Food | Pizzeria in Shanghai

“As of May 2012, the city of Pudong in Shanghai, China has been going Italian crazy. The cause is made up of 5 simple letters that have been making everyone drool with just the hearing of the name; MATTO - meaning crazy mad or wild. An Italian restaurant that has made every resident in Shanghai gladly put down their chopsticks for the feeling of the pizza dough in hand.” – from yatzer

At Home | Just outside - a street "library"

"Book Lover" by Chuan Jeng 'CJ' Yap

December Festivities | Bodhi Day | Three Monks

Celebrated on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, or December 8th in Japan, in many Buddhist countries, Bodhi Day commemorates the day Siddhārtha Gautama got his Buddha shit together after a prolonged sit-in under ficus religiosa – that is to say, he awoke, understood the nature of things, became enlightened. 

     And figuring stuff out is what “Three Monks / The Three Buddhist Priests (三个和尚, San ge he shang)” is all about. This short animation was produced after the Chinese Cultural Revolution and was released at the beginning of 1980s. The story is based on an old Chinese saying “three monks, no water” or “One monk will shoulder two buckets of water, two monks will share the load, but add a third and no one will want to fetch water.”

     “Three Monks” is a gentle treatise on how pride can interfere with perceived work allocation and, in my mind, poses a question “Is a major calamity really required for us to get our shit together together?”

Food | Yakibuta Ramen by Cooking with Dog

There is 3-minute ramen, staple of many a student, and there is real ramen. My fav “chef”, Francis from Cooking with Dog, narrates the recipe dutifully demonstrated by his “assistant” (note to self: find out “assistant’s” name) this time for real Japanese ramen dish that originated in China. Yummy!

 

Food | Movies to make you salivate, crave, hungry and even full

In no particular order. For starters J

Like Water for Chocolate Como agua para chocolate Emotions transferred into food. Literally.	Eat Drink Man Woman 理性與感性 Getting dinner ready. Wow. Banquet. Wow. Another dinner. Wow. Lunch … you get the picture.	Tortilla Soup Los Angelino version of Eat Drink Man Woman. I want my pico de gallo! And some.	Frida Not exactly food heavy, but did someone mention mole poblano?
The Big Feast La Grande Bouffe Gluttony par excellence. Is all that really possible?! The deadly part of the sin is the aim.	Chocolat Didn’t you crave some even under the threat of diabetes? Armande Voizin did.	The Mistress of Spices The magic of seasoning.	Eat Pray Love Mangiare. Io mangio; tu mangi; lui/lei/Lei mangia; noi mangiamo; voi mangiate; loro/Loro mangiano. Ancora!
Big Night Take it from the chef - certain food combinations are just criminal.	The Ramen Girl Actor snobs, sue me! It’s cute; it has ramen; it has a cameo from Tsutomu Yamazaki, the truck driving mentor in “Tampopo”; it has ramen. Ramen gooood!	Mostly Martha Bella Martha I want to be her therapist J	Today’s Special The first 10:54 minutes makes you understand how this sous chef’s life friggin’ sucks – demands at work and from ‘proposed’, and being looked over ‘cuz the chef doesn’t get a … just see it. Taxi driver to the rescue!

Having a major envy moment – agh!

It has been brought to my attention that Nespresso has released coffee machine, capsule and cups sets to commemorate this Year of the Dragon. It also seems that the sets were released only to Asian and Australian markets; I am in neither of those. To say that I am having a major envy moment is to absolutely underestimate where I really am at in my head space! Gimme internet and my credit card! NOW!

http://www.nespresso-shanghaitang.com/en/

PS: After more research - the participating boutiques are only in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Kuwait, New Zealand, Singapore, and maybe also United Arab Emirates.

Happy Year of the Dragon!

Has Hello Kitty morphed? It's all good.

Yoko Ono vs. May Pang

Yoko Ono | Japanese	May Pang | Chinese-American
Born
February 18, 1933 Tokyo, Japan	October 24, 1950 Manhattan, New York
Before Lennon
From a well-to-do family Attended exclusive schools Lived thru Tokyo fire bombings in 1945 Lived through poverty Dropped out of studying philosophy at the university Moved to New York after the war Longed for and eventually joined the “Bohemia” Married Toshi Ichiyanagi in 1956 She was 23 A suicide attempt and a stint in a mental institution at some point Divorced Toshi and then married Anthony Cox in 1962 She was 29 That was annulled for technical reasons and then went ahead in 1963 Had a daughter together – Kyoko – she was 30 Divorced Cox in 1969 She was 36 The custody mess started… and never really resolved… to this day Kyoko and Yoko cannot get together Throughout she was well and truly part of the NYC art world “scene”, especially the avant-garde	Chinese immigrant family Did college Wanted to be a model but deemed too “ethnic” Song-plugger Receptionist at ABKCO Records (yes, here is the Apple Records and Beatles connection)
With Lennon
Met November 9, 1966 at her exhibition in London She was 33 She was his muse and collaborator The gateway, the key and the catalyst to the avant-garde Married March 20, 1969 She was 36 And continued Then separated in 1973 She pursued her career in NYC He lived in LA having his 18-month “lost weekend” with May Pang Reconciled in 1975 Had a son together – Sean - she was 42 Witnessed at a close range John’s murder in December 1980 Became a widow at 47 Throughout she was a practicing artist in her own right adding music to her repertoire	Asked to help John and Yoko with a film project in December 1970 Became their personal assistant in New York in 1971 She was 20 In 1973, after the decision to separate, Yoko suggested May become John’s companion Yoko “orchestrated” the match In October 1973, May and John left for LA to promote “Mind Games” album The “lost weekend” began May was 23 In June 1974, they returned to NYC Adopted two cats Early 1975, Lennon almost bought a house in Hamptons for him and May to hang in “You know Larry, I may have been the happiest I've ever been... I loved this woman (Pang), I made some beautiful music and I got so fucked up with booze and shit and whatever." She was his companion, “nurse”, occasional muse and collaborator But then he reconciled with Yoko… May was 24 But May claims her and John… until 1977
After Lennon
Had a bout of seclusion after John’s murder Then continued her art and activism A very busy woman! Faithful and collaborators abounded and still do	Worked as a PR manager for United Artists Records and Island Records Married a record producer in 1989 She was 38-39 Had two kids Then divorced in 2000 She was soon 50 She is still in contact with “Lennon’s crowd”
Talked about it
She could have not escaped talking about it even if she tried; people keep on asking!	Book: Loving John (1983) Book: Instamatic Karma (2008)
In her own right
Artist, musician, film director, peace activist, designer, continual muse and avid artistic collaborator All-around Grand Artiste status	Personal assistant, production coordinator, jewellery designer, author, volunteer for Animal Haven, internet talk radio show co-host