Louise, is played beautifully by Laura Benanti. When she breaks out of her shell she transforms into a beautiful and sexy woman. Really well done.

What a wonderful night.

On the way out, crowds across the street were going crazy as Daniel Radcliff came out after performing in Equus. I'm hoping to see him before he leaves.

So many shows closing. Let's hope that Broadway figures a way to lower ticket prices during this economy before it's gone to a place of no return.

Is it Out with the Old or Onward and Upward?

2008 was a busy and explosive year around my house full of life's ups, downs and surprises.

*Was thrilled to witness a gorgeous wedding - Indian and Puerto Rican - in PR dressed in a beautiful Sari with wonderful friends. (Little did I know there could be more Sari’s in my future.)

*I met a beautiful man in the early summer who I’m blessed to still be in the company of.

*Watched a dear friend, of my age, go through breast cancer, a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy, coming out the other side with her wicked sense of humor still in tact.

*Missed out on another trip to South Africa. (Not that I wasn't invited...I had to work. Grrrr.)

*Designed and finished a felted intarsia handbag for the next book in the Stitch and Bitch series.

*Had all of her travel in the last quarter of the year canceled due to budget cuts. The timing ended up being more perfect then I ever could have expected it to be.

*Learned more than I’d ever expected to about partial nephrectomies and spent a few days and nights in the hospital, bedside, with fingers crossed.

*Was witness to either a miracle or brilliant stroke of pure luck.

*Designed 2 more collections that WILL (with positive thinking) help to keep the company I have worked at for the last 10 years charging ahead in this uncertain economy.

*Rejoiced in the outcome of the election.

*Was blessed with the love, caring and affection of friends far and wide right when I needed it. I’ll never be able to thank you all enough for that.

*Got an approval I’ve waited my entire life to get.

I know I’ve taken some time off from this space...but I’m back...even if it’s a little less often than before. One of these days I’ll be able to just think it and it’ll appear on the screen...until then it’s a constant balancing act!

Looking forward to seeing you all around again... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

NEW PRESS
It's Fedora Season!!! Available at Hats.com!

Stitch and Bitch -- HERE I COME!

Yes, I've been a little quiet these last few months.
Thinking. Going out. Exploring NYC in the summer (I was home all summer for the first time in 10 years!!) Eating. Finding new watering holes. Spending time with friends. Making new friends. Gardening...

And... KNITTING.

Although I'm not sure if I can yet post any photos...I can say...
My piece for the next S-n-B book (the advanced book) is DONE and will soon be in the hands of Ms. Debbie Stoller.

Still need to recolor the chart and write up all of the embroidery instructions... and the lining instructions... oh hell...there's still a lot to do...

BUT THE SAMPLE IS DONE! FELTED! EMBROIDERED! LINED!

YIPPEE!!!

Cheers from China Y'all!! Back stateside in 9 days! Yippee!!!

BEWARE TICKETWEB.COM

THE WORST TICKETING COMPANY EVER!!

I bought tickets to the Times Talk with Anthony Bordain on June 23.
No tickets arrive.
I call the Food and Wine organization who runs the event and I'm told that tickets will be mailed end August.

All other tickets arrive as promised...but the tickets for ONLY THIS EVENT are through TICKET WEB.

I called them today to confirm all was sent out before I travel arriving home for this event on Oct 11.

OOOPS - There was a computer error. They took my money but didn't attach any tickets to the actual order and now the event is sold out. They "really apologize" but "sometimes with computers things happen and I should be pleased to be getting my money back."

Are you kidding me.
Really.

I rearranged my entire trip to come home FOR THIS EVENT...
and now I have no tickets?? They "cannot assist with out of pocket costs in any manor due to their error." So now I've cut my trip short to come home and NOT take my friend for his birthday to see Anthony Bordain?

BASTARDS.
Stay away from TicketWeb.
Now to write a letter to the New York Times.
They should use a more reliable ticketing service.

North Fork - Day 2

After a lovely day and night yesterday with Don, Sandy and family at the pier, we spent a little time at the outlets looking for a wedding gift for SJ to bring to South Africa next week before heading back down the North Fork for a walk down Love Lane and a chat with Sandy at the shop where SJ got a tidying up haircut from the Mastress barber herself!

Next Stop? The tasting menu at the North Fork Table and Inn. Driving through Southhold, you'd likely pass right by this simple yet elegant looking B&B. Do call and book a reservation for a table. The food was delish... but the wine pairing wasn't quite as good. Skip it and get a good bottle instead!!

