Monday, June 20

Wait for me....

From my Dad's blog where I always find inspiration:

Wait for me by Konstantin Simonov.

Wait for me and I'll return, only wait very hard.
Wait when you are filled with sorrow as you watch the yellow rain.
Wait when the wind sweeps the snowdrifts.
Wait in the sweltering heat.
Wait when others have stopped waiting, forgetting their yesterdays.
Wait even when from afar no letters come for you.
Wait even when others are tired of waiting.

Wait for me and I'll return, but wait patiently.
Wait even when you are told that you should forget.
Wait even when my mother and son think I am no more.
And when friends sit around the fire drinking to my memory
Wait and do not hurry to drink to my memory too.

Wait for me and I'll return, defying every death.
And let those who do not wait say that I was lucky.
They will never understand that in the midst of death
You with your waiting saved me.
Only you and I will know how I survived:
It was because you waited as no one else did.

Love this space!

via 16 Houses: loev the kitty too

Sunday, June 19

FLWL☂ GUIDE TO GREAT LONDON EATS

As promised here is the first review for the FLWL☂ GUIDE TO GREAT LONDON EATS. My Italian friend Sara and I have had a really fun time eating all over London and wanted to share our finds with you. Every time I go home to California and Sara goes home to Florence people always ask, "How do you manage eating in London? Isn't the food awful and it's so expensive?" Well, the answer is no. London is full of great restaurants with very tasty food that are budget friendly, which is what the FLWL☂ GUIDE TO GREAT LONDON EATS is all about. High quality food that doesn't break the bank. Our choice of restaurants stem from our mutual love of farm fresh local fare, quality food (and when possible sustainably sourced), great atmosphere, budget conscience, and friendly service. It's simple really, we love good food and we know you do too.

Food and health is a passion of ours and we believe food is medicine. If you eat well, you feel well. As many know I am allergic to gluten, dairy from cows, and eggs. I have also been studying health, food, cancer, prevention, nutrition and well being for over 5 years now. Sara too has become passionate about food and well being. It is a great joy for us to share this passion with you. We will make every effort to highlight places where one can find gluten free, vegan and/or vegetarian options in London as this is always a challenge for me and I hope people will find it helpful. Sara will review things that I can't eat so we will be able to cover everything everyone loves. We hope you enjoy our guide. Cheers!

Busaba Eathai is definitely a favourite of both of ours and gets the highest FLWL☂ rating of ☂☂☂☂☂ 5 umbrellas. Most dishes are gluten free / dairy free and those that aren't can be made with tamari soy sauce instead of regular upon request. The main restaurant is made up of square communal tables to encourage sharing and connecting over a great meal. There is no music playing but you never notice because the energy and buzz in the restaurant is so wonderful. They have many locations all over the city including two in the Soho area and one by the Westfield Mall: map here and follow on facebook here.
We tasted an array of dishes most of which are new for their summer menu and wow were they good!

GREEN CHICKEN CURRY: Busaba's green curry is a classic. Hot and spicy. It may overpower some other dishes with more subtle flavours so pair it wisely. It's a very flavourful strong curry and may be best on it's own or following some appetizers. It's nice to have one of their fresh juices to help cut the spice. I love the Nam Polamai which is carrot, apple, celery, dandelion, and nettle.
CHAR-GRILLED DUCK: We thoroughly enjoyed this dish. The duck was so tender and juicy it just melts in your mouth. It is complemented wonderfully by a rich tamarind sauce and comes laid on top of a bed of chinese broccoli. Highly recommend even if you aren't normally a duck fan. 

FRIED CHICKEN: This was a particular favourite of Sara's. The chicken was tender and crispy. The sauce was distinctive and absolutely delicious: a combination of lime juice, sweet chili sauce, and coriander that really sets this dish apart. It has a tangy quality to it that one simply wants more of and comes beautifully presented with swirls of vegetables piled on top.
THAI CALAMARI: We have both eaten our fair share of calamari all over the world and we both agree this is hands down the best we've had. For me it is the only Calamari I've ever had that is gluten free and made with corn flour. I was in heaven. The long cut cylinders of calamari, the crunchiness and mix of seasonings (peppercorn and a hint of ginger) makes this total perfection. It was definitely one we couldn't get enough of. This is easily one of the best items on the Busaba menu. I'd give it a thousand umbrellas if I could. Highly recommend.
BLACK PEPPER BEEF: This was a particularly delicious stir fry, rich and intense in flavour. The meat was tender and complimented by a variety of vegetables including peppers and roasted onions. As one would expect, it's a very peppery dish, but not in an unpleasant way. It didn't stand out as much as others, but we definitely enjoyed this and if you like beef this would be a great dish to order. 
SEN CHAN PAD THAI: A truly unique and original pad thai that truly stands out as a Busaba signature dish by the addition of crab meat and mango. While this sounds unusual it is definitely a winner. If you like pad thai, try this version and you won't be disappointed. Highly recommend!


