I am a doughnut! (a jelly doughnut, to be exact)

I just celebrated the New Year in Germany the traditional way - with jelly doughnuts, known as "Berliners" (because they originated in Berlin). And oh my golly were they yummy. I had to fight off the strong desire to have another.

I feel like JFK on his 1963 visit to Berlin, when he triumphantly declared, "Ich bin ein Berliner," meaning to say that he was one with the people of Berlin, or a citizen of Berlin. But some interpreted his words to mean "I am a jelly doughnut." (The critics say he should have said, "Ich bin Berliner" - whatever!)

But after eating that delicious doughnut, I am definitely feeling one with the people of Edelman Hamburg who brought me this tasty late afternoon treat and, um, cultural experience.

Les Marchés de Noël de Belgique

Last weekend, my friend Kate and I went to Belgium to shop the Christmas markets. We first went to Liege (took the Eurostar via Brussels) where we spent the day on Saturday, then went to Brussels on Sunday.

I selected Liege because I read on the Internet that the city hosts the largest Christmas market in Belgium with 200+ stalls of food, drink, presents and crafts. Because of this, they call it "Christmas Town." What's not to like about that to get into the holiday spirit?

We left on Friday evening from the new Eurostar terminal at the newly restored St. Pancras Station in London (it's rather grand with a very nice champagne bar on the upper level). We arrived in Brussels about two hours later, then caught a commuter train that landed us in Liege in about another hour and a half (we were on a very slow train with many stops). We got to Liege around 11:30pm.

Liege is the third largest city in Belgium behind Brussels and Antwerp. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was not a pretty city. The weather was pretty cold, grey and awful, so that didn't exactly cast a nice light to help matters. I should have suspected it's not a stop on the tourist trail given my Lonely Planet guide to Europe didn't even bother including it.

Anyway, Kate and I stayed at a hotel located in the "Outremeuse" neighborhood, as it is on the other side of the river Meuse from the city's historic center...sort of like the left bank of Paris, only Liege is not in any way like Paris, except for the fact that like most European cities, it has a river running through it and the people speak French.

I'm still a bit confused by the city. Nowhere did I read that it was ugly or strange, which was my first impression. I read it had some interesting churches, museums and cobblestone streets. But it's charm (if there was any) was completely lost on Kate and I - it seemed like the city time had forgotten, with evidence of some past grandeur, all of which had seemingly fallen into neglect and decay. And whatever architecture wasn't old was just plain.....ugly.

The Christmas market (Le Marche Noel, to be native) wasn't so bad, and its appeal actually grew on us as the day and evening went on. It is located in the city's vast but unimpressive main square (backed by an old palace that is in need of a good power-washing), peppered with all the little log cabins and a big gaudy ferris wheel. 

The majority of the cabins offered food and drink -- waffles, sausages, chocolate, vin chaud (hot red wine), cider, fruit-infused vodkas, french fries (served with mayonnaise), assorted cheeses, cotton candy (or candy floss as they call it here), a local savoury dish that looked like mac and cheese, beer, bars of nougat with almonds, crepes/pancakes (cherry, apple and banana), homemade candy, hot baked Cammebert....it was a feast for the eyes and all deliciously tempting. There was also an assortment of craft booths with a variety of small treasures....ornaments, wooden games, candles, jewellry, pottery, etc.

We started the day at a warm and bustling little cafe and bakery we found off the main square. Obviously a popular spot with the locals, we had a couple coffees, Kate had a warm goat cheese salad and I had a delicious ham and mushroom quiche. It was a nice haven for what seemed to be such a strange place.

Over the next few hours, we browsed all the stalls, picked up a few gifts, enjoyed a delicious fresh waffle and warmed up with some vin chaud (many of the booths served Gluwein, a popular German hot red wine that was a yummy revelation to me).

Around 4pm, we strayed from the market to explore beyond the main square and see what else was in the city center. Though still a seemingly deserted city (or maybe it was just the dreary rainy weather that kept the world indoors), there were a couple streets full of antique shops and art galleries - so clearly there is some culture to be found in Liege, perhaps enhanced on a nicer day. We also came across a couple old churches/cathedrals and climbed the massive "Buren Stairs" which provided a sweeping view of the city from the top (and also reminded me how dreadfully out of shape I am as I found myself winded during the climb).

Our wander ended with a stop in a sweet little cafe and chocolate shop where I picked up some more treats. It had started to rain, so Kate and I stopped into a cute little bar on the main square. We enjoyed a couple Chimay Bleu beers, which are 9% alcohol (I love Chimay, it's so good and served in big fun round glasses) so we felt warm and dizzy after. 

We ate dinner at a rather fancy restaurant called Nun's, tucked away in an old building by the Buren stairs. We walked into the almost hidden entrance and found ourselves in a warm downstairs area with a swanky little lounge. There were two levels of the restaurant which served different cuisine. Downstairs was "continental" and upstairs was Thai. We chose the Thai option and went upstairs to a lofty and light dining room where we enjoyed some appetizers and curries. It was pretty good.

After dinner, we were compelled to go back to the market, which by that time seemed like a completely transformed place. Much prettier at night, all the stalls were alight and it had turned into an all-out festive and crowded party. Only then did we understand the allure of the Christmas Market. It's not about daytime shopping, but about a place that locals from all around can come together to enjoy time with their friends and family over lots of food and drink. The place was packed, with people warming themselves under the propane heaters drinking and eating all the warm yummies. We stuck around for another glass of vin chaud and enjoyed being part of the crowd as we talked and people-watched. By this point, the weekend had become a rather enjoyable experience. 

Before leaving the market, we stopped at one last food stall where Kate got another waffle (the batter goes into the waffle iron as a ball of dough rather than a liquid, which is what I think makes the consistency so nice and delicious), and I got an apple pancake - which was doused with powdered sugar and then folded and eaten like a thick crepe -- oh my golly was it good. We ate on the go as we crossed the river back to our hotel.

