Style Inspiration: Backstage at Alexander Wang S/S 2010

Photo Credit: Style To Go

RIP Howard Zinn

Photo Courtesy of Marine_Perez

Howard Zinn 1922-2010

As a high school student in Cambridge, I must have gone to every talk Howard Zinn gave at Harvard. My worn copy of A People's History has dedications and signatures scrawled in just about every open space.

I remember writing to him once, exuberantly sharing all the ways A People's History had revolutionized the way I view the world and my place in it. I still remember that awestruck feeling when he actually responded, ever graciously and compassionately.

Howard Zinn was passionate about his country and the people in it. He saw the value in everyone's narrative- even this young girls'.

Currently Reading: The Hidden Messages in Water

From the back cover: The Hidden Messages in Water introduces the revolutionary work of the internationally renowned Japanese scientist Masaru Emoro, who has discovered that molecules of water are affected by our thoughts, words, and feelings. Since humans and the earth are composed mostly of water, his message is one of personal health, global environmental renewal, and a practical plan for peace that starts with each one of us.

I believe that water is the most important issue facing us today- environmental, social, and political. Water is our most precious resource, more and more as this basic human right becomes commodified and privatized.

Former VP of the World Bank, Ismael Serageldin said in 1995: "If the wars of [the 20th century] were fought over oil, the wars of [the 21st century] will be fought over water." Why, with this insight, the World Bank has encouraged developing countries to sell their water rights to private companies in order to pay down their debts is an issue for another day.

Stay tuned- my review to come post haste!

Ice Skates

Photo of Canadian Figure Skater Barbara Scott Courtesy of Life Photo Archive

Americans are always threatening to up and move to Canada- it's like the trump card in our social contract.

Canada manages the American Ultimatum with characteristic neutrality, welcoming all the weary malcontents- and wandering spirits- with open arms and and swinging doors. Enter, me, stage left!

There is something innately romantic about leading the life of an expat, even if up until recently I didn't need a passport to get into my newly adopted country. First there was the Lost Generation, then there was the Beat Generation, and now there is me!

It's about time I adopt some classic Canadian customs! So I rack my brain...

No, I'll never say Eh, unless I'm doing a Canadian Eliza Doolittle: The rehn in Spehn stehs mehnly in the plehn.

More thinking... I can get on board with maple syrup...But I can go bigger!

...Ice skates! What's more Canadian that ice skates?

So my honey and I head to the sports shop, envisioning antique leather skates à la Hans Brinker and the opening scene of Mystery, Alaska. We'll be the Danny and Sandy of the Robson Square rink, tearing it up and t-stopping all over the place!

Alas, those vintage figure skates were not to be found. I settled on a pair of practicals, with my honey's reassurance that we'd remain steadfast in our hunt for my Hans Brinkers. Though my new skates may not be as I had envisioned, I can't help but admire them there at the foot of my bed and feel pleased that they're actually mine!

Mille-Feuilles Dark Chocolate Crêpe Cake with Candied Hazelnuts

This Sunday was my honey's birthday! Happy Birthday my love! To celebrate- a bottle of Rioja on la playa and this most decadent of cakes!

Mille-Feuilles Dark Chocolate Crêpe Cake With Candied Hazelnuts Recipe c/o Mme. Stewart with this caveat: this cake is quite an endeavour and you will most likely experience a gauntlet of emotions while making it. May I suggest pairing the process with a screening of Chocolat. I'm starting to realize that one should not bake without Alfred Molina!

Ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter, 2 1/2 cups
  
• Semisweet Chocolate, 18 ounces
  
• All-Purpose Flour, 1 1/2 cups
  
• Sugar, 3 cups
  
• Salt, 1/2 teaspoon +2 pinches
  
• Whole Milk, 2 1/2 cups
  
• Eggs, 12
  
• Pure Vanilla Extract, 1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon
  
• Heavy Cream, 2 cups
  
• Hazelnut Cream, 1/3 cup
  
• Hazelnuts, 10

Dark Chocolate Crêpes:

• Boil 1/4 cup water and add 3/4 cup butter, whisking to combine. Remove from heat and stir in 8 ounces chocolate until completely melted. Set aside.
• Set out 2 large bowls.
• Bowl the First: Whisk together 1 1/2 cups sifted flour, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Bowl the Second: Whisk together 2 1/2 cups milk, 6 eggs, and 1 tablespoon vanilla.
• Gradually add the contents of Bowl 2 into Bowl 1.
• Whisk in the chocolate butter mixture until smooth.
• Pour through a seive into an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• 2 hours later...2 tablespoons of batter at a time, cook crêpes on a lightly buttered crepe pan until edges are golden and the center is dry.
  