The cocktails, wine, tea and fresh juice selection is also unique and a reason to keep coming back to Busaba. We both enjoyed a glass of the Chianti Panesio from Barocini Italy which as a wonderful compliment to everything we ate and was highly enjoyed by the Italian herself. Sara says that as far as Italian wine goes it's a great choice for a very reasonable price. Something I didn't try but will next time is the Guava Bellini!

Everyone at Busaba was so enthusiastic and generous we just have to say a big thank you for helping us kick off our first review for: FLWL☂ GUIDE TO GREAT LONDON EATS. We hope you enjoyed this and will have more to come soon! Ciao for now!

Tumblr Saturday

Friday, June 10

So true!

This one time I painted a living room with a girl.

This was a handful of years back. It was about eight months before the huge, flame-out of a breakup. That day, though? That day we painted the living room? It was pretty uneventful. We painted my parents living room for $50 between us and a pizza. That was it. I think we watched Anchorman or something after that.

But it still holds as on of the most indelible memories I have. Don't get me wrong, I'm not still in love, it happened, it was good, it ended, and we've both moved on. But I'll never forget that day. Because it's never, in the long run, about the grand gestures. You can fly across the world and show up on her doorstep with a rose in your teeth and a ring in a little velvet box but I can guarantee you that - more often than not - she's going to remember the time you built the birdhouse in the back yard, or what have you, a whole lot more.

Life wasn't meant to be taken in large movements. The next day will inevitably arrive, you'll sleep, and the moment will have passed. But when you have a hundred thousand small moments, you can step back and appreciate the picture a lot more than metaphorically blowing your load on some grand moment that, in all honesty, look, you're not Bruce Fucking Springsteen, you're not going to be able to blow everyone's mind every single night. You're not Romeo and/or Juliet. There's no reason to drink the poison together in some flame-out gesture. So that leaves us with the small stuff. It's all about the detail.

That's what love is. Attention to detail.

And the moment will end. And then things will get boring. And it might get a little quiet. And it might all end horribly. And you might hate eachother at the end. And you might walk away from eachother one day and never speak again. But that's just how it goes.

But she'll remember the time you held the door open for her on your first date.
She'll remember the time you laughed at her impression of the landlady.
She'll remember the time you stayed up all night that first time.
She'll remember the small things a lot longer than the big ones.

But everything ends. And I'll tell you why you have to make the small things, the small moments count so much more:

One day, probably a while longer from now, when old age takes ahold of someone, she might just only remember your smile. Everything you ever did together, every second, every moment, every beat, every morning spent in bed, every evening spent together on the sofa, all of that - gone. Everything you ever did will be reduced to the head of a pin. She won't remember your name. She'll just remember your smile, and she'll smile. She won't know why. It's a base, gut reaction. But she'll smile, uncontrollably, and it will come from somewhere so deep as to know that you touched her on a primal, honest, and true level that no scientist, scholar, or savant could ever begin to explain. There is no more. There is nothing else. There is just this: She'll remember your smile, and she'll smile.

And you know what? That's all that really matters in the end.

reblogged from: http://ctark.tumblr.com/post/6276530838

Sunday, June 5

Back from Cali!


I had a great trip to California in La Jolla although it was very very brief.  How funny is this picture? My dad gave it to me as a welcome home card and it cracked me up. I brought back a whole suitcase of gluten free flour. A girl has to have her priorities in order!
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I had a wonderful week in La Jolla enjoying the beach which I miss so much!!
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Then I went back up to LA and went to Baby Cakes downtown for the first cupcake I've had in 5 years (gluten and dairy free)...sooooo good! Thank you Eddy!
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mint chocolate chip
Then off to Venice Beach for a fantastic lunch at the Rose Cafe with my brother and friends surrounded by celebrities in typical LA cliche fashion... one of which was Robyn Wright who I have always loved from THE PRINCESS BRIDE, my favorite movie of all time. She is so stunning in person. Her skin radiated from 10 feet away. We were all blown away by her incredible natural beauty.
The other was Jamie Bell from BILLY ELLIOT, another movie I loved, which seems like so long ago.

It was sunny and gorgeous the whole week and was all around a great trip. I am now back to the British rain!
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 Next up this week, our first review for the FLWL☂ GUIDE TO GREAT LONDON EATS. 

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