As we arrived back to our hotel on the dark, rainy street, we had to stop and laugh. A dark and foreboding looking building, the hotel sported a green neon light that ran the length of the hotel, with an accompanying green neon sign that said "Hotel." It looked like something out of a Martin Scorcese film. We laughed quickly though and ran inside -- it was not the kind of street that said "hang out and stay for awhile silly tourist girls..."

Neither one of us slept well that night. The street outside was very noisy all night with lots of loud people passing by, car alarms going off, and a man who seemed to be locked out of a place across the street at about 4am who yelled up to a window for about an hour in a language that couldn't be identified. Though we should have been angry when we both woke up the next morning with dark circles under our eyes (that was strange), all we could do was laugh. It was an adventure. It was funny.

We packed up our stuff and went downstairs for breakfast. We had a local Leige specialty which was like a rice pudding in a quiche-like form...it was good. The lady who ran the hotel was very nice and called us a taxi to the train station when we were finished. I was really impressed with Kate's French. She did all the talking for us and though she said her French was bad, I found her to be quite good.

Feeling we had seen all we wanted to of Leige, we got the heck out of dodge and took the train to Brussels. It must have been an express train, because the ride back was a bit shorter with only a couple stops.

We arrived in Brussels around noon, put our bags in a locker at the train station, then took a taxi to the Christmas Market in St. Catherine's Square. This was a pretty big market too, running the length of the long, rectangular square next to the cathedral and also sporting an ice skating rink and ferris wheel. This market was more crafts than food, but there was still plenty of vin chaud and waffles to satisfy the round of seconds we knew we would want later.

After browsing the stalls, we went for a late lunch/early dinner on the square where we each had a big lovely pot of moulets et frites (mussels and french fries) - a Belgian specialty. Yum. Then, we walked out (in the rain again) and it seemed the temperature had dropped by about twenty degrees. We then went into the old cathedral and had a look at the exhibition of Russian icons on display, then went back to the waffle stand at the market where we each had one last hot Belgian waffle -- this time served with a hefty dusting of powdered sugar AND melted warm chocolate. I have one word about this....no, two: YUM and GLUTTONY.

Stomachs uncomfortably full, we set out to find a taxi which proved to be really hard. Walking around the city in the drizzly rain, Brussels put me in mind of a smaller Paris. We finally got a taxi about a half hour later and made it back to the station about an hour before our train left.

A successful shopping trip, I left with an array of lovely chocolates (including a bag of butter truffles which truly do melt like butter in the mouth), some hard candy flavoured with violet, a few bars of nougat with almond (one of which I just finished consuming myself this morning, it was a big bar that took a few days to get through), two wooden puzzle games, a couple wooden ornaments, two silk pashminas for gifts, a gorgeous set of painted glass ornaments of the three wise men (those are keepsakes for me), and some very nicely-scented French soaps.

I had (appropriately) brought the book "Chocolat" with me which I read on the ride home. It is a REALLY great book -- I am almost finished with it, and think I will be sad when it ends! It is one of the most enjoyable books I have read, and after a weekend filled with chocolate, I am completely into it. Actually, it has given me the delusion that I would like to learn to make chocolate and open a shop. Could it be that Liege, of all places, has been the inspiration for my next career?   

The Stroopwafel

While visiting my friend Kate in Amsterdam last weekend, I discovered the Stroopwafel. Two super-thin small crispy waffles pasted together with a thin layer of gooey vanilla syrup. And boy are they delicious, the perfect partner for coffee. I've since discovered that EAT, a sandwich shop chain in London also makes/sells them under the name "Toffee Waffles." However, they are not as good, so the original will have to remain a guilty pleasure when in the Netherlands.

Tokyo Overload

I just returned from a week in Tokyo for work, and you might find this shocking, but I LOVED it! Ha ha ha, I know you people think I LOVE everything, but I really REALLY loved it! I can’t help it, I have chronic world love.



Clueless Arrival in Another New Land

We arrived on Sunday morning, and thanks to a surprise upgrade to first class on BA, I slept like a proper person so I didn’t feel wrecked when I got there. I was travelling with two colleagues/friends, Kath and Sheryl. We decided upon arrival (based on no real evidence) that the train would be the fastest and easiest way to get into the city. So we purchased tickets and promptly got on the wrong train, a fact we realised about 15 minutes into the ride. After some mass confusion over train maps we couldn’t read or understand, we managed to get off at the correct stop where we connected to the subway to get to our hotel. We navigated the subway pretty well, although our very large and heavy suitcases were problematic, given lifts aren’t very prevalent in the Tokyo subway, but lots and lots and lots of stairs are. That was fun. At one point, a little man about the same size as Kath’s suitcase helped carry hers down the steps. About 3+ hours later (like I said….train…..fast and easy!), we came out of the subway to find ourselves in the rain and lost. Visibly confused, an English-speaking man pointed us in the right direction, and 15 minutes later we arrived at the Westin Hotel (in the Ebisu neighbourhood) soaking wet. It’s good to arrive at foreign destinations looking swell like that.

One Sentence about Work
(the details of which must remain highly confidential to sustain the air of mystery I am nurturing….is it working?)

We worked all day every day, Monday – Thursday, and a bit on Friday. But there were a few outings to get out and have some fun. I didn’t sleep a whole lot. Here are the highlights, not in chronological order:

Innovative Toilets, Clear Umbrellas, Taxi Doors that Open on Their Own, and Talking Jumbo-trons

I always start with food, so I’m going to do something a little different and begin with the next logical thing: toilets. Toilets in Japan are the Mercedes Benz of the category compared to anything I have seen. The seats are heated, and attached to the side is an electrical console (which somehow seems dangerous) with an array of bidet functions and a button to make false flush noises in the event you need to mask any undesirable sounds for others in the bathroom. And taking that point a step further, at the office where I was working, each toilet stall has a motion sensor so that when you go in and sit down, a little speaker loudly emits “white noise” along with the sound of chirping birds -- quite a startling thing for a first-timer. But once you get over the initial surprise, it’s kind of like being in an electric rainforest.