The Beet Salad was TO DIE FOR. Between the amazing sherry vinaigrette and veg from "The Farm" by K.K. Haspel... add in the micro greens, chives and slightly candied pistachios... and you have YUM!
I enjoyed all of the courses... but this was by far my favorite. I will try to recreate it for sure!!

Off to see Darlene in the morning!! Yippee! South Fork here we come!

North Fork - Day 1

After far too long a hiatus, I decided to head out to the North Fork to visit Sandy and Don and see their new house (which they are doing a wonderful job renovating/decorating by the way!)

SJ and I hopped in his car and zoomed out from NJ arriving right on time enabling us all to hop in Don's truck to spin out east to Claudio's in Greenport to hear Sandy's boss, Frank, and his band rock the pier all afternoon.

Seafood and rock-n-roll on a sunny pier -- sounds great to me!!

Thanks ever-so-much for the hospitality and great day Sandy, Don and family!!

Who's Birthday? SJ's!
Happy Saturday!! Happy Birthday SJ! A little mani-pedi.... some shopping for those last minute things needed for his trip to South Africa and a new 3G iPhone... a picnic in the park and a little food shopping. What a full day!

With little time to cook I was happy to be able to make a fine two-course dinner for SJ's birthday. Always tough when using someone else kitchen, it came out nicely if I do say so myself. It helps that he has good cookware, knives and a nicely stocked spice cabinet!!
Paired with one of the lovely whites we picked up at the 13th Annual Hudson Valley Food and Wine Festival... and with the promise of cheese to end the meal... which we fell asleep before getting to?

Happy Friday!!

Allegra and I try to take each other out for dinner, just we two, each year for our birthdays. I always look forward to it. This year we went to Wallsé. I absolutely loved it. Allegra got the Roasted cod with baby carrots, chanterelles and a ginger carrot reduction -- it was AMAZING!
I thoroughly enjoyed the lamb chops! YUM! We shared their special dessert... the Salzburger Nockerl with Huckleberries. We've decided that we need to go back on a cold evening and order coffee and that dessert again -- YUM! Check out the photos on their website. I shamefully took none as I was so engrossed in the conversation and feeding my hunger!! I know, bad me.

From here we went over to The Spotted Pig to meet up with friends for a birthday drink! Drinks were flowing... people were laughing and new friends were being made all around. Suddenly, Kirk and Will began to belt out an operatic version of Happy Birthday...

It. Was. AWESOME! The entire bar silenced and then burst into applause at the end. I can fairly well guarantee that it was only time Opera has been sung or played in that bar.
Thanks for the wonderful song gentlemen!!!

Thanks to everyone who came out and who sent word! What a great night!!!
Yippee for Birthday Week 2008!

You're leaving NYC on a weeknight?

I KNOW! Shocker.
SJ had a brilliant idea to hit the new-ish IKEA in Red Hook Brooklyn on a weekday so today was the day. I was in and out and the proud owner of a new couch in 1.5 hours! It'll be delivered tomorrow no less! Yeah for fast IKEA service!!!

From there we dashed to Newark to NJ Pac for the continuation of Birthday Week 2008! SJ took me to see the touring performance of Cirque du Soleil's show Saltimbanco. Apparently it's the longest touring show thay have.

It was beautiful. Different from all of the other more gymnastic oriented shows that I've seen by Cirque du Soleil over the years. But it was visually more rich than many of the other shows.

When the show was finished, we dashed back into NYC for dinner at Bond Street in NoHo. I'd been once before and it was still as good as I'd remembered it to be.

What a tasty day - for the eyes, ears, and tongue! What a great day!
Thanks SJ!

If it's Wednesday, it must be Jazz day!

I've been wanting to go hear pianist Hank Jones play at Birdland and SJ joined me as the start of nights out on the town for Birthday Week 2008!
Tonight was the first of 3 nights of Hank Jones and the Hank Jones Quartet playing in celebration of his 90th Birthday.
Sakes alive can that man still play up a storm!! Wooo-who!

I really like Birdland as a venue. The sound is great. I do wish they would do two things.
1. Step up the food a little... I find it a little mediocre. I shouldn't have to add my own spices and lemon juice to the spinach dip to get some flavor out of it...I'm just saying...
The Cheese plate is always a good bet though.

2. Invest in a bottle of Tawny Port behind the bar.

The first set was really good so we decided to stay for the second set and hang out with my girlfriend Hiromi.