Hazelnut Meringue:

• Beat 2/3 cup cream until soft peaks form. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Whisk 6 egg whites and 1 2/3 cups sugar in a bowl over simmering water until sugar dissolves.
• Beat egg whites and sugar mixture until stiff peaks form.
• Beat in 1 3/4 cups butter a little at a time.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/3 cup hazelnut cream, and 1 pinch of salt and beat until mixture comes together.
• Fold in Whip Cream.
  

Dark Chocolate Glaze:

• Bring 1 1/4 cups cream and a pink of salt to a boil and then remove from heat.
• Add 10 ounces of finely chopped chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Stir until smooth and let cool completely.
  

Candied Hazelnuts:

• Remove hazelnuts from shells, blanch, remove skins, & toast.
• Skewer hazelnuts.
  
• Dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1/4 cup water. Bring the syrup a boil and cook until it turns a light amber. Let stand for 10 minutes. Do not attempt to dip you finger in for a taste. As delicious as it may be (yes, it is), it will only end in tears (yes, it does)!
  
• Dip the skewered hazelnut into the syrup. Let the caramel drip over an edge and harden.

Dark Chocolate Crêpe Cake With Candied Hazelnuts:

• Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
• Place a crêpe on the wire rack and spread 3 tablespoons of the hazelnut meringue over it. Repeat until all the crêpes and hazelnut meringue are used. Be careful of slidage- use one of the skewers to hold everything in place. Refrigerate until firm.
  
• Spread the chocolate glaze over the cake, coating it completely. Refrigerate until glaze is firm.
• Garnish with toasted and candied hazelnuts.
• Feast!
  

Wanderlust

There's nothing like a dreary January day to inspire wanderlust.

I know Bruce Chatwin was right when he said that we, much like migratory birds, must have journeys mapped out in our central nervous system.

Here are 10 journeys that pulse through me:

Atacama Desert, Chile

Photo Courtesy of Obliot

Cuzco, Peru

Photo Courtesy of Quinet

Lhasa, Tibet

Photo Courtesy of Kattebelletje

Maasai Mara, Kenya

Photo Courtesy of eggshapedkath

Petra, Jordan

Photo Courtesy of Taras Kalapun

Reykjavik, Iceland

Photo Courtesy of geoftheref

San Blas Islands, Panama

Photo Courtesy of Mark Veraart

Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia

Photo Courtesy of Antoine Hubert

Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia

Photo Courtesy of cyclamenrob

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Photo Courtesy of geoftheref

Toasted Almond Glazed Bundt Cake

...Speaking of Betty Draper...

I'll bake a cake! I'll bake a cake to kick off my honey's birthday week! This shall be my finest hour!

So I preheat the oven, rally Pup, put on my rouge, get An Education playing on the big screen and...get utterly swept away by Carey Mulligan and 1960s England.

But wait, the cake! I'm meant to be conquering domesticity! With gusto, no less! But look at her gorgeous dress (nude with one red strap) and have I not already eaten all the almonds?

Mmm delicious almonds! Focus!

Toasted Almond Glazed Bundt Cake Recipe c/o Martha Stewart with this caveat: every time you spy this treat, you'll feel an overwhelming and all-consuming compulsion to help yourself to yet another morsel!

Ingredients:

• Butter, 20 tablespoons
  
• Sliced Almonds, 12 tablespoons
  
• Chopped Almonds, 2/3 cup
  
• Brown Sugar, 10 tablespoons
  
• Cinnamon, 2 teaspoons
  
• Nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon
  
• All-Purpose Flour, 3 cups
  
• Baking Powder, 2 teaspoons
  
• Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon
  
• Salt, 1/2 teaspoon
  
• Granulated Sugar, 1 1/2 cup
  
• Eggs, 2 large
  
• Pure Vanilla Extract, 2 tablespoons
  
• Plain Yogurt, 1 1/2 cup
  
• Confectioners' Sugar, 4 cups sifted
• Milk, 6-8 tablespoons

Toasted Almonds:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown.

