My updated “Bucket List”
Bhutan
Nepal
• Lumbini
• Kathmandu Valley
China - I found a really exquisite photo site here
• Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor
• The Great Wall of China
• The Five Great Mountains, arranged according to the five cardinal directions of Chinese geomancy, which includes the center as a direction: EAST: Tài Shān (泰山/泰山, literally Leading Peaceful Mountain), Shāndōng, 1,545 m WEST: Huà Shān (華山/华山, literally Splendid Mountain), Shănxī, 1,997 m; SOUTH: (Nán) Héng Shān (衡山/衡山, literally Balancing Mountain), Húnán, 1,290 m; NORTH: (Běi) Héng Shān (恆山/恒山, literally Permanent Mountain), Shānxī, 2,017 m; CENTER: Sōng Shān (嵩山/嵩山, literally Lofty Mountain), Hénán, 1,494 m
• The Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism: Wutai Shan (五臺山/五台山，literally Five-Terrace (Plateau) Mountain), Shanxi, 3,058 m; Éméi Shān (峨眉山/峨眉山，literally Delicate-Eyebrow Mountain), Sìchuān, 3,099 ml; Jiuhua Shan (九華山/九华山, literally Nine-Glories Mountain), Ānhuī, 1,341 m; Putuo Shan (普陀山/普陀山, literally Potalaka (Potala) Mountain), Zhèjiāng, 284 m
Egypt
• Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur
• Historic Cairo
Mali
• Timbuktu
• Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)
In the general sense – without mentioning specific places to go, I still need to visit Russia, India, Italy, Switzerland, France, South Africa, Senegal, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Bolivia, Argentina, Costa Rica, Colombia, Cuba… I’d like to taste the world – but the above is simply my 3-year projection.
Topics of Conversation
Generally speaking, I will attempt to make conversation or find substance (or conversely, lack thereof) in anything. But, these are the subjects that get my motor running…
State of Africa (examine the continent or look at specific state actors); Music; The environment, notably the state of our oceans, rainforest preservation; energy conservation as well as ; sustainable energyDreams; Chaos Theory; String Theory; Corporate Social Responsibility; Globalization; ustainable Development; Art; Traveling; Philosophy; World Affairs; Cooking; Humanity; Fashion (particularly fashion photography or haute couture); Metaphysics…
Books
It is nearly impossible to write a list of my favorite books and favorite authors because different books and authors have had profoundly different effects on my life or my spirit from the time I was a child. From a very young age, I have always loved books. I distinctly remember being a little kid wandering to the bookstore in the mall where my mom has her bridal shop, and simply thumbing through the selections. I loved the smell of the pages, the weight and texture of them in my hands. How each was different, even then I understood how a book could come to define you as much as you sought to bring a definition to its pages. Even so, I present a “short” list of some of my favorites.
• Elegant Universe
• Bones of the Moon
• The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Anna Karenina
• Harbor
• Animal Crackers
• One
• Memoirs of a Geisha
• Winter's Tale
• The Mind's Sky
• Stillness
• When the Emperor was Divine
• The Bonesetter's Daughter
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• The Color Purple
• Fast Food Nation
• Dracula (Bram Stoker)
• The Prince (Machiavelli)
• A Lesson Before Dying
• Bookseller of Kabul
• Acts of Faith
• The End of Poverty
• Outside the Dog Museum
• The Man Who Read Love Stories
• One Hundred Years of Solitude
• Thumbsucker
• The Three Musketeers
• Bringing Down the House
• Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps and the Tenth Dimension
• No One Writes the Colonel
• Under the Tuscan Sun
As for some of my favorite authors, here is a sampling of a few writers whom I’d admire immensely and hunger for more words. What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers. The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium.
• Shel Silverstein
• Richard Bach
• Jonathan Carroll
• Alexandre Dumas
• Edgar Allen Poe
• Brian Greene
• Pablo Neruda
• Amy Tan
• Henry David Thoreau
• Alice Walker
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Jeffrey Sachs
• Ernest Hemingway
Artists
• Gregory Colbert
• Jasper Johns
• Banksy
• Takashi Murakami
• Fernando Botero
• Octavio Ocampo
• Sergio Bustamante
• Carlos Albert
• Karin Kuhlmann
• Jerry Uelsmann
• Joe Coleman
• Norbert Cox
• Scott Mutter
• Angus McBean
• Richard Serra
Artists: (alive only through their work)
• Leonardo DaVinci
• Salvador Dali
• Keith Haring
• Frieda Kahlo
• Henry Magritte
• Michelangelo Buonarroti
• Joan Miro
• Jackson Pollack
• Paul Cezanne
• Giotto di Bondone
• Gustave Courbet
Movies
This list could get exponentially long. I am mainly into independent films. I also don’t generally like films that feel the need to break 2.5 hours, because I find it hard to sit still that long. However, don’t get me wrong… I am an art girl and film is an important art form, a source of popular entertainment, and a powerful method for educating — or indoctrinating — citizens. So I say – thank the god’s of technology for celluloid and thank you “human” brain for persistence of vision. Here is an abridged list of twenty-three of my all time favorite films (in no specific order).
