Natto Noodle

I was craving for Filet-O-Fish, hesitated to have junk food, went to Japanese grocery store and ended up buying an instant noodle (Nakisoba, stir-fried noodle in worcestershore-like sauce). I also picked up some Natto (firmented, slimy, stringy, stinky soy beans) to help myself with nutrition. The noodle's sauce was a bit too intense and I came up with a solution. Add Natto. I love tomato sauce pasta like Amatricciana with natto. I love natto. The result was above expectation. Natto make the sauce mild and balance up the saltiness. How about slimy yakisoba?!

Flat Tire Sadness

On my way to my friend's place in Prospect Heights, I got a flat tire. Glad I wasn't speeding—my vintage-looking heavy bike cannot speed up anyways—and I didn't get in an accident, and it was a walkable distance where the tragedy happened. Still, I was looking forward to this Sunday evening bike ride and upset enought to be grumpy. See my face...

Original Greeting Card

I am taking some time off from my ceramic class this fall, which is pretty hard for me because I love it. Now my hobby is making greeting cards. Cards can be really pricy and I'd rather want it to be somehow original. I have a mini water color kit with basic 5 colors of brown, yellow, blue, green and red. Surprisingly, these four colors can create a good variety. It's fun and nice to write a note on my original cards.

Fall is Here

On a serene fall Saturday morning, I took a bike ride to the McCarren Park's farmer's market. Ungly-looking mini pumpkins caught my attention. A dollar each. They don't look edible but do look pretty in my apartment. Also got a bunch of fall-looking flower. They are both adding nice autumn feel to our apartment.

FDR Library

The 32nd United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He's been one of the most successful Democratic President and arguably the most influential person in the US history. At the end of Hadson River Valley trip was his library and home in Hyde Park. Once you drive in this town, you see FDR's flag alongside the roads. We started the visit to the library. The part of this building is FDR's actual office. Furnitures and books remain the way he left before he passed away. One item that took my attention is his hand-writing revision of the famous speech he made in response to the Pearl Harbor attack. I do not neglect the fact many Japanese American had to go through terrible time in the camp due to his decision. It was a political decision and I still respect FDR as a President. All the items tell his personality and what a great writer and speaker he was. It's sad that most of recent Presidents and politicians do not know how to use words effectivelly. Unfortunatelly, we got there a little too late to see inside of his house. The rose garden, in which FDR and his wife sleep, got me emotional.


FDR LIbrary and Hometown
Hyde Park, NY
website

Best Thai Food

Sripraphai in Woodside, Queens, has been mentioned on Chowhound and other food blogs. It was the best Thai food I ever had. When we got there around 8pm on Saturday night, there was a crowd of people waiting outside. I thought we couldn't get a seat as this place closes at 9:30pm. Surprisingly, we were told it would be 15 - 20 minutes wait. Shortly, we got our table. This place has been expanded to the next door, which you don't really see from outside. It's a huge place. Plus, they have a nice garden seating.


As big as the space is its menu. Not only are they many, they all look good. Even with the pictures, I had hard time chosing. Many dishes were so authentic/original that I had never seen anywhere else. We started with a classy Papaya salad and minced beef in chili sauce for appetizer. For main, we got red curry and Thai rice noodle with beef stew. The salad was perfectly shredded and spice was just right. The beef dish was a bit salty but my boyfriend who went to Thai thought it was so authentic. The red curry and noddle were both serious heat. I loved the noodle dish. So original and perhaps authentic. After this experience, all these Thai places in our hood are tasteless. They don't compromise with spices. They use the right amount for each dish. Some are really hot. But that's why it's good. We sweat a lot and drunk lots of beer. I have to go back and try more. Better to go in a big group so that you can try many dishes.

Sripraphai
64-13 39th Ave
Woodside, NY 11377
(718) 899-9599
7 train to 61st or 69th

Richard Serra Exhibition

I can’t remember the first time I saw his sculpture. Perhaps at the Dia Beacon upstate. But I do remember becoming a huge fun of his work right away. He makes hard, heavy iron material turn into a soft, warm piece. His works, especially the later ones, are huge, environmental work. Viewers feel the piece by walking through his gigantic iron walls. Physics and artist’s skill create this magical feeling of space and gravity. It makes me feel as if I were floating in the space.

What I enjoyed most at the exhibition was his earlier works. Much smaller but same treatment of iron. It’s amazing pieces of iron can look just like leather bands and how he builds heavy pieces stand in balance that are barely touching each other.

The biggest wonder of this show is how they installed such huge pieces inside of each room.