As we waited for the second set a man sat at the beautiful blue Grand Piano and began to play. We were enjoying listening to him as audience left and the new audience began to roll in. We asked the manager who was playing... Chevy Chase. (Yes, that Chevy Chase.)

Who knew? Soon after people must have recognized him as photographs began and he got up to return to the bar.
The second set was equally as good. What a great night!!! :-)

Yippee! New Girl! New iMAC!!!!

I've done it...gone to the light and easy side...How can you NOT love a new 24" iMac??

oooooooooooooooooooooooh!!!

SJ and I were at the Short Hills Mall in search of my new iMac. I was trying to decide between the 20" and the 24"... the 24" won. (yippee!!!!!)

But then there came one small problem...

HOW TO GET IT HOME to NYC IN HIS CAR?Can't quite see? Let me give you a close-up...
Top down, on my lap all the way home...
No rain...
What a fun way to kick off Birthday Week!
Weeeeeeeee!

The 13th Annual Hudson Valley Food and Wine Festival

A bus, a train, a cab...Marlboro, NY
17 Vineyards...
62 wines...
Dips, Wine Ice Creams and cheese...

YUM!

Top of the Tower

On our way to dinner tonight we stopped for a drink at the Top of the Tower bar at the top of the Beekman Tower Hotel (near the UN). Look at that VIEW!!! Wonderful!!

Great Night!

Thanks to all who came by for the Potluck BBQ - there were over 30 of you, and BOY did you all bring some amazing foods!! Please share any photos that you may have taken! I was all too busy at the grill for the first half. I did get some fun dancing shots though in the second, disc, half!

The party is cleaned up after save for washing the floor. But that, that's for tomorrow morning.

Bring on the sleep!

Day 2 - PR Indian Wedding

Today was all about relaxing, getting some beach in and prepping for tomorrow!

I enjoyed some time under the big umbrellas oceanside.
No burning for me!! Jo and Manu arrived today with Theoden and we all moved into our own unit...which we got an upgrade on (you don't get it if you don't ask...I asked!)

A lovely spot directly overlooking the gazebo where the wedding will be tomorrow night!

Early evening we all rolled to the nearby watering hole for cocktails and to watch the sun set. I've given up on fighting curly hair in this climate! :-)

After the cocktails we headed back to Tiffany and Sandi's for some hot dogs and hamburgers and some more listening to the sounds of the ocean!

Perhaps even a cigar or two.

Wedding day coming up! Tomorrow!!! Yippee!

Modern Indian Wedding Anyone?

Day one

I was so touched to be invited to Karthika and Luis's wedding festivities in Isabella, Puerto Rico...and of course jumped at the chance to go!

Today I flew in, rented the car and food shopped.

Got to the resort and awaited the arrival of Radhika since I would be sharing a room with she and her parents for the first night.

A little lunch at the resort as I began to run into familiar and friendly faces. We headed to one of the Uncles suites for some lounging on the patio with beers and local fried yummies. Suddenly and with little warning...the rains hit -- typhoon strength!

The party dissolved rather fast and suddenly I was left wet and homeless!!

I dashed to my rental car where I turned on the heat so I could dry and waited for Radhika to arrive. Thankfully it was only a few hours nap before I got the call that they were here.

Dropped the bags, met up with the bride and drove her to her preliminary hair appointment in town.

You wouldn't think it could possibly take 3 hours to curl someones hair...but in this lovely little local spot she didn't have hot rollers or a large barreled curling iron...tick tick tick...Pre Pre-party at 8pm and counting.

*****BBBBBBBRING*****

Karthika's cell phone rings...the resort has no electricity. The party...the catered party...is at a condo at this same resort. Slight bride worry...

Hair done after 3 hours of the both of us using our pidgen Spanish to define the needs. Dash back to the house. Change and dress in whatever we could easily do in the dark... and...voila...

The KICK OFF to festivites...

It. WAS. WONDERFUL!

And...just as we all had realized how beautiful the party was by candle light...the power came back on!

Phew

1 broken necklace...
19 randomly scattered beads....
Stiletto heals (OK, OK- I know-but they were cute when I left!)...
A dear friend Bill...
And one absurdly large couch (too large for the space it consumed for 8 years) OUT OF MY APARTMENT!
After the D
5 course, 6 wine tasting dinner tonight...remind me tomorrow where these crazy scratches covering my arms came from!
Weeeee! Couch shopping time!

Flaming

Muffled chant...undecypherable.
Sounds of a screaming crowd.
Low murmuring.

