philosophie.

the day when good things all happen together

Well, first and foremost, the pair of vintage Ferragamo loafers that I ordered has arrived – and I love love LOVE these!! Definitely look way more sleek in person , and I can say that I finally have another pair of manly shoes to wear on stage when I choose to – it’s been too long after my last pair of spectator oxfords served their duty by cracking on the bottom.

Secondly, my wonderful fiancé came home and surprised me with an iphone! Sure I’ve heard a lot about how amazing the phone is, and even though the only two cellphones that I owned are all free that came with the contract (because I for some reason have not much desire for high-technological gadgets) but this is definitely a gift highly treasured! (and hopefully will be an aid to my lack of blogging and photo-uploading etc.)

Tonight, as a gesture of gratitude, I made spinach pesto pasta with shrimp and a touch of almond essence (as inspired by Olivier a couple of days ago!).

self portrait

dinner chez moi with a French, an Italian and an American

BEFORE I delve into this dinner party, I would like to just announce that I opened my own Etsy shop today! Just listed the first item, please help to spread the word. :)

I co-hosted the party with my good friend Olivier, whose passion for culinary art is needless to be mentioned.  I made a cold Asian-fusion noodle with a sweet/sour taste as a starter, but I didn’t keep any photos of it because.. well, I was hungry and I believe my guests were, too.

We had mussels, tangerine cake followed by a cheesecake. ..and espresso (home-made by the Italian!).

Some photos from the dinner:

I am finally back to New York

.. and just in time for Irene’s visit! Where I am in Manhattan, however, seem to be relatively unaffected as I opened my window on a peaceful Sunday morning, there was only the playfully ferocious breeze coming through, no more rain and even a bit of sunshine. I know it is absolutely a blasphemy to say that I am slightly disappointed that Irene didn’t come as hard as they proclaimed it would, considering there are so many people who lost lives in Katrina and the most recent tsunami in Japan, but at least I had hoped that the rain would go on all through Sunday. Please forgive my demonic thoughts – don’t we all have a little bit of that sadistic contradiction in us?

In any case, a long and complicated story short, they let me cross the border into the States and prior to coming back to the big apple, I had taken a week off to spend at a wonderfully cozy cottage at the shore of Lake Eire. Magnificent sunset accompanied by wine on the private beach, my heart was filled with so much thanksgiving for the obvious luxury of being set in such a poetic scenery, but also, above all, the mere fact of living. What a month of lesson-learning and soul-detoxing.

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When I came back, half of my plants already died (my heart cringed at the sight of lifelessness); however, my mettlesome congo pepper produced a fruit! I was elated. :)

And with my first pepper, I created this dish which is light for the summer, but super spiecy.

we are accosted