Happy Valentine’s Day! This Onion Dip for Breakfast pair had an early start in celebrating Valentine’s Day by having afternoon tea at the Drake Hotel over the past weekend. In the Palm Court, the hotel’s strikingly opulent and beautiful restaurant, we sipped tea, champagne, ate …
Ăn Quả Nhớ Kẻ Trồng Cây (When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree) a Vietnamese proverb Seeds of curiosity were vigorously planted by my parents. While their curiosities often take different forms, I grew up in a home filled with …
[The second time around🎶🎶]
We love Barcelona so much that we’re back drooling over these images. Shall we return to this vibrant city? Yes!
“Ooooh, what’s over there?”
That question has been my mom’s mantra for as long as I can remember. She’s the one who peers in alleys, takes the less beaten path, looks around the dining room to see what others are eating, and always invites us to stop by one more place “for just a minute”. Never a minute. Always wonderful.
We were in the dazzling, dizzying city of Barcelona. Both of us had visited before but it was our first time together. We were astonished that we couldn’t remember the last time the two of us had traveled together, just a mother and daughter exploring a place. Was it when I was in high school? Maybe. We were in the city of Gaudí and Catalan Modernism and there was something to see wherever we turned.
At night we were sprawled on the bed with paper and Google maps, my own Black Book of Barcelona, and heaps of enthusiasm. We sketched out our visit. Museums and other cultural places, a concert, walks, walks, and more walks. There were our favorites to see again: Casa Batllo and its rainbow of tiles invoking a swerving dragon; the colonnade of the Palau de la Música Catalana; and of course, La Sagrada Familia, forever a work in progress.
And then there was the food. Tins of seafood, café con leche, sweet buns, deeply-perfumed slices of cured meats, and fruit each day. We ate and drank every Spanish delight during a night of flamenco. We sauntered back to our hotel room warm from wine, moving our hips, and laughing into the evening. Late at night, we again tucked into tasty cheeses, olives, and chocolate from the grocery store. The tapas alone deserved their own story so they’ll get one. Same for my favorite, paella…
Oh, that market! Like the other great markets around the world, the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, better-known as La Boquería, never disappoints. Begun in the early 1200s, it has expanded and shifted over the centuries. The present iteration dates to 1912. Inside are mounds of familiar and exotic fruit with citrus everywhere. Redolent spices stop you in your tracks (this is the land of smoked paprika after all) until paper cones of fried seafood call your name. And we answered.
The best moment, however, was when we settled in the jamon section of the market. Giant legs of prosciutto-like goodness were somehow both dry and glistening. We came, we gazed, we tasted. Should we get this one or that? The response was always, “both and.” Salty. Creamy. Musk-like. Sweet. Delicious. Our room smelled like that corner for our entire stay!
We just returned from an eight day trip to El Salvador. There was so much to see and do in this Central American country which we’ve never visited before, but are already making plans to return. This post will concentrate on our time in San …
We all were in favor of a relaxing holiday week with plenty of food, drink, conversation, and song. After almost three weeks of travel and landing in Chicago on Christmas Day, being still was a gift itself. Half of Onion Dip had been in the …
I was recently in New York City, surrounded by tall buildings reaching towards the sky. I felt a sense of excitement while standing and looking up to the tops of the buildings. I also loved being on the rooftops, where one can see the entire city on a clear day, or kiss the clouds when it’s cloudy. I love New York!
Jay-Z, in the lyrics below, tells a great story that I could hear over and over again. Equally, I could visit that city time and time again. It makes me feel brand new. The lights do inspire me. New York!
Empire State of Mind ~ Lyrics by Jay-Z
In New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothin’ you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let’s hear it for New York
Our family way of life is usually quite spontaneous. Our plans will have edges that keep us together but everything in between stays loose. Who knows what you’ll see, smell, hear or taste if everything isn’t charted out? Those who accompany us either love it …
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be back in Istanbul after a twenty-five year absence. Some things had changed but, for the most part, it was as stunning as it had ever been. In addition to blue glass amulets to replace my original one broken …
As a kid, traveling meant using every single mode of transportation and exploring both the new and familiar. We were just as likely to visit the other side of the city where we were living as we were to be in San Francisco, Venezuela, Boston, or Montreal. Who didn’t want to follow the drama of the highly competitive but amiable koi competition in your hometown? We spent much of our time trying to figure out why one fish was deserving of the blue ribbon over all of the seemingly similar fish. If someone came to visit, there was no shortage of sights, sounds, and tastes to share because we were forever tourists and residents simultaneously.
Before I lived in Italy, I visited. Eager to test out my fluency, I longed to experience first-hand what I had learned about its art, food, literature, architecture, history, music, and more. And yes, I was amongst the throngs of people in Venice, Florence, Siena, and magical places featured in plays, paintings, and operas.
Before there were digital cameras and smartphones, I had one of the best trips of my life to the island of Sicily. I went with visions of The Leopard, Ancient Greek cities, and, of course, the Godfather. I had gone with the promise of lemons and bright citrus, marzipan, fresh seafood, chocolate bars punctuated with interesting ingredients, and brioche with ice cream for breakfast!
What I hadn’t imagined, but in hindsight is quite obvious, was the North African influences on the island. There was that familiar seafood I had expected but it was mixed in and topped tomato-sauced couscous, making something delicious and akin to paella. Otherwise, the fish was grilled or sautéed and kissed by wild fennel, briny capers, and sour citrus.