Richard Serra - Richard Serra Sculpture: Forty Years
June 3–September 10, 2007
MoMA

Mantauk Trip

Our friend couple invited us to stpend a weekend in Montauk this summer. As excited as we were to see them, we were looking forward to this trip, the first and eventually the last leasure trip we took this summer. They offered a room in the town house they were staying. All we needed was to jump on the LIRR. The water was too cold as expected. But we tried "skin board." You waite the wave to start fading at the shore. Then you put the board and step on it. You basically slide on the sand with a think layer of water. This sport is not for kids. 2 out of our 4 adults got injured hitting their knees with the board. It's a slim plastic board. But the shallow wave could push it hard enough to have the knees bleeding and huge bruise. I tried twice.

To eat good seafood was one of our primary aims. We went to seafood restaurant for every meal. The first place was a few minute from the station. Forgot the name but they had super fresh lobster. Somehow there are lots of Russian ladies working at these seafood joints. We had oysters of course. But my biggest surprise and favorite was the grilled fish sandwich. The charcol flavor was so good and just perfectly fatty fish on the buns blew my mind. My words are too poor to express this experience.

Our cultural and intellectual part of this trip was a visit to Pollock's house and studio. We were not allowed to take any photo inside the studio, which is actually a small house. Its floor has all the paintings he splashed around each canvas. Their living house is also very minimal and modest.

Japanese Fish Stew

This is probably a very typical and authentic Japanese dinner menu. Take any white fish (cod, seabass, snapper, founder work), and simmer in soy sauce, sake (rice wine) and some mirin (or sugar). I added a pinch of chilli and topped the fish with some fresh ginger. It only takes 10 minutes to cook and requires no skill. If you don't mind, cook it a bit sweeter because that's Japanese style. With some rice and hearty miso soup, I proudly this was a really good dinner.

Airport Express - Yes!

My neighbors have been cheap, ungenerous. Every one of those who use to have WiFi have started to use passwords. I live in a 1-bd apt with my boyfriend and for me to use Internet on my own is to steal other's connection. My boyfriend thinks if you pay for your airport anyway, it shouldn't matter to keep it to yourself of not. There's a reason for sure.

Sharing your network slows down the connection, and for security reason it's not good. We decided, rather than waiting for another generous airporter, to buy our own. Airpor Express $99 is a really good deal. It works perfectlly for 1-bd apt. It looks like a charger of your laptop. Plug it in and install the utility application. Done.

Of course I set a password.

Marlow & Sons

This is my favorite restaurant in W'burg and possibly in entire NY. Next to Diner, another American French restaurant owned by the same guy, this little bistro has a groumet deli up front. I love their interior. It's a quite small place and they' don't take reservation. I'm glad to have such a restaurant in my hood.

This time, the special scallop dish was a huge hit. Sweet corn puree and perfectly browned scallop. Their potato tortilla and chicken liver pate are my regular pick.

Marlow & Sons
81 Broadway
Williamsburgh Brooklyn 11211

Fette Sau - W'burg BBQ

If you love BBQ and look for a joint with a bit of fun atmosphere, try this spot. The same owner runs a beer pub right across the street where they serve good pastrami and cheese as well. At Fette Sau, you order meat by 1/2, 1/4, 1 pound along with the S/M side dishes like potato salads and broccoli. Just pace your self when you order. On a steel bat (they use no plate), it doesn't look enough for two people. But after a few pieces of smoky, rich ribbs and the heavy, flavorful beans, you may feel sick. The cheek was my least favorite. It was too gummy and fatty. They have a huge selection of beer and bourbon.

Up and Down - Horem pádem

I was always interested in the DVD cover and yet didn't feel compelled to see it. But as a tribute to my good Czech friend, I gave it a shot last night.

I haven't seen Babel but I did see Crash and didn't quite like the over-done interwoven story setting. This Czech movie renders similar scenario but by far better than Crash. It's not a commedy. It's not a serious movie. It's not like I was particularly impressed or some scenes were memorable. But it was showing many aspects and lives of Czech people smartly. The interlocking story style is subtle yet very effectively applied.

Humorous Song Agitates Feminists

This song humorously represents how Japanese men treat women. It was a really popular song but also famous for the politically arguable content. It got criticized by a feminist group back then.

Kanpaku Sengen - by Masashi Sada

Before I take your hands into marriage
Let me tell you a few things.
Some may sound harsh
But I want to tell you honestly.
Don’t wake up after me.
Don’t go to bed before me.
Cook well.
Keep yourself looking nice
Just as much as you can.
Remember that a man who’s not a good worker
cannot keep a family.
Certain things are better done by you.
Don’t mind other things
Just follow me.

Your parents, my parents
Take a good care of both.
Deal with my mom and sisters smartly.
It should be easy. Just love them.
Don’t say or listen to rumors.
Don’t get too jealous.
I won’t cheat on you.
I probably won’t.
I don’t think I will
But be prepared just in case.
We form the happiness together.
Shouldn’t be mended by one’s effort.
You leave your house and family for me.
Think you have no place to go back.
I am your home from now on.