Speaking of, it rained the first two days there, which allowed us to see a bit of iconic Tokyo – clear umbrellas. Most everyone carries them. White handles and clear plastic tops, a sea of them covering the streets and sidewalks. It’s whimsical. I was going to buy one myself to take home, but decided the effect would somehow be lost in London.

Then there are the taxi doors that open and close all on their own -- very “Mr. Roboto.” The taxis are immaculately clean, however they all smell faintly of stale cigarette smoke. You can smoke in taxis, on trains and everywhere really (and the Japanese certainly do)….which is odd after living in smoke-free cities for the past 7 years.

In Times Square in NYC, there are jumbo-trons everywhere (the super size video screens that hover over the city broadcasting all sorts of mindless crap), but they are silent. In Tokyo, there are more of them, and they all emit sound, so there is a constant buzz of loud Japanese noise coming from everywhere in the streets….voices and sounds all talking over each other. Guess the noise saved by no slamming taxi doors is replaced with talking jumbo-trons. It’s wacky.

Ok, now for the Food!

Holy deliciousness! We had a few really stellar sushi/sashimi-filled meals – one at a place atop a 30-floor building (the name of which I can’t remember). It was close to our hotel in Ebisu. The food was great and the surrounding views of the city were magnificent. I haven’t really seen a city like Tokyo since Mexico City, in that you can only see big city in every direction to the horizon….it dwarfs Manhattan from an aerial view perspective, it’s extremely fantastic.

My favourite thing at that meal was this savoury crème brulee-type texture thing (made from bean curd) with mushrooms and some other yummies in it. It was served hot in a little pot with a lid and was so rich and delicious. I will need to find out what it is called on the Internet (because, um, just asking the waiter would have been too pedestrian). There was also an assortment of sashimi and sushi that just kept coming and coming and coming, as well as grilled meat kabobs and a passion-fruity granita/sorbet type thing for dessert.

Another standout meal was Thursday night at a Korean BBQ where we sat around the little tables (I forget what you call them, but they are the tables you sit around on cushions on the floor and your feet go down in the little well-like area underneath). There were plenty of vegetarian options, but it was mostly all platters of thinly-sliced raw meats that you cooked yourself on a central charcoal grill in the middle of the table. I don’t really eat red meat, so I just had fun cooking it all (I love anything that requires cooking with tongs). I did try a little taste…it was pretty good, for meat, that is.

Karaoke, Western-Style (pictures to come)

After the Korean BBQ, we decided to go be very predictable and sing some karaoke. So a group of about 15 of us went to a karaoke place, rented a small room complete with a dynamically lit “stage,” got lots and lots and lots of drinks and set out to be rock stars. All I’ll say about this in summary is 1) we were there for about 4+ hours, 2) there were three microphones in circulation that were being grabbed at by all the entire night, 3) singing was not enough - soon into it, we pushed the tables aside so we could dance as well, 4) did I mention the drinks never ended? and 5) if I never hear another Bon Jovi or Aerosmith song again in my life, that’s just fine. One of our Korean colleagues made some astute observations about westerners and karaoke - such as - we do not respect the microphone, nor do we really try and sing (yelling would be the best description). Oh, and the crazy dancing on the furniture was a new twist for him. So see, it was truly a cross-cultural learning exercise.

Tsukiji Central Fish Market Visit(still decked out in all-night party clothes and trying to mitigate emanate hangovers)

Around 4am, we got kicked out of the karaoke place and a few us decided to take advantage of being awake at the early hour and go to the Tsukiji Central Fish Market (3-6am is prime time for seeing the market at it’s busiest). Tsukiji is the largest (and perhaps best) seafood market in the world. So, five of us piled into a taxi, went back to the hotel to grab our cameras and went on our way. I don’t think anyone was remarkably sober at this point, and being completely exhausted added another fun dimension to the mix. Anyway, the taxi at the hotel wouldn’t let the five of us in his car to go together, so we split up. Sheryl and I were in one car, and three other colleagues (who I’ll leave un-named to protect their integrity) went in the other. We didn’t have our phones on us, but figured we’d just meet up at the market…I mean, how hard could it be to find each other once there? Ha ha ha ha ha…. After waiting on the corner for about 10 minutes (after a 20 minute taxi ride in the dark with our crazy driver driving like a bat out of hell), Sheryl and I figured perhaps there were too many corners at which to be dropped, so we’d find our colleagues inside, a hypothesis that quickly vanished as soon as we got into the place and realised how freaking big and crazy it is.

Tsukiji is a massive high-energy expanse of a market buzzing with workers on foot and ripping around on motorised seafood movers (for lack of the right word). Poor Sheryl was still a little tipsy and groggy and had a few near-death experiences. The workers are there to do their jobs, not cater to tourists, so it’s look at your own risk while trying really hard to not get run over by a motorised vehicle carrying a very large fish.

We cautiously made our way down several long and mesmerising maze-like rows of gigantic fresh (and frozen) fish of every variety on earth. Lots of blood-red tuna, big-eyed red snapper and brilliantly silvery sleek mackerel. And then there were endless creepy crawlies from every layer of the sea -- all still alive in hundreds and hundreds of tanks and trays everywhere. We’re talking scallops bigger than my head, octopus, squid, fish eggs (roe), shellfish I had never seen before of massive sizes, crabs, lobsters, eels (lots of live eels and fish in tanks as well), sea urchins, buckets of white bait, prawns (shrimp) of all sizes, monster clams with massive tails….I mean, how is there anything left in the sea after all that fishing?? And do they get rid of most of it in a day’s time? I’m sure it gets exported all over the world, but geezy, I’ve never seen anything like that. And the amazing part is that the market does not smell overly fishy, a sign that it’s all literally right out of the water.

