French Cuisine

French cuisine is one of the most emotionally satisfying meals to eat, because it is made with a lot of thought, creativity, and love.  The cuisine is known for its high quality and fatty food products, i.e., emphasis on freshness over preservatives, and usage of a lot of cream and butter....and by a lot, I mean REALLY A LOT.

Below are a few dishes I recently attempted.  Bon Apetit.

Baked salmon, dill dijonnaise (slightly burned on top...c'est la vie...but still it was juicy on the inside, courtesy of lemon juice)

Coquilles St. Jacques Mornay (i.e., scallops)

Creme Brulee (came out heavenly)

Nicoise Salad (note for vegetarians: can be made without tuna & anchovies, and still be yummy)

Potato galette (I know, a bit overdone, but still edible, once grease was rubbed off)

Wilted spinach (with a little sprinkle of chilly flakes...note: NEVER attempt to overcook or burn the chilly flakes, they will cause a non-stop cough and your eyes to water...above picture is attempt #2 after experiencing the after-effects of burned chilly flakes)

World Cup in Brazil....My two teams are still in it!!!

If there is any other major sporting event, that will keep me from following my favorite sport tennis too closely, it would be the World Cup....this year held in Brazil.

My two favorite teams, Germany and the US, were put together in Group G (also known as the Group of Death).  While I had no doubt what-so-ever that Germany would advance, I was a bit nervous for the US.  This was mainly due to the fact that 2 other strong teams (Ghana and Portugal) were in this Group as well, and only 2 of the 4 teams could advance.  Assuming (logically of course), that Germany would most definitely lead the Group, the US had a 33% chance taking the runner-up spot (maybe even less, per the naysayers).

I had high hopes for the US, mainly because i) they hired one of my favorite former German players (Juergen Klinsmann) as coach, who had previously coached the German national team successfully back in 2006, and ii) the team is comprised of a more diverse group of players, with experience playing for international teams.

I defended this notion numerous times in the days leading up to their 1st game on Jun 16th, that the US will advance, and was met with a lot of grins and eye rolls.  I said that the US would FINALLY defeat Ghana.  I was hoping and believing the unimaginable, but was sooooo thrilled when it actually happened.

Of all the matches played within Group G, I predicted the winner correctly for all, except for the Germany vs. Ghana tie (I thought for sure Germany would win), and Portugal's win over Ghana (here, I had predicted a tie).

I watched the Germany vs. US match with mixed feelings (yes, it was during a week day at lunch time, and yes, I took a rather long lunch break ;), but so did a bunch of others.  I wanted a tie, but knew that Germany would in the end beat the US.  Germany is in a league of its own.  My only hope was that Germany would be gentle (i.e., only 1 pt differential), and that the Portugal vs. Ghana match occurring at the same time would lead to a result that would be beneficial to the US.  Thankfully, it happened.  It really did happen.  I am very happy for the US team (and especially for Juergen Klinsmann....I get to see more of him :).

The Round of 16 takes place for Germany on Mon, 6/30 and for the US on Tue, 7/1.  I predict that Germany will win that one quite easily vs. Algeria, and that the US will defeat Belgium.  If that doesn't happen, then so be it, but I BELIEVE and HOPE that it will.  And I will be wearing black/white on Monday, and Red/Blue/White on Tuesday.  So there.

Who do I think (objectively and rationally) will ultimately win the World Cup title?  Germany.  It's high time, though they will have a few hurdles to overcome (assuming that France, Brazil, and Argentina will each advance up to the point where they face Germany).  But I think it can be done.  So let's see, and enjoy the rest of games.

A special thanks to Univision, who has been kind enough to air all the games on TV, for those WHO DO NOT HAVE CABLE :)

My Farberge Egg Hunt....All in One Spot

Earlier this year, Farberge hid over 260 Easter eggs designed by different artists.  These eggs were about 2.5 feet tall, and could be found in all 5 boroughs of NYC.

Well, since I neither had the time nor the inclination to go hunting for them, I just waited until they all made their grand finale presence at Rockefeller Center - with the last day being Apr 25, 2014.  These eggs will eventually be auctioned off for charity at Sotheby's.

Below are some of my favorite designs (not necessarily in order of favorites) + a rabbit made of greenery balancing an egg made of flowers:

Super Bowl Snack

Time to relax.  The Super Bowl has started between Denver vs. Seattle...and this is what I'm currently snacking on :)

Bon Apetit.

Pre-Super Bowl celebrations in NYC

Yesterday, I went to the Pepsi dome in Bryant Park.  This dome, called #PepCity was to celebrate the quality of food that accompanies the Super Bowl, which this year will be held in NJ.