These are the unusual sounds that woke me this morning from the 17th floor of my hotel on Nathan Road in Hong Kong.

"What is that? Did I leave the TV on?" I think to myself. Open one eye. No TV. Open the other. The sliver of open curtain is streaming in morning light.

It took a little while for me to wake enough to realize and remember what the stir was. Crowds had gathered since early morning to wait for their chance to see the Olympic torch pass by.

A look at the clock -- 7:30am...and hour before my alarm. A little while longer to rest. Shower. Breakfast and head out to my appointment.

All exits are massed with people. I decide to have a peek at the noise and scene. There were Chinese flags being proudly waved and masses of people in red shirts (people had been encouraged by the government to wear them in solidarity and support of the games.)

There were a few people protesting about democracy and China to my left with the crowds surrounding them chanting over them as loudly as possible to drown them out. Suddenly, not 15 seconds after I'd left the hotel the crowd swelled. The noise, WOW. Why? The torch was passing by.

I was able to get a few shots of the torch by lifting my camera over head. My view was that of - torch - no torch - torch - no torch - as I saw it bop over the heads of the crowds.

What a great way to start the day. Such a proud passion from the people.

Hmmm...now to fight the crowds to get to the subway. Let's hope they're equally as friendly then.

A MUST READ & I must now knit

Something those of you who have been reading my babble for years may or may not know about me... I lLOOOVE hardcover books. They just FEEEEL GOOOD in my hands. I travel the world often toting a hardcover book or two along. I read paperbacks when that's all that's available, but give me a good hard cover volume any day!
I don't understand how people can read books only on their PDAs/Pocket computers - no offense to those of you who can. If I got the same joy from that, there would be SO MUCH more space in my New York City apartment.

Yes, I love books and I keep them. I buy them and keep them. Which is good news for publishers, but not for space within my apartment. I blame it on my parents.

Why the topic of hardcover books?

While eating my breakfast at my desk in a factory in the remote suburbs of Dongguan, I just finished a truly funny book that I've carried with me around China.

Julie and Julia by Julie Powell

Some of you may know her from back in the early days of blogging when many of us followed along with her Project. Then the book was published and there is (slightly old) news of the book being optioned for a MOVIE with names like Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and Stanley Tucci being thrown around!! EXCITING!!!!

You can see a VidLit selection from the book here.


The premise...well if you'd read the blog you'd know now wouldn't you? But in case you didn't...

1 self proclaimed Government Drone living in a shitty loft apartment in Queens decides to make all 536 recipes in the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 by Julia Child. I have a copy of it. It's a legend in the cook book world...and quite an undertaking since she gave herself the deadline of a single year to complete it all. She wrote about the Project through out the year in her blog. Has a great sense of humour with a proclivity for dropping f*bombs to strike home the point and will leave you wanting more.


Buy the book.

Read the book.

It's damned funny.


It had me laughing out loud on the subways of New York City, while I waited for my turn in the chair for an unexpected root canal and in the Shanghai airport as I waited in the queues (as written about here.)


The funny thing about reading in public (RIP) as opposed to knitting in public (KIP). When I KIP I find people are intrigued and stare and wonder, often asking, "what are you making?" But when I RIP and dare to laugh out loud, which I do often when something strikes me as funny, people look at me as though I'm being rude. It's as though I'm laughing at a joke that they worry either concerns them or that they are missing. Hell with it. Let 'em think they're missing out...perhaps they are. They should go get the book and read it themselves. (Julie - is it printed in Chinese yet? The pages I've read to my team with the help of translation have had them laughing too!) But the book is done. This brought to the realization that I don't have another book with me.


What does this mean? This means my Adjusted Incan Pullover [tunic] is going to be worked on again. I'm about 1/3 of the way finished with it. You all know how much I love to knit...but a girl can only take so much plain old knitting. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I put in some short rows to allow it to fit nicely over my curves. That was fun. Now it's back to the plain knit. It's good to do in the movie theatre, on a plane or when watching TV...but can be boring when I'm looking for something mind fulfilling...even stripes would help. I know, I picked it. It will be very cute! I look forward to wearing it.

Cotton Millefili Fine by Lifatura Di Crosa (which slits a little when using 5s), in a beautiful orange with white accents. Oooh, it'll go so nicely with the white pique trousers that I'm having made.

I need a knitting afternoon with the girls. That would help me get along with it. Oh yah. I'm in China. Hmmm...maybe on May 1st? I'll be in HK and it's a holiday! Or the afternoon of May 2nd? Hong Kong Ladies? Are you free?


