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You can call me SL, this is about living.  |
street vendor juicing pomegranates outside Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia Museum)
Istanbul, Turkey from my 2011 archive 
pomegranates on ice outside Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia Museum)
Istanbul, Turkey from my 2011 archive September 20, 2011 Forbidden Fruit There is an expression in Chinese that roughly translates to "watch what you eat," or "refrain from eating." It does not have so much to do with dieting, as with being cautious in indulging in something you know is not good for you. I have good self control when it comes to limiting foods that are artificial, or that are rich in fats and sugars. But I could do much better when it comes to food safety. I have learned my lesson many times. After two very serious bouts of food poisoning earlier this year, I am being good. So far. Fresh pomegranate juice is tempting me at every corner. Everywhere in the city, there are beautiful ruby red pomegranates that are squeezed by order. And it is inexpensive. In the past I would have thought nothing of it, but like I said, I went through two serious bouts of food poisoning, one that included oysters. Not fun. Although the tap water is perfectly safe in Istanbul, The Swede and I are being cautious. There is nothing worse than getting sick while traveling. So we have stuck to bottled water, even when brushing our teeth. I learned this "trick" years ago. No matter how carefully we ate, my family and I always got sick on trips to Asia. We were told that even brushing our teeth with tap water could cause illness. On a trip to Thailand, my Mother and I were doing great sticking to the bottled water routine. No sickness. Then we visited a roadside farm stand where we indulged in fresh squeezed orange juice. Unpasteurized orange juice. My Mother was instantly sick, a few hours later it was my turn. Conveniently being in the middle of nowhere at the Golden Triangle, a very kind local man let me use his bathroom, which turned out to be a wooden shack. No comment. So alas, no pomegranate juice for me this trip. (But secretly, I keep thinking maybe I should have it right before the flight home. If I do get sick, at least I will already be on my way home...) archives: Food, Travel |
Tarihi Eminönü Balik Ekmek (floating fish boats) as seen from Galata Köprüsü (Galata Bridge)
Istanbul, Turkey from my 2011 archive 
fried fish sandwich with onion and lettuce (fish species unknown), price - 5TL
Istanbul, Turkey from my 2011 archive 
pickled cabbage and cucumbers, price - 1.5TL
Istanbul, Turkey from my 2011 archive 
cook preparing deep fried hamsi (anchovies)
Istanbul, Turkey from my 2011 archive 
fish menu
Istanbul, Turkey from my 2011 archive 
deep fried hamsi (anchovies) served with onion, lettuce, lemon, price - 6TL
Istanbul, Turkey from my 2011 archive September 16, 2011 Fish The Swede and I wandered around the ancient streets of Sultanahmet (yes, we are in Istanbul, Turkey!), confused, sleep deprived, and in culture shock, in search of hot food. We came to the Galata Bridge on the Golden Horn and spotted bright lights and throngs of people. We headed towards them. Then came the wonderful scent of fish. Spurred by hunger and a recollection of an Anthony Bourdain episode that I halfheartedly watched before departing, I sprang into action. I blurted to The Swede, "I remember this, I know how to do this, give me some money." I observed a paper sign with a number on it, handed a man standing in front of a docked boat 10 Turkish lira and held up the number two with my fingers. He took my money, walked a few steps towards a man frying fish on the boat, received one sandwich, then another, then he handed them to me. We quickly found seats on tiny wooden stools at an equally tiny table supplied with salt and lemon juice as condiments. We bought a plastic cup filled with cabbage and cucumbers pickled in beet juice (?) from a man walking around with a tray and chomped away. We were hungry, the sandwich was large, the fish was fresh, and it was cheap. We were happy. During the course of the 20 minutes we sat consuming our sandwiches, children endlessly tried to sell us candy. I assumed it was gum because it reminded me of children in Mexico that try to sell "chicle" to foreigners. But that is an assumption based on prior experiences, so next time I will buy some to find out what type of candy they are really selling. On the other side of the Galata Bridge, we found a fish market selling fresh fish to take home and for consumption on the spot. Still hungry and still curious, we bought a portion of deep fried hamsi (anchovies). The fryer had a well in the middle with a wide brim where the fish was laid when it was ready. Again, it was a large portion, the fish was fresh, it was cheap, and we were happy. The hamsi had a more distinct character and was slightly salty. The Swede and I both agreed that we preferred the hamsi to the fish sandwich based on taste alone. Having taken our hamsi to-go, we headed towards the tram to find our way back to our hotel. Along the way, a small kitten ran out from under a bush towards us. It was a cute little thing with one eye. We gave it two pieces of our fish, and it contently ate them, completely ignoring the masses of people 50 times its size that passed, some stopping to take photos. In Istanbul, there are a greater number of stray cats than stray dogs, but plenty of both. I have observed the people being very loving towards the strays, stopping to pet them, feed them, and you will find bowls of water and food laid out on stoops. I have yet to spot any rodents. Perhaps New York City needs a controlled number of strays to patrol its streets and subways. And it could definitely use some boats selling fresh fish along its shores. archives: Food, Travel |
rain washed chalk drawing Upper West Side Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive September 8, 2011 Street Art continued... It looks like September is taking a cue from August and is producing rain nonstop. I came upon this rain washed chalk drawing on a sidewalk during a lighter moment of rain. As I prepared to take the picture, a man on his cell phone came and stood on top of the image. I kindly asked him to step aside, motioning to my camera. He looked at me, the camera, at the drawing, and laughed (evil Joker laugh). He mumbled something about the drawing not being there anymore. I begged to differ and proceeded with my photo as he looked on. I appreciate the faded quality of the image. The constant rain and the treading upon by passersby have given it an authenticity. The chalk melded into the sidewalk instead of remaining on the surface. Little does the "cell phone man" know that he likely enhanced the drawing. archives: Street Art |