The line was long, but the wait not so bad.  Once inside, I received a card with eight circles, and I could visit each of the eight stations to sample some of the yummy treats made by world-class chefs, like David Burke, Mark Forgione, and Michael Psilakis.  At each station, there was also a Pepsi-related quirky drink sample, except for David Burke, which had Starbucks sample's of vanilla/choco iced lattes.

Mind you, the food samples were small, but nothing is more satisfying than trying out sumptuous food, and realizing that it is all free.  Yippieh!!!  I tried the gravlax, shrimp marinated in a lemony juice with little tomato & onion pieces (I believe there was paprika as well), cherry-flavored chicken wings, tacos with chicken, cheetos, popcorn, brownies...oh, it was a delight.

There was the PepsiBar, where one could grab freebies, like bags of Doritos or cans/bottles of Pepsi-related beverages.  A lovely masterpiece of the NYC skyline was on display.  It was made of Cheetos (very creative, and worthy of being exhibited at the MOMA).

Food always tastes better when entertainment is close by too.  There were performances from Broadway shows, such as Mama Mia and Newsies, as well as "Don't Stop Believin" was sung on full blast, which is always a pleasure to hear.  There was more art created, as well as a rap competition, and some football players made an appearance as well (e.g., Rueben Randle was helping out at the David Burke stand).

All in all a great event.  Very well organized.  I left feeling content, and in the need to find a bathroom (which PepCity did not have).  I think the strategy was brilliant for people to leave within 1-2 hours, so that other people in the line could get in sooner rather than later.

A few blocks away, there were other events happening on Broadway.  Here are a few pictures.  And yes, before calling it a day, I stopped for a quick free slice of pizza from Papa John's.

Poem #3 - A Grand Slam

Satisfying is nothing more,
And never a bore,
Than watching an exciting match at a Grand Slam,
Between the #2 and the #4 ranked player,
You know it won't be done in a cram.
 
The first set is tight,
The score is 6-6,
And off we are to a tie-breaker,
Oh, expect a fight,
To see who will be the taker.

Watching the underdog somehow pull through,
It is indeed once in a moon blue,
But that is the dream of a tennis fan,
Knowing with determination and soul,
One can,
Indeed pull ahead,
And add to one's cred,
That one deserves a final to win,
And move to the next round,
With your arms up in the air,
And a big, wide grin.

The start of the second set,
The opponent tries a different tactic,
And this time won't let,
Won't fall for the same trick,
And of the set let go,
For if he did,
It would indeed be a major blow.

Now in the 3rd set,
It's a coin toss,
But the underdog manages to come on top,
One more,
He thinks,
I must not let it drop.

The 4th leads to a tie-breaker one more,
The opponent pumps his fist,
Even though he is sore,
And manages a win,
Oh, how he would like to add this match,
To his winning list.

Oh, how wild goes the crowd,
Very noisy and loud,
The umpire for quiet he requests,
So that the players can focus on the 5th set,
And not make a mess.

The underdog once more fights,
With all the energy and heart he can muster,
A tennis fan would know,
His performance lacks no luster.
And somehow he finds himself in a position,
To serve for the match,
And there he is,
Just one remaining point,
Down the middle an ace,
And voila,
He has finished the race.


The End

Poem #2 - The Perfect Sunday

The perfect Sunday,
Is to sleep, and sleep and sleep,
Oh so very deep,
Until one is ready to open one's eyes,
But still stay snuggled under the blankets,
Until one is absolutely really ready to rise.

It shouldn't matter that it is already noon,
For what is the rush to get up so soon?
The alarm clock has an off day,
And has definitely lost its say,
That it is get up time,
So no ring tone to chime.

The perfect Sunday,
Is to stay snuggled in bed,
Until one feels ready to lift one's head,
And then gently stretch one's legs,
And head to the kitchen,
Where the body begs,
For a steaming cappuccino hot,
Isn't it wonderful to have to step outside not?

To then bring the cup to the couch,
And under a blanket one again goes,
With no worries that outside the wind coldly blows .
Putting on some lovely music...indie pop, perhaps,
And then curl up with a book,
And oh how easily time will just lapse.

Indeed this represents the perfect Sunday,
With no worry, whether rain or shine,
Indeed it is the best time for relaxation,
With lunch time in 3 hours,
That is just an approximation,
And dinner can be scheduled at will,
When one feels the tummy needs a fill,
Not following a schedule,
For the body is like a car,
That needs rest and refuel.


The End