But that's neither here nor there for now. I've fascinators to design today. The days are ticking away. I can't believe May comes in a few days. This whole thing about having no assistant (qualified or other) due to budget cuts due to our lousy economy due to... *sigh*

It just sucks. Thankfully I'll have the aid of my friends' niece again for the actual photo shoot days. I absolutely need to have someone there to assist on those days since I'm acting as Design Director, Producer and Art Director.


Samples are all due in NYC in two weeks. Photo shoot process starts in 8 days.

I guess I'd better go finish designing the collection eh?

Tailor Made

Upon landing in Shenzen, Mag and driver Ho picked me up at the airport and we went for my second visit to this new-to-me tailor.
I'd had some trousers made on my last trip but they just weren't quite right.

To be fair, they were made and messengered up to me without time for a proper fitting. I have a very different shaped body than the locals in this region...they don't have curves...neither did my trousers.


So we went for both a fitting and to arrange some further items.

I was measured from top to bottom, side to side and all around.

Fingers crossed I'll have some fun things to wear on my trip to PR end of next month!!

The first picture taken was the one above with the tailor and the eldest daughter. Very soon the younger daughter raised a fit because she wanted her photo taken too!

I really like this photo with the girls. The youngest girl is really precosious.

Fingers crossed -- let's see how things fit at the end of this week!!!

Taking it Easy

This is hysterical to me. For the first time in YEARS I've planned this trip to China allowing it to move at a human pace rather than 18 hour days with 5 hours of sleep and commuting.

I'm in Shanghai being driven to the airport by my factory manager.
He speaks no English other than, "OK?" and "Please." Oh, and "Bye-bye", but that's what they say in Chinese too.
He took an alternate route after we're stuck in traffic...or rather. A U-turn into the opposite direction.
And, well...after 3 dead ends and 5 u-turns...I think he's now lost.

Oop- he just asked again which airport by repeating the airports name to me.

We drive, turn around.

Drive.

Turn around. And suddenly, after appearing to have not been going in any certain direction...
We arrive! Shanghai Hongqiaio International Airport (or what's called the local airport.)

Pull up to drop-off, park in the yellow zone and he walks me in.

Ahhh. Crisp spring day. Just the right breeze. Perfect temperature. Flight time!

***Looking at the board***
***Looking at e-ticket***
***Looking at e-ticket & board with manager***

My flight isn't listed. This never means well.

***We're walking***

Customer Assistance counter #1.
I explain in English. Factory manager explains in Chinese. We are directed to Customer Assistance #2.

***We're walking***

Factory manager pushed through the random crowd to the front.

"Chinese-Chinese-Chinese".
Finger pointing.
Paper writing.

I'm ushered to desks 67-74 for check-in.

Hand shake.
Smile.
"Bye bye."
Factory manager is off - hopefully is car is OK still in that yellow zone.

Daunting line ahead of me. I am again reminded that there is no such thing as personal space in China. None. Something those who are coming to Beijing for the Olympics should keep in mind. People behind me are practically standing on my luggage as the line crawls along.
The British know how to queue. I've witnessed the Japanese do a nice queue. To totally generalize...the Chinese, at least those at this airport, in this line...they suck at queuing. It's less a queue and more a slowly moving mosh pit. I made the terrible error of stopping for half a moment to long to open my water and they began walking OVER me. Literally.
Somehow when you shout expletives at people and they don't understand anything but the tone of your voice as you pull their luggage off of your shoulder, somehow you don't quite get the same satisfaction.

***crawling***

***more crawling***

Ah-ha! I'm up! E-ticket. Passport as ID. Loading luggage up.

"No luggage." She says.

***deer in headlights look***

"No luggage?" I ask.

"No flight. No luggage."

She takes my e-ticket & passport and walks away. No words. No explanation.
5 minutes pass.
10 minutes pass.
I wait - as if there's another choice with this woman holding my passport in hand.
She returns. She keeps giving me these looks like I am putting her out and I should be ashamed of myself. Scribbling on a paper in Chinese of course--and not just in the spaces provided. I wonder what she's writing?
My flight was cancelled. From her pointing at the calendar, I think she means it was cancelled 3 days ago. That's nice.

I'm directed to another terminal. To another airline. To another flight.

Holding onto the Chinese paper like it's gold...
***I'm walking***

Leaving terminal B entering terminal A... FWAP!

A wall of heat. Of course. Terminal B isn't air conditioned. That's nice.