Cake:

• Set out 3 large bowls.
• First Bowl: combine chopped almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Second Bowl: Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Third Bowl: Beat 12 tablespoons of butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Mix in 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Mix in 1/3 of the mixture from Bowl 2 and 1/2 the yogurt. Repeat. Mix in final 1/3 of flour mixture.
• Generously butter the bundt cake pan and fill with half of the mixture from Bowl 3. Sprinkle the almond-spice mixture from Bowl 1 on top. Pour the remaining mixture from Bowl 3 on top.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Glaze:

• Melt 8 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until color turns nut brown.
• Pour butter into a large bowl and stir in sifted confectioners' sugar, 4 teaspoons of vanilla, and 6 tablespoons of milk until smooth.
• Drizzle glaze over the cake and sprinkle with toasted almonds.
• Feast!
  

Kiss Kiss

My love of berry stained lips began with the exquisite styling of Betty Draper by Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant and has since reached full throttle after seeing photos of the stunning Karlie Kloss and Sasha Pivovarova in Paris this autumn.

What a beautiful and understated way to make such a big impact! It's so fresh and feminine.

All you need is the perfect lipstick (I adore Guerlain Kiss Kiss in Exces de Rouge), a light dusting of blush, and a coat of mascara and you're out the door, turning heads!

Mulled Wine

Mulled wine (Glühwein, Glögg, Navegado...) makes me think of Hans Brinker and German Christmas Markets, keeping warm beneath the snowy sky with hearty mugs of the piping hot good stuff. It's the ultimate winter treat!

Mulled Wine Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Water, 3/4 cup
  
• Sugar, 3/4 cup usually does the trick
• Grounds Cloves, 1/4 teaspoon
• Cinnamon Stick, 1
• Orange, juice of 1 orange + thinly sliced peels of 1 orange
• Red Wine, 1 bottle (or box, whatever way you roll!) On that note, you can even add a dash of Brandy if you're so inclined.

Mulled Wine:

• Bring water, sugar, ground cloves, cinnamon stick, orange juice, and orange peels to a boil.
• Let simmer for 30 minutes.
• Add wine and warm, but don't bring to a boil- you don't want to risk all the alcohol boiling off!!
  
• Serve in a hearty mug with a fresh cinnamon stick.
  

YSL Muse

Be still my beating heart! Behold the most perfect bag my most perfect honey gave me for my birthday! Swoon!

Let me tell you, the YSL Muse is even more beautiful in person! Simple, classic, and luxurious, it suits my personal aesthetic- elegant, versatile, understated, with clean lines, perfect proportions, and beautiful silhouettes- perfectly. Handcrafted in Italy, the luxury and quality is apparent in every detail.

Designed by the visionary Stefano Pilati, Creative Director of Yves Saint Laurent, the Muse has become the iconic YSL bag. Within the illustrious European fashion houses, Pilati is among the most intriguing designers- along with Christopher Bailey for Burberry, Nicholas Ghesquière for Balenciaga, Alber Elbaz for Lanvin, Phoebe Philo for Celine, and Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton.

The Muse is so stylish, so parisienne chic. J'adore!

Top 10 Albums of 2009

Bon Iver- Blood Bank EP

Justin Vernon made a hermetic retreat into the Wisconsin backwoods romantic with his tender masterpiece, For Emma, Forever Ago. Blood Bank is another triumph of the melancholic, the weight of which is permanently etched across my heart.

Dan Auerbach- Keep It Hid

I loved The Black Keys' minimalist, stripped-down, bluesy Danger Mouse produced album, Attack and Release. These guys are good. Did you know Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney released a hip-hop album this year under the name BlakRoc? It should come as no surprise then that Auerbach's solo debut is nothing short of wonderful. He's changing the game and proving that you can go home again.

Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse- Dark Night of The Soul

Danger Mouse (one-half of Gnarls Barkley with Cee-Lo Green) and Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous wrote and produced the tracks on this haunting and cinematic album. Dark Night of the Soul features contributions from The Pixies, Iggy Pop, the Shins, and the Flaming Lips, among many others. If that's not enough, director David Lynch is involved (and he sings!). For legal reasons, the CD was never officially released, but thanks to NPR Music, you can listen to the whole album here.