The Sushi Breakfast of Champions

Sheryl and I were running out of energy and getting increasingly hungry as the hangovers set in, so we left the central market and went looking for a sushi place recommended by my city guide to have breakfast. It was right off the market, so we were able to get there in a few minutes. Even though we kind of knew where we were going, Sheryl asked for directions about three times because she was having fun practicing her Japanese. For 6am, there was lots of laughing and general silliness as we stumbled along. We got to the place (Daiwa Sushi, Building 6!) and were extremely pleased be seated immediately at the tiny 12-15 seat sushi bar. We got there just in the nick of time…when we left about 20-25 minutes later, there was queue that had formed outside. This sushi was incredible, so fresh from the sea, you could tell just by looking that it might jump right off the plate. There was no menu selection, the sushi chef just kept placing pieces and rolls on our plate over the counter until we had to signal for him to stop before we burst. Along with the sushi, we also got miso soup (with fish in it) and green tea….all for a very reasonable 7,000 yen (that’s about £28) for the both of us. After eating and feeling very full, we walked out into the daylight, left the market, dove into a cab and tried to keep our eyes open to the hotel. I fell into bed and got about 4.5 hours sleep. But I had it easy, some of my colleagues had to go straight to meetings and make presentations at 9am….

Friday night: More Delicious Food and Some Friendly Yelling

The last meal I should mention was last night (Friday) at a place called Inakaya in Roppongi, the same neon-lit neighbourhood where we did karaoke the night before. I went with Kath, Sheryl and another colleague, Oscar (he goes by Ren-Ren, but I prefer Oscar). Catering more to the tourist crowd, diners sit around a long communal table surrounded by baskets of fresh seafood and vegetables that you pick from. In front of the table are two chefs who prepare and cook your food right in front of you and deliver it to your seat via long paddles. There’s also lots of yelling in Japanese between the waiters and cooks that I couldn’t understand, but the atmosphere was lively and jovial. We had the most beautiful platter of sashimi I have ever seen (see pictures via the link at the bottom of this post) with mackerel (served with its beautiful silvery skin still on), tuna, salmon, sea urchin, and octopus. It was stellar. We also had prawns the size of small lobsters served with fresh sprigs of lemongrass, succulently fried red snapper (it was decadent), tiny little red crabs that you eat whole (I might be a crab-loving gal from Maryland, but even THAT was weird for me….I made Sheryl try it first), buttery soft beef kabobs, teriyaki spring onions, steamed mushrooms, amazing grilled asparagus, and some large grapes for dessert. Oh, I also had two boxes of sake.

“Advent Calendar-Style” Tokyo Night Life & a Little Lost in Translation

After dinner at Inakaya, we walked around the block to a building that had a sign outside listing what appeared to be a few bars inside. Kath told us that lots of buildings in Tokyo have a cluster of different bars in them on every floor, and you just kind of go in, get on the lift, press every button and see what’s on each floor. So that’s what we did. The top two floors did not produce any results. We got off the lift into stark, empty hallways with non-descript doors. The first door we opened seemed to be someone’s apartment with some people sitting around (“oops” sorry!). When we opened the next door, a Japanese man dressed as a geisha rushed towards us and told us they were full and we couldn’t come in. That was strange. It seemed like maybe it was more of a private “gentlemen’s” club. The third door we opened brought us into a very stark and modern bar/lounge – everything was white, but there was no one in it.

We had one more door to try on the second floor, at the end of the hallway, with a sign over it that read “Rush Hour.” We opened it and were almost immediately greeted by a waiter who rushed toward us with a smile asking “4 people?” and beckoned us to follow him to a table….we didn’t really have a choice but to go in. We left our shoes at the door with all the others and stepped into a small dark room with about 3 long tables, two long white vinyl booths on either side, a giant gold Buddha that took up most of one wall, and a small semi-circular bar sunk into the ground. It was very small and dimly lit with mirrors on the far end wall. You had to climb over the back of one of the white banquettes to get to the other side of the table.

Next to us was a table of three Japanese men and two women, then there was the waiter/bartender (wearing a white T-shirt with a satiny purple vest/bib over it), a waitress, and a couple other random Japanese men at the bar. Loungy club music was playing. Later on, two very coiffed hipster guys came in and joined the people at the table next to us. It was obviously a local place and I got the feeling they weren’t used to foreigners rolling in unexpectedly. The menus were all in Japanese, so we just ordered a bottle of champagne. The waitress also brought us out some tomato, mozzarella and basil, and later some Tex Mex-style nachos. She kept asking us if we wanted more to eat (we were still so stuffed from dinner), if we were too cold, etc…everyone was so nice, and very interested in where we were from and if we liked Tokyo.

Then, the table next to us bought us all a round of tequila shots and we all began talking. Well, kinda. No one really spoke English, so it was a lot of laughing, repetition and garbled chatting. Oscar can understand a bit of Japanese, so he helped translate a little. But that’s the thing I love about the people there, they are not at all bashful to try and have a full conversation with you even if you have no common language. It’s almost like, if you just keep talking your own language, eventually everyone will understand each other and it will all make sense (or, maybe it doesn’t need to make sense to still communicate, not sure). Regardless, there is so much laughing and friendliness…it’s endearing.

We tried to re-pay the favour and buy them a round of vodka shots, but the waiter brought out a bottle of gin instead and proceeded to mix it in the shot glasses with a little tonic. It didn’t seem like they really cared for the gin (the waiter/bartender certainly did though, he was taking sips between each shot he poured), but they graciously drank it.