I see the desks she had sent me to. I queue. I wait. I'm smiling. My turn!

"We are not servicing this flight. Go to desks 1-10."

***I'm walking***

It's now that I stop to appreciate the value of good wheels on a suitcase.
Thank you Swiss Army for making my fabulous and easy to wheel orange suitcase.

***I'm still walking***

I see the desks she had sent me to ahead at the end of the terminal. I queue. I wait. I'm smiling. My turn!

The air at the desks is at least 15F degrees hotter with no air circulation. The staff is happy. Yah, that's it. I hand over the "Golden Paper" and e-ticket and passport. She first gives me this "you've GOT to be kidding me" look...which is followed by a series of looks like I am putting her out and I should be ashamed of myself. (Are they all taught this look?)

She sighs. Pokes around the keyboard then takes the paper, leaving my passport etc. there on the desk and walks away.

3 minutes pass and those in line behind me begin to get restless. One woman pops ahead, passing others and bangs her fist on the desk front ledge apparently demanding to know whether someone was coming back. It was then she noticed me standing there. One heck of an observation I might say since I'm the only Caucasian that I've seen in this entire terminal. I don't exactly blend. She sizes me up - I wonder what she's thinking. SHE gives me the look that I AM obviously putting her out. I smile. She sighs, throws her hands in the air and resumes her spot in line. That's nice. See Mom, I'm making friends.

Over 15 minutes later the counter lady returns with a boarding pass for me and allows my luggage to go through into the x-ray machine.

***We wait. ***

2 minutes. 4 minutes. 8 minutes.

I can SEE my passport with it's frosty new friend, the boarding pass, under her hand. She's grins for the first time as she apparently reads a text on her phone that's out of sight under the desk and replies. Stoic look returns to her face.

"Luggage failed x-ray. Please go there." Pointing I see my luggage being hoisted onto a table. I guess I should now tell you that although the WHEELS are good on this luggage, the main pouches zipper pulls had been made of tin foil and all broke off on it's first voyage. I unzip the front pocket and pull out a large bobby pin which I proceed to thread through the zipper pull base and unzip my suitcase. This, of course, brings on very odd looks by the security agent assigned to my bag. He's now watching me extra closely. I'm crafty. I can feel it. There are many other agents all carefully watching as well...because only my suitcase was being searched and they all had nothing else to do.

Over the years I've had my luggage searched dozens of times. Each time they open the suitcase gently poke around and close it, doing what I consider to be a half-assed exercise in time wasting. This fellow I must confess was a master at the luggage search. I have large rectangular inner bags that I pack everything in within my luggage so I can keep things tidy and organized as I got from hotel to hotel. Everything including clothes fit into these 4 bags. I began this last year and it's surely the way to go! He took each bag out, unzipped unloaded, touched, poked and repacked. Every item in my toiletries was opened and sniffed. Every compact, eyeshadow etc was opened and sniffed. (How does he know what is something that shouldn't be sniffed?)

I waited. I repacked the bag. He nods. I go back to the friendly counter to retrieve my passport, boarding pass and e-ticket and was on my sweaty way! Yippee!

***I'm walking***

Back to the start of the terminal for the ID and handy-carry luggage security check.

I queue. I wait. I'm smiling. My turn! Aces! Passport check A-OK!

Now for the x-ray of my hand-carry...
Computer, computer bag and purse.

My necklace goes off as I pass through -- which I know because they so thoroughly wanded me that for the second time this week I'm not sure if I should be grinning or if I was just violated.

I'm called over to the security desk where all staff is standing around my purse. Because, only my purse is being searched. Everything is removed. Every lotion is smelled. Every lipstick and lip balm too. I am allowed to return it all to my purse when I see that another table has my computer bag with a new group of folks standing around to observe this.

Everything is removed and opened. Computer wires uncoiled. At one point she takes the 3 black large Sharpies in her hand and removes all caps and smelled them all at once. She nearly fell over...and yes, I refrained from smiling or laughing. No, I'm not sure how.
The near empty bag run through the x-ray again. Aces! Reload the bag.

NOW I'm on my way! Still smiling.

Accept for the plane delay...but that's another story for another day.

From Dani...If I've done it it's bolded.
If you want to do this, cut & paste and drop me a comment so I know where to look!

Life’s To Do List

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger (and dated for a while)
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 10 provinces (Kimberli asks to whoever made this list...of where?"
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends (had? still have!)
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane (does sitting in the flight deck count?)
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146: Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150: Saved someone’s life