1: Whalerider 2: Amélie 3: Amores Perros 4: Spirited Away 5: Phenomenon
6: Ocean's 11 7: Requiem for a Dream 8: Into the Wild 9: The Others
10: Namesake 11: Turtles Can Fly 12: The Last Samurai 13: Syriana
14: The Constant Gardner 15: The Birds 16: Travellers & Magicians
17: Un Coeur en Hiver 18: Snatch 19: Spirit of the Beehive
20: Darjeeling Limited 21: Eastern Promises 22: Love Actually 23: Atonement
I should note that I am a big fan of films directed by Wes Anderson, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, John Campbell McTiernan, Jr., Martin Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock, Alfonso Cuarón Orozco, Baz Luhrman, Otomo Katsuhiro, Kenji Kamiyama, Fernando Meirelles, Joe Wright, Quentin Tarantino, Darren Aronofsky, The Wachowski Brothers, Jean Cocteau, Hayao Miyazaki, Niki Caro, Alejandro Amenábar, M. Night Shyamalan, Tim Burton and Albert Lewin (to name a few).
Some of my favorite actors: Johnny Depp, Viggo Mortenson, Audrey Tautou, Rachel Weisz, Gael Garcia, Kate Winslet, Russel Crowe, Adrien Brody, Kiera Knightly, Christian Bale
Music
I could list a ton of stuff, but I’ll list some of my favorites by genres instead. This is by no means comprehensive, as a matter of fact – nothing here is, as I am constantly exposed to new things and always in the process of falling in love while the new takes a piece of me.
Classical:
• Bach, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Erik Satie and Strauss. Modern day performers I admire are Aldo Ciccolini, Andrea Bocelli, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and Joshua Bell
Jazz:
• Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Chet Baker, Harry Connick Jr, Etta James
Afro-Cuban :
• Afro-Cuban All Stars, Buena Vista Social Club
Latin:
• Llhasa, Juanes, Café Tacuba, Julieta Venega, Alejandro Sanz, Shakira
Rock/Pop:
• Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, Tricky, Coldplay, Dave Mathews Band, Primus, Radiohead, New Amsterdams, Gorillaz, Sia, Outcast, Porno for Pyros, Rickie Lee Jones, Imogen Heap, The Fray, U2, Depeche Mode, Stone Temple, Simon and Garfunkle, Beck, Patty Griffin, Robin Thicke, Snow Patrol, Eddie Vedder, Jeff Buckley, Alicia Keys, Amos Lee, Van Halen, AerosmithElectronics, Dance, Alternative:
• Enigma, Deep Forest, Lamb, Lisa Gerard, Stina Nordenstam, Basement Jaxx, Portishead, Paul Oakenfold, Boy George (new and old), Dub Gabriel, Coleen, Benoît Pioulard
Movie Score Producers:
• A.H Rahman, Hans Zimmer, James Horner, Phillip Glass, Jan AP Kaczmarek, Gustavo Santaolalla, Dario Marianelli, Kerry Muzzey, Michel Legrand
Senegal/Mali/Egypt: • Ali Farka Toure, Youssou N'Dour, Hamza el Din, Abdoulaye Diabate, Salif Keita, Mohamed Mounir, Amadou & Mariam
If you ever met me, you likely wouldn't suspect that I love food - I mean REALLY love food. When I get a nibble of something I really enjoy, I like to say it is dancing on my taste buds. Sometimes, I can tell you what parts of my palate are becoming excited by the dance. Anything having to do with food is pleasurable for me. Any conversation about food, review of food, story of food, picture of food, thought of food…
Favorite styles are...
• Fusion Cuisine
• California Cuisine
• Nouvelle Cuisine
• Haute Cuisine
Regionally, I enjoy many Asian dishes (Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Cambodian) as well as Latin (Mexican, Spanish) - but I also dig Polish (although, for me Polish is also an embodiment of German, Russian, and traditional Jewish dishes), Lebanese, Eritrean, French (obvious from styles), Greek, and good ol' classic American fare. I am not a very big meat eater (was a vegetarian for 12 years – ovo-lacto for those who are curious), and encourage people to eat seafood responsibly. I am a fan of Kona Kampachi and also have a weakness (and preference) for game food.
Favorite food websites:
• Slashfood
• Smitten Kitchen
• Open Table
• Food Network
• Nigella Lawson
• Science of Cooking
Favorite Chefs:
• Wolfgang Puck - If you haven't eaten at one of his restaurants, you haven't eaten. And I'm not talking about one of those places in the airports. In DC there's The Source, LA and Vegas both have Spago (also in Maui) and Chinois - although the majority of his places are sprinkled in Vegas and California, he also has establishments in Atlantic City, Minneapolis, and Detroit.
• Michel Richard makes the best duck, hands down. In DC he operates Citronelle and Central. In LA his original Maison Richard, a bistro and bakery is still operating, but I should warn, he's no longer affiliated with it - hasn't been for at least 12 years (but they kept his name on it). Fusion of nouvelle and haute cuisine (is that possible?) - pleases my palette every single time. Those in LA - be on the lookout, Michel is partnered to open Citrus at Social.