The waitress came over at one point and sat next to me for a chat. Her English wasn’t bad, she was asking me lots of questions about America and saying she wanted to visit.

Working on about 3 hours of sleep over the previous 48 hours, we left after our 2nd bottle of champagne and took a taxi back to the hotel where I immediately fell onto the bed in a dead sleep…it was a fun night.

The View from the Top (of the Cerulean Hotel)

Very late on Wednesday night, after a heated day of team debates and tension, we all went to the bar at the top of the Cerulean Hotel after dinner (where some of the team were staying) to hash out our differences around a table with some drinks and a laptop. The view from the lounge was mesmerising - 360 degrees of the city at night - an endless scene-scape of twinkling lights up to the sky and as far as the eye could see. After getting a glimpse of that view, I felt quiet and really didn’t feel like adding to the conflict any more. Hmmm…perhaps we should send some more people to the top of the Cerulean Hotel (but that’s another blog post for a different time).

Shopping in Shibuya and Harajuku

I managed to fit in a couple overwhelming hours shopping in the trendy and funky hoods of Shibuya and Harajuku. Shibuya is a bustling neighbourhood reminiscent of Times Square with lots of neon lights, noise, traffic and people. There are a few trendy department stores full of fashion and teenagers.

Harajuku is a slightly calmer neighbourhood in some parts, with back streets full of small designer boutiques and cafes….I’d liken it more to SoHo in NY. My hope in going there was to se some of the famed “Harajuku Girls” that Gwen Stefani sings about, but I was unable to spot any….I only saw the clothes (but Sheryl and Kath saw some on their visit, I was very envious). I stopped in to La Foret, a very nice 5-floor department store off the main shopping street, and purchased a top and two necklaces. The fashion in Tokyo is all super feminine – I love it….everything has a nice soft touch to it, if it’s not overtly baby doll-like. Both neighbourhoods are crazy consumery – almost overwhelmingly so. I had to cut my shopping short on Friday to go back to the hotel and work, which was just as well…I was getting vertigo from being near all that shopping.

Common Courtesies

The thing you really see and feel the most after a visit to Japan is how carefully polite the people are. And I don’t mean “seemingly-polite-on-the-surface-because-of-charming-sounding-accents” like the Brits, I mean something very different, a whole new level. If people are sick, they wear masks over their mouth so as not to affect others. The traditional Japanese bow (a greeting, a thank you, a goodbye, etc.) was almost too much to handle in one department store I stopped into (they must be very limber with all that bowing). There is ultimate respect for age and experience. Most meals begin and finish with a warm cloth, even in the not-so-fancy places. You take your shoes off before entering many restaurants, all homes, and clothing store dressing rooms. Also in the dressing rooms, there are disposable face covers so that you don’t get makeup on the clothes you are trying. Going through airport security you are given a pair of slippers if you have to take your shoes off. We had a taxi driver who apologised unnecessarily and profusely when he took us to the wrong hotel, even though WE accidentally told him the wrong place. Drivers and airport staff wear white gloves. If you look lost, someone will often stop and try and help you, even if you don’t speak Japanese and they don’t speak English. All stores and most taxis have little decorative trays that you put your money on when paying and they give you your change and credit card back on them. Restaurant service is overly accommodating and friendly. When receiving someone’s business card at a meeting, it is customary to give and receive it with both hands, appear to actually read it for a few seconds and keep it on the table with you for the duration of the meeting (vs. throwing it in your bag which would be insulting). In shoppes, everything you buy is carefully wrapped in front if you, often in decorative paper (presentation is very important when it comes to gifts and purchased goods). There is a gentleness and sincere attention to care….surprising in a city as gargantuan as Tokyo. And our colleagues in Japan could not have been more friendly, warm and accommodating – very gracious hosts.

What I Did Not Get to Do, Much to My Chagrin

I really wanted to see some of the Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples, but I didn’t have enough time in the daylight hours to even see one. DARNIT! That seems ridiculous, but I’ll make that the top priority on my next visit. I also didn’t get to go to the flagship MUJI store, or shop in the fancy Ginza neighbourhood, or have a drink at the bar at the Park Hyatt hotel (made famous in the movie “Lost in Translation,” which happens to be one of my all-time favourite movies). I also didn’t play Pachinko in one of the casinos or get a chance to just turn on the television in my hotel room and see what Japanese TV is like. Or go get a Japanese spa treatment, or wander around one of the many beautiful gardens and parks I read about. Oh, and I didn’t get to try blowfish either. Oh well, maybe next time…it’s hard to holiday when you’re there for work.

Hello Mt. Fuji!

While the weather was warm and humid most every day, it was also muggy and overcast with poor visibility. However, this morning (Saturday), when I awoke to leave, the sun was shining and it was super clear. So clear that I could see Mt. Fuji looming over the city in the distance. It was right outside my window straight on, yet I wasn’t able to se it any of the other days. It looks like a big volcano (Post script: Um, that's becuase it IS a big volano. Duh.) It's huge.

Hey Ma, Look at (some of) My Pictures!
Check out my pictures by clicking on this link:
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Heavenly Dim Sum

Last Thursday, my friend Mike and I had dinner at London hotspot, Hakkasan (Chinese). It was delicious. The ambience, food and service were all great. The vibe is very New York clubby (reminds me of Tao or Kittichai). There's a swank bar where we enjoyed some tasty cocktails while we waited (ahem, 30 minutes) for our table -- but the wait was forgiven after some time spent sipping my lychee martini. The atmosphere is also enhanced by pumping music, loungy decor with lots of blue light eminating from everywhere, and a menu that goes on and on and on. I was impressed by the variety of the menu, especially in regard to price. You can have a very expensive dinner, or something quite reasonable, but still with plenty of options. This was best illustrated by two different beef dishes side by side on the menu, one being a £15 rib-eye, and the other £48 (the latter being Wagyu beef, which we deducted to be an ultra-premium Chinese beef like Kobe in Japan, hence the drastically elevated price).