When our kids grow and we get old.
Don’t die before me.
Even just for a day
Don’t go before I do.
I only need you hold my hand.
Drop 2 drops of tears.
Then I say my life was wonderful
Thanks to you.
I promise. I will say so.
Don’t forget. You are the only woman I love.

The Mirror - Ayneh

An actress with the cutest voice in this charming Iranian movie.

A girl waits for her mother to pick her up at the school. Without much help from her teacher and other adults, she decides to find a way home on her own—not remembering the address or which bus to take. On her journey to home, the movie turns into a completely unexpected direction.

I simply couldn't get over her sweet, high voice.

PUMA Urban Jungle

What would an artist do with 1,200 shoes and 35,000 shoelaces? Make a jungle. Columbia-born conceptual artist Federico Uribe created an urban jungle with PUMA sneakers. “When I started working with shoes I could not avoid thinking where they came from and all the materials from nature that we use to comfort our life. So as a tribute to what nature gives us all, I got the idea of reconstructing nature from its own raw materials. I can not give my creations true life but I may give them the echo of life, which is as much as art can do,” says the artist. Indeed, each animal is really well made. I just don't if this 'nature' made of thousands of shoes truly contributes something to the real nature.

Summer in Queens

In my 6th year in NY, I finally had a chance to go to PS1. I didn't know the exact location and got off the 7 line, barely seeing anyone around. But I easily found PS1 because of the house music coming from a specific direction. About 70 people are in the general admission line but I got through the MoMA members entrance. The direction and assistance there was terrible. I was completely misguided and ended up paying the admission which I didn't have to. My boyfriend took me back to the ticket counter, asking for the refund. But the people there are as bad as the temporary security staff who pays no attention to details. Long, annoying story short, I would never go back there. They rudely joperdized my loyalty to support MoMA and turned down the whole evening.
After the PS1, we went over to the beach party by the river and took the water taxi, which was a nice experience and the view was pretty cool.

Kamome Shokudo

Here's a new Japanese movie called Kamome Shokudo (Kamome Diner) which I just saw at the Japan Society. I've known about this movie mainly because of the famous female actresses I love. My American boyfriend among all other Western audience laughed a lot and enjoyed this charming movie.

It's a stroy about a little diner in Finland. One female owner whose background and history is omitted in the film meets other two Japanese females who happened to meet the owner and start helping her. All three are famous in Japan not only for their acting skills but more for their unique character. You love them. And this is not a typical Japanese story that forces the audience to appreciate the Japanese culture. With humor and great script, this movie brings you happiness and appreciation for Japanese food. I'd categorize this movie as humorous drama.

You won't regret.

Setagaya Ramen - Booooooo..

Why no picture for ramen story? Cuz it doesn't even deserve one. Setagaya almost completely disappointed me, hurt my Japanese food-patriotic loyalty.

A long line is a good sign. But if 90% of the people in the line are not Japanese, then it's a not-that-good sign, especially if you are looking for authenticity. Call me racist. Fine. After such a huge expectation and hunger for good, Japanese ramen, we had to try. After 20 minutes wait, we got our seats. Ready to order right away, of course. 95 degree out tonight. First comes a bottle of beer. "We don't have a license yet." What? "Can we bring in our own beer then?" "No. Sorry." What the F!~ I clearly saw BEER on the menu outside. It wasn't covered with a piece of paper or crossed-out like on the menu inside. Right there, an faithful business. Bad feeling.

We gobbled up a cup of water. The salted egg and menma could have been far better with beer but let's compromise. Now the main dish. We all had Shio Cha-shu men (salt flavored soup with slices of pork). Setagaya is known for its salt-flavored bloth. Noodle is way too hard. My friend picked up 10 noodles stuck together as a chunk. It could be for foreign customers who take forever till the noodles melts down to finish a bowl of ramen. To Japanese customer like myself, this was a ridiculous hospitality.

This wrongly cooked noodle totally lower the score. Soup is intricate and complex. If you don't like some scalloppy, fishy flavor, you'd better stick to Menkui-tei. Wait. Everyone should stick to Menkui-tei anyways. But I give them credit for the orinal flavor of their soup.

All I wonder is how the authentic Setagaya in Japan serve its signature dish. I gotta ask my family in Tokyo to go and try this place. At least in NY, they don't get any high score from Japanese. Obviously, there was a few Japanese tonight.

Toy for Curious People

Here's a toy for adults and smart, curious kids. Q-BA-MAZE's new product is series of transparent interlocking plastic cubes that can be constructed in three dimensions. The possible combinations are almost infinite. Let the metal marble run down through a smart, creative tower! Comes in a set of 12 or 36 cubes in a sleek, cool package.

Q-BA-MAZE
www.q-ba-maze.com