Fanfarlo- Reservoir

The dreamy and melodic instramentals of this London based band, coupled with the obscure lyrics of Swedish songwriter Simon Bathazar, ensure that this multi-layered album reveals more with each listen.

Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest

If you like Fleet Foxes, you will love Grizzly Bear. Listen and enjoy!

Heartless Bastards- The Mountain

The title track of this album was one of my favorite songs this year. Erika Wennerstrom's commanding vocals are like nothing I've ever heard, though she is often compared to Neil Young and Robert Plant.

Iron and Wine- Around the Well

While I'm still searching for a copy of my favorite Iron and Wine song, a cover of The Marshal Tucker Band's AB's song, Around the Well fits the bill with great Sam Beam rarities (B-sides, demos, outtakes). This album serves as a testament to how truly amazing Iron and Wine's discography really is.

K’naan- Troubador

When I first heard the recording of K'naan at SXSW last spring, I fell hard. The first three minutes, a cappella, of Wavin' Flag are met with stunned silence and bated breath until the audience recovers enough to join in the chorus. This is powerful music with a rare honesty and heart that invokes Bob Marley.

Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

It's no wonder Phoenix reminds me of Air- they formed as part of a backing band for the French electronic group and both shared space on Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation soundtrack. This is pop music at its best- light and utterly infectious.

Various Artists- Dark Was The Night

The Red Hot Organization's latest compilation, Dark Was The Night, raises awareness and funds to combat HIV/AIDS. With contributions from some of today's best musicians, including Andrew Bird, Arcade Fire, My Morning Jacket, The National, Conor Oberst, and Spoon, among so many others, there is no end to what this multi-disk album has to offer.

Pup

This is my Yorkie x Daschund, Bowie.

Her panoply of aliases include: Bow, Bo Jangles, Girly, Pup, Pupsi Cola, Poof, Poofy, Puff, and Puffington.

She loves: exploring, sunbathing on her back, bumping into friends, sporting a jaunty bandana, bounding, having her portrait done, and cherries.

She's not so sure about: her tail, hissing swans, and swimming in the ocean- she'll stick to fountains, thank you very much!

She's the sweetest, most gentle-spirited pup that ever was!

Pup in Repose

Looking Forward To In January

Early January: Beard Papas Opens on Robson

Don't let the baffling branding and surreal origin story- a treat just as fluffy and lovable as Beard Papa's beard- put you off, Beard Papa-san makes a mean cream puff.

21 January: KT Arrives on the Scene

My little sister's coming to visit for her birthday! I'm so excited!

26 January: IRM

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck's beautiful collaboration will finally released after teasing me since November! Watch the video for Heaven Can Wait here. P.S. Hear the entire album here on NPR Music, a week before it's release.

Late January: Japa Dog Restaurant Opens on Robson

Home of the Terimayo, Misomayo, and Oroshi,Vancouver's best loved street vendor gets new digs this winter. There seems to be no limits to the Asian Fusion movement and I'm loving every minute of it!

Mighty Leaf Tea

I love winter. I love winter skies- the sun, low and dull on the horizon behind vast expanses of soft, muted colors. I love ruddy cheeks and windswept hair and beachcombing in boots. I love Christmas and mulled wine and pfeffernüsse. For me, every season has a feeling- a taste, a smell, a sound.

These cold, dark days of January are no exception. They inspire trips to the ballet, midnight suppers of mussels and black cherries and scotch, novels by the fireplace and dreams of snowman armies.

... And Mighty Leaf Tea.

Mighty Leaf Tea saw its start when husband-and-wife Gary Shinner and Jill Portman founded a teahouse on Filmore St. in San Francisco with the vision of infusing new life into an ancient tradition. (I just love stories of marriages that inspire so much creativity, growth, and partnership. Think Isabel and Ruben Toledo.)

Having spent years in Ireland, I feel like my word has some clout here. Mighty Leaf has a heady romance and magic that will transport you in an instant to the ancient Silk Road. Sourced from the finest organic ingredients and presented to you in wonderfully coquettish handcrafted, silken pouches that are reminiscent of something you'd see at Nina Ricci, Mighty Leaf is how tea was meant to be.

Mighty Leaf, welcome to my repertoire. You make January so much warmer!