We started off with a vegetarian Dim Sum platter that came out glistening like a little platter of jewels (see photo above). Every bite was delectable. For the mains, we shared a lovely sea bass steamed in a banana leaf (melted like butter in the mouth), a spicy stir-fry prawn dish, sticky rice, and a side of pak choi (baby bok choi). The menu can best be described as adventurous...browsing it is like taking a journey in itself.

When the dessert menu came, we were way too full to partake, but we did get a giggle from the £11,500 bottle of Dalmore whisky (that would be $23,000 USD). I think it was a 60-year old variety. But we opted to keep our credit cards in our pocket and call it a night....If I have $23K in my pocket, I'm buying a car, not a cocktail!

Posh after-dinner drinks aside, I would definitely recommend Hakkasan and plan to return!

I Love Gordon Ramsay

Just returned from a delish dinner at Gordon Ramsay's newest London Restaurant, Maze. It is the second outstanding experience I've had with his restaurants (I had the pleasure of eating at Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea a couple months ago with some clients, which was over-the-top amazing).

For those who aren't familiar, Gordon Ramsay is England's most popular and irreverent chef, and perhaps one of the very best chefs in the world. He is also a TV star with two highly-entertaining shows on-air in the U.K. ("Kitchen Nightmares" and "The F Word") and "Hell's Kitchen" which airs in the U.S.

Maze specialises in small plates, like tapas. Everyone ordered four each and we did some sharing. I had a heavenly dish of thinly-sliced marinated beetroot wrapped around Sairass cheese (soft and sweet), sprinkled with pine nuts and Cabernet Sauvignon dressing (I never wanted it to end); lightly sauteed scallops with pepper and two different sauces (one was a sweet raisin sauce, almost like hoisin); roasted brill (white flakey fish) with baby spinach; and a red mullet boullibaisse with fennel.

For dessert, we shared a few goodies: Baked Alaska lollipops (so inventive); mango parfait; marinated peaches with basil sorbet (I could have eaten MUCH more of the sorbet); a peanut butter & cherry jam sandwich (like a cheesecake) with salted nuts and cherry sorbet; Madagascar vanilla rice pudding with marscapone; dark chocolate truffles; and freshly made rose-flavoured Turkish delight.

The food was perfect and the service impeccably professional. The decor is modern, warm and quite zen/soothing. The floorplan is broken up between a bar/lounge area and two seating areas. There is also a semi-open kitchen in the back with a chef's table (next time).

And to my surprise, the price did not knock me over. It was worth every penny.

You can check out the Gordon Ramsay website at www.GordonRamsay.com.

Istanbul (formerly Byzantium & Constantinople)

I think I should rename this blog "The Easily Impressed American." I just spent 6 days in Istanbul, Turkey. It was really cool -- like no place I've ever been. (Pictures are on the way...camera battery is charging...)

You might say, "Give me a break! Is everywhere she goes the most awesome place on earth?!" Well, the answer might simply be yes. There are so many cool places and things to see in the world, it blows my little small-town mind. Again and again and again. Sure, some things are better than others, but I can honestly say I haven't gone anywhere yet since being over here that hasn't done something for me. But then again, maybe I'm just easy to please.

The thing about Istanbul is I can't figure the place out. Turkey covers both the Europe and Asian continents (the Bosphorus seperates the two, you can drive a bridge over). It is becoming more and more western (their EU application is in!), but it is 99% Muslim. It was once an outpost and then capital of the Roman Empire, an early seat of Christianity, and later became Muslim. That's a REALLY condensed history that does not do anything justice, but seriously, it has a fascinating backstory -- check it out for yourself. Here's a good link to a brief history if you're interested: www.allaboutturkey.com/istanbul.htm

I was there for work over 6 days and had the opportunity to meet lots of great people in our affiliate office who were all very kind and gracious to me. They also took it upon themselves to show me around the city and host some great evenings out.

I arrived on Wednesday evening and met two of my clients for dinner at the hotel restaraunt (I was staying at the Hyatt Regency in the city center). The highlight was when a woman walked in (with a bit of an entourage) and everyone stopped to take notice. The client told me she is "the Madonna of Turkey" -- an actress, singer, TV host, etc. Her name is Hulya Avsar. So there -- my first Turkish celebrity sighting, and it was a good one! They tell me she is in the papers every day for something.

Thursday for lunch, Gonca (pronounced Gonja), the head of the Istanbul office, took me to lunch at a traditional Turkish restaraunt called Kanaat Lokantasi in the neighbourhood of Uskudar (on the Anatolian/Asian side of Istanbul). It was amazing.....all homeade Turkish deliciousness. There was a huge counter of specialties...cold starters/mezzes, hot dishes, a kitchen counter full of main meals (mostly kabobs) and then a decadent counter of desserts. You just go through, point to what you want and they bring it to your table. I STUFFED myself, but the thing I remember best was the desserts (of course). I had figs stuffed with walnuts and creme, as well as a truly special warm, sweet semolina dessert with toasted almonds (I went so crazy over it, Gonca sent a box of it home with me which I had for breakfast the next morning).

Thursday night after work, my colleague Kadir took me to the trendy neighborhood of Beyoglu. We took a ferry from the office, at sunset, crossing from the Asian to the European side across the Bosphorus -- the sunset was beautiful behind the skyline of mosques, hills and bridges. Once in Beyoglu, we strolled the long pedestrian street full of bazaars, bakeries, shops and resataruants. We stopped and ate at a large, open-air restaraunt in what used to be an old flower bazaar. We had a lovely dinner of mezzes, wine and fresh fish (in Turkey, they just bring out a tray of random, fresh whole fish, you pick which one you want, and they go back and cook it for you.) I was also intrigued with all the food stands on the street cooking up a variety of yummy-smelling things, and colourful fruit stands with fruits I had never heard of before -- my favourite being erik -- which are small, green, tart plums, slightly larger than cherries. After dinner we went to a bakery where I had a very traditional Turkish dessert called Asure -- an applesauce and cereal-type concoction topped with a colourful variety of various nuts and fruit. The story goes that this was Noah's last meal on the Ark -- he basically threw all his little various leftovers into one dish -- and there you have it.