• Tyler Florence - The man can cook, and I really like his style. He apparently designed a line with Applebee’s - um, folks, even though his name is on it, and your body can digest it - Applebee’s does not = fine food. Many moons ago he was to be found in NYC at Cibo then Cafeteria in Chelsea. Now, if you want to taste his creations - you need to buy one of his cookbooks and make it yourself.
• Jamie Oliver - If you live in London, you can check out Fifteen, otherwise if you want to taste his culinary genius, you need to craft it yourself. The naked chef is a man of my own heart for two main reasons, basic ingredients - that are fresh and usually organic. He started a movement in the food world. If you don't think fresh, local, organic food makes a difference in taste - think again, challenge those taste buds!
• Bobby Flay - TexMex, southwestern, grilled, if you ask me - Bobby Flay has mastered his own type of fusion cuisine, classic southern American and south American meets grilled classic. What to call that? I'll call it Flaysion cuisine; he's a master at it. In NYC he has Bar Americain and Mesa Grill - but he can also be found in the Bahamas, Atlantic City and Vegas.
• Richard Chen - If you want to sample his take on elegant and sumptuous Chinese dining, you'll need to travel to the Wynn in Vegas. He heads Red 8 and Wing Lei. While Wing Lei is proof that it's no longer necessary to get a visa in order to eat high-end Chinese food, Red 8 covers Southeast Asia in an authentic and rather tasty way. Outside of the menu, I have to add that the décor of both places is simply stunning - also have to add that Steve Wynn did a superb job all around, and quite frankly - you can't go wring dining at any of his establishments. Okada (headed by Executive chef Masa Ishizawa) is mouth watering for it's authentic teppanyaki and robata cooking.
• Jacques Pépin - Sorry kids, if you want to try it, you're on your own. Believe it or not, he worked for Howard Johnson’s for over 10 years. I'm a fan for several reasons, but notably the idea of fast food - that's fantastic. You can catch him on your local PBS station, fabulous for folks like me who hate the idea of cable. One great fast-food recipe from his show is for a black bean soup that just involves emulsifying a can of black beans in a food processor with garlic, olive oil and Tabasco sauce and then finishing it with a garnish of sour cream, cilantro and some sliced banana or crushed tortillas. You too can be an executive chef.
• Robert Wiedmaier is the executive chef and owner of two of my favorite restaurants in DC. Marcel's, the French-Belgian dining room in Foggy Bottom, and Brasserie Beck at 11th and K sts, in a more casual and relaxed atmosphere with a menu featuring mussels and Belgian beer. DC is certainly lucky to have him. Born in Germany of Belgian descent, Wiedmaier attended the Culinary School of Horca in the Netherlands. He apprenticed at the Thermidor Restaurant, a Michelin 2-star establishment in Hulst, Holland and then moved to Brussels to work with the prestigious Eddie Van Maele. He moved to the states in the mid 80's and worked for notable Washington restaurants as Le Chardon D'or, Le Pavillion and at the Four Seasons as the sous chef for the Aux Beaux Champs restaurant. In 1996 he was recruited as the new executive chef for the Watergate Hotel, the position formerly held by the late Jean-Louis Palladin of over twenty years.
Clothes, Fashions, Designers...oh my!
I had thought twice about adding a section on fashion here, but found that would be difficult for me to do. Some might find this a bit superficial, but I would have to disagree. Fashion for me is a means of expression, every bit as much as art on canvas or a table built of pine with love. It is in many ways a means for an individual – or a group to define themselves (or conversely not) and it encompasses more than just the clothes that we wear. Although I have an absolute love for haute couture, I could never afford it any more than I could afford to hang a Frieda Khalo in my own home, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t admire the story any less. I can also say the same for many of today’s “hot” ready-to-wear (prêt-a-porte) designers whom I absolutely adore such as Galliano (who to me is the Dali of the fashion world), Betsy Johnson, Tom Ford, Paul & Joe, Ingwa Melero, Chloe and Missoni – to name a few. Then there are the models who are able to turn themselves into 2-D so elegantly and really, really wear the creations with such delicate grace – they are the ballerinas to the Swan Lake of fashion. I will forever be a girl who loved the age of the supermodel (long live Kate, Helena and Linda - but God bless Giselle). And last but not least, there are the fashion editors (Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington, Linda Wells - LOVE HER, Alexandra White), stylists (Beat Bolliger, Anastasia Barbieri, Rachel Zoe) and photographers – I am constantly stunned and following the work of Bruce Webber, Steven Klein, Steven Miesel, and Annie Liebowitz, Mario Sorrenti, Enrique Badulescu, Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin - some of my favorites whose work, in and out of the fashion, always manages to evoke a sense of magic of what light and machine and talent can do to a scene involving a person wearing what is essentially just clothes. I could obviously say a lot about the subject – but what is so great is you could put something on and become anyone you ever wanted to be. Now that’s magic.
Hope you enjoyed "the list" - believe it or not, it isn't even comprehensive! But, it is a good sample ;)