Sorry, but you know it would be no blog of mine if I didn't go on excessively about the food. Newsflash: Turkish cuisine is now officially my favourite. Oh my goodness, all the fresh fish, and yogurt, and mezzes (small salads) and green salads and kabobs....truly an amazing place to eat.

But I DID do more than eat! Friday after work, my colleague, Banu, took me to the waterside village of Ortakoy on the Bosphorus/European side -- a lovely little neighbourhood of cobblestone streets, jewellry and craft stores, restaurants with outdoor seating, and street vendors. We walked around and shopped a little (I bought some sunglasses and a necklace), then had dinner at a cosy little Turkish restaurant called Sazeli. Then we went to another cafe overlooking the water and had dessert as the sun set. There is a gorgeous mosque on the waterfront of Ortakoy called the Mecidiye (built in 1854) which is postcard-perfect, especially as the sun sets. I wont forget walking down the narrow streets, as the call to prayer eminated from the loudspeakers of the mosque, as the city fell quiet and the sun began to set....it was a bit magical and a sensation I haven't quite had before travelling in other places.

Friday night Gonca invited me out with 6 of her friends. We met at a popular fish restaurant called Doga Balik that overlooks the Bosphorus with a stellar view of "the Golden Horn" -- the part of Istanbul called Sultanahmet -- where the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, and Topkapi Palace are. I counted about 7 or 8 mosques illuminated on the Golden Horn across the dark water...it's scenery one does not forget.

It was at the restaurant I dicovered Raki -- a very traditional Turkish liquor made from distilled grapes and anis seed. It is soooo yummy. It is poured in a slender glass about a third full, and the the rest of the glass is filled with water, which turnes the Raki white. Then a few ice cubes are added, and voila -- a great cocktail to be served with food. I brought a bottle back with me to England.

After the restaurant, we went to a very trendy bar/nightclub which was really fun, but we were all kinda tired and didn't stay out too terribly late. I have no idea where we were (Gonca drove), but somewhere near Beyoglu, I think.

Saturday I did some crazy rapid sightseeing in Sultanahmet, where all the main tourist attractions are. My first stop was the Topaki Palace, which houses some pretty extravagent artifacts, including an 86 carat diamond and other assorted gems and jewels (there is also a 56 carat diamond as well). The whole palace is elaborately tiled and boasts beautiful fountains, gardens, and splendid views of the city. The most exquisite part of the palace, however, is the Harem, which you need a separate tour for. This is the most lavish part of the palace and immensely dazzling when it comes to the display of craftmanship and finery inside. Blows the mind...I will post pictures as soon as I can, you really have to see it.

After the palace, I walked over to the Hagia Sofia, which was built as an early Christian cathedral in the Nyzantine era by Justinian I as part of his reign during the late Roman Empire, but was later converted to a mosque when Istanbul became Muslim. So it's now a fusion of Christian and Muslim, and it is truly gorgeous sanctuary. I spent a lot of time inside, and got my "money shot" for this year's Christmas card! There is a gorgeous golden mosaic in the dome over the main alter of Mary and baby Jesus....so I found the right angle and got the shot!

After the Hagia Sofia, I went to the Sultanahmet Mosque, which is also known as the "Blue" Mosque since blue is the predominant colour. It is a spectacle inside and out, and is arguably the most famous and most beautiful mosque in the world. It's dazzling. Facing the Hagia Sofia, it is architecturally one of the prettiest sights I have seen.

After the mosque, I went to the Grand Bazaar, which is the largest covered market in the world. Holy crap. It is literally a small city unto itself boasting leather, lanterns, pottery, antiques, clothing, exotic carpets, food, fabric, and jewellry. It was an exhausting experience (everyone is heckling you as you walk through to come in and buy, it's a bit overwhelming, if not completely annoying!), but I managed to buy a lovely ceramic plate after about 25 minutes of haggling and getting the price down to what I considered reasonable. That was about as much energy as I had, so after purchasing my plate, I made a B-line outta there. It's visually overwhelming too with corridor upon corridor of wares.

After the Bazaar, I stopped in Ortakoy again to walk around some more, then walked around the grounds of the Ciragan Palace -- a beautiful old palace on the water surrounded by gardens (it's now been converted to a luxury hotel and special events venue). I sat on a bench for awhile in the garden on the waterfront and completely zoned out.

Saturday evening, a new friend I made Friday while out with Gonca -- Barbaros -- took me out to dinner in a sweet neighbourhood where there was a street of lively outdoor restaurants (I beleive it was called French Street, as the whole street is themed French). We had a really great dinner on a restaurant rooftop overlooking the street. He was really great to talk with and a very gracious host. After dinner, we went dancing at a fun club that played American pop music from the 80s. That was kind of fun. :)

Sunday I was really too tired to do much (I really did work pretty hard Thursday and Friday, and had two more days of work ahead of me). I walked around the neighbourhood my hotel was in and did a little browsing around Taksim Square (bought some Turkish Delight for the co-workers back in London). Then I fell asleep for about 2 hours, did some more work then went back to bed. I'm so exciting, huh?

Monday and Tuesday were busy days at work, although I did manage to get out for dinner again with Barbaros Monday evening in the neighbourhood of Kalam. The restaurant was outdoors at a lovely marina, and there were even fireworks that went off over the water as we ate. I love fireworks. We had about 6 salads/mezzes to start, then shared a whole fresh fish which they grilled on skewers with veggies. And we had more Raki, of course. :)

Oh, and one last food note: Turkish coffee and Turkish tea. Turks drink them all day long -- as did I -- the office kept me very well hydrated with both. It's a very serious ritual and addiction at it's best! I now want my own set of Turkish tea glasses (the tea is steeped in metal pots, so it has a bit of a metallic taste, which I quite like...reminds me a bit of the water at my Grams house that has an "essence" of iron).

I left on Tuesday evening. I still missed so much though -- most notably the Spice Market, the Jewish Quarter and the Galata Tower. So I must go back, that's a given -- Istanbul is truly a world unto itself.

The Last Supper (and my most recent supper)

I’ve been in Milan for work the past two days, so after work tonight, I went to the church of Santa Maria della Grazie to see DaVinci’s masterpiece “The Last Supper.” I wasn’t sure what to expect, being that I’ve only seen it in pictures, but upon walking in the room, I was taken aback by how big it is. It takes up the entire wall of an otherwise bare chapel. The size of a movie screen, I started in close, and almost had that sensation of being part of the picture. The colours are rich, soft and lovely, all blending together harmoniously. The action taking place in the picture is palpable to the point where you can almost sense the movement and emotional tension resulting from what has just taken place. The lighting and dimension of the thing are truly compelling…it’s mesmerising. I went at 6:15 pm, so seeing it at night was enchanting. They only allow you 15 minutes with the painting though, so you have to study quick – it’s definitely not the 1.5 hour experience I had straining my neck at the Sistine Chapel to take in every detail.

“John” as he is called in the painting is DEFINITELY a woman, anyone can see that. But for all those “DaVinci Code” freaks out there, let’s just keep our heads about us and remember that DaVinci painted this personal interpretation of the scene over 1,400 years after Christ died. He was not actually at the dinner, peeping through a keyhole. It is not a photograph or a first-hand account. Perhaps DaVinci knew some other secret that hasn’t made it out yet – maybe that John had a tendency to dress in drag on occasion (and very inappropriate occasions at that)…who knows. You know artists, they’re eccentric people who get famous long after they’re dead for seeing things differently – that’s what we dig about them.

Of particular interest is the thing you don’t typically see in the photographs and textbooks….the large doorway that cuts into the painting, completely wiping out Jesus’ legs and feet under the table. You can see the rest of the disciples’ feet, but not the main man’s. Apparently, in the 1600s, some rocket scientist (or maybe it was one of those Christ Scientists like Tom Cruise) decided that the door underneath the painting should be enlarged, so he made it taller, cutting out Jesus’ legs and feet, which apparently were originally crossed, one over the other, symbolic of what was to come. Something we obviously can’t see now. I was also interested to hear (I got the audio tour, of course) that the painting had at one time been completely covered over by something else and had to be uncovered. Huh. I can hear the guy now who painted over it, muttering the whole time with snide grin on face: “DaVinci, SchmaVinci – What a has-been! Wait til they get a load of MY new painting – ‘The Last Breakfast’ – it’s gonna rock the world!”

But my laugh-out-loud moment (FYI: Laugh-out-loud moments NOT appreciated in the chapel) came as I turned to leave. There is another large painting on the wall opposite DaVinci’s, of the crucifixion, by Giovanni somebody-or-other (don’t worry, the crucifixion is NOT what made me laugh). You never hear about this painting, even though it is just as large in scale and in the very same room. The audio tour lady instructs you to look at that painting in contrast to DaVinci’s while on your way out. The narrative (which gets about 1 minute airtime as you’re being shoved out the door) goes something like this: “Now you will see that this painting lacks any depth or emotion or beauty like DaVinci’s. It is very flat with no feeling and no movement and no texture. It is very static and boring and ugly. Extremely ugly. Horrid, actually. We see what he was trying to do, but he failed. Miserably.” Ok, it didn’t say those very words, but that was the gist. Poor Giovanni. Had he just painted his mural in another church across town, it probably would have gotten a much warmer reception. What a bad career move.

In the spirit of “The Last Supper,” let me tell you about MY last (or most recent) supper. If I lived in Italy, I wouldn’t care about gaining weight because at least I’d enjoy doing it. Last night, my colleague Donatella took me out to a cosy enoteca called Barabba. We started off with some sweet Parma ham and a selection of Italian vegetable antipasti. Then, I had a magnificent fresh orechiette pasta with broccoli and cauliflower, which melted blissfully in the mouth – pure pleasure for the belly and soul. I was stuffed after eating less than half the plate, but I couldn’t help but finish it just for the taste. Donatella had something I’d never seen before. She ordered a piece of very tender beef, served raw, along with a square, slate-like (and very, very hot) stone that the waiter ground some fresh sea salt over. Then, she cut the meat up into small pieces and cooked it herself on the stone, which sizzled away for much longer than I would have expected. Kinda like fondue, but grilling on hot stone vs. frying in oil. I have no idea what you call that, but it was really neat. For dessert, Donatella had a strudel and I had yogurt gelato, drizzled with honey and walnuts. It was heaven. Then we each had a glass of ‘Montenegro’ per Donatella’s suggestion -- a herbal aperitif with a citrus-like finish. It was very tasty. I plan to have one again sometime soon. Like, tomorrow.

So, that is my complete “Last Supper” experience. I could make a wisecrack about DaVinci painting Jesus and the disciples enjoying a last supper of antipasti, self-cooked beef on a hot stone with some pasta, finished off with a scoop of gelato and a nice aperitif -- but I won’t because some might see that as wrong. But c’mon, if he can blatantly paint “Paul” as a woman and insinuate it is Jesus’ wife as an inside joke for his buddies back at the Masonic lodge, then why can’t I do a little food styling? After all, it was painted in Italy, the gastronomic capitol of the universe, it would only be right.