tomatoes from the Union Square Farmers Market Union Square Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive September 5, 2011 Summer Over Everyone keeps referring to this long weekend as the "Last Day of Summer." My understanding is that summer ends on September 22. Am I wrong? I suppose emotionally, September feels exclusively like a fall month. For children and educators, summer is over, it is back to school for them. Never before have I wished summer would end. This year, I found myself wishing it all summer long. It has been unbearably hot and humid, and August has only brought tons of rain with the frequent thunderstorms (and Hurricane Irene). The mosquitoes have been breeding like crazy and they are relentless. People around the city are understandably grumpy. I think everyone is ready for cooler weather. When it is 32 degrees this winter, I know I will be complaining that I wish it were summer... archives: Miscellaneous |
Artist Unknown Williamsburg, NY from my 2011 archive September 1, 2011 Street Art continued... On a Brooklyn street filled with an abundance of graffiti, this piece caught my eye. It stood out amongst the rest, complementary colors will do that. I appreciate the piece being cut out, making it borderless and freeing it. I also like the use of gray tones with a restrained splash of green, it contrasts nicely with the blue construction fence. Andy Warhol was my first love during College. It is impossible to measure how many other artists he has inspired. I know it is many. archives: Street Art |
Pale Male's offspring, Buffy, a Red-tailed Hawk Upper East Side in Central Park, NY from my 2011 archive 
neighborhood hawk Astoria, NY from my 2009 archive August 30, 2011 Pale Male After the storm, all is calm.* Damage has been assessed, the majority of public transportation is running, and the skies are clear blue with wispy white clouds. While tirelessly preparing for the hurricane, I looked out my apartment window and wondered about where the city's wildlife was going to take shelter, and as with earthquakes, did they have a sixth sense that a hurricane was coming. There are a flight of pigeons who nest in the building across from mine. I am not sure why they prefer the building across the way, but they do. It may have something to do with exposure. They wander over on rare occasion. I once woke to pigeon sex on my windowsill. I quickly shooed them away... Although pigeons are easily the most detested of birds, these birds are neighbors. So watching the weather worsen, I was worried for them. But then I thought to myself, pigeons are sort of the cockroaches of the bird world. They are survivors. During the lighter moments of rainfall, I looked out and saw them swooping around, unfazed. I was, however, still worried about a cast of hawks that live in Central Park. A little more than a week ago, I had the amazing fortune of spotting one of Pale Male's offspring, Buffy. Wow, what a beauty. She was a striking sight, and I could have stood there for hours watching her. But she flew away. Hawks absolutely fascinate me, and there is one that lives in my neighborhood. It is fairly easy to know when (s)he is in the area, all the birds start to call and warn each other. It is impressive. And loud. Most of the time, I can only hear the warnings, but twice, I have actually spotted it. The first time, the hawk landed on the neighboring building's antenna, the other time it was swooping around and around, presumably sizing up its next meal. Besides the pigeons and squirrels one normally expects, it is nice to know that other wildlife can thrive in a metropolis. *The Swede and I fared well during Hurricane Irene except for a roof leak, and a collapsed trellis and a few snapped plants in Plot95. We know we are lucky and our thoughts go out to those who were affected. archives: Miscellaneous |
recommended shopping list Union Square Manhattan, NY from my 2011 archive August 26, 2011 Irene I am from California, so earthquakes...a part of life. We had earthquake practice drills in school about as often as we had fire drills. But never, never have I ever thought an earthquake could occur in New York City. Then it did, on Tuesday. I was on the subway, did not feel a thing. People in New York were evacuating buildings. I was calm and quickly dismissed it. It was minor by California standards. However, today, I am preparing for a hurricane. "Hurricane Irene" as it is named. I stocked up on bread, apples, and peaches at the Union Square Farmers Market; water, batteries, and candles at Ride Aid; and granola bars, peanut butter, and apple sauce at Key Food. At Rite Aid, I bought the last two packs of generic C batteries and there was not a flashlight to be found, anywhere. People at Key Food were stocking up on things like ground beef, fish, and frozen foods which seemed like the wrong approach. Stick to non-perishables. The Swede and I already had other things at home like canned beans, dried fruit, and nuts. We also have several small flashlights, varying sizes of candles, and a radio. The city is literally coming to a standstill starting noon tomorrow. For the first time in its history, the MTA is suspending all subway, train, and bus service. And very likely, all bridges will be closed once winds reach 60mph. This evening I went to Plot95, where the mosquitos have seemingly not be given notice that a hurricane is coming, to harvest tomatoes, beans, bell peppers, eggplants, and lots and lots of basil, oregano, marjoram, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, and lemongrass. Unfortunately, Plot95 is located in Zones B and C and has the potential to flood...if it does, I fear contamination. Think stagnate water in NYC, not pretty. And not safe. Let us prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Be well. archives: Miscellaneous |
Manhattan skyline as seen from Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn, NY from my 2011 archive August 22, 2011 View The last few days have been quite an adventure. My sister, my nephew, and my niece are visiting from the West Coast, and we have been spending quality time together throughout the boroughs of Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. My five year old nephew has taken an interest in photography and this photo was taken by him. It was taken from the promenade at Brooklyn Bridge Park looking towards Manhattan. He was interested in the airplane in the distance (middle of frame). In an environment like New York City, it will take a while before he runs out of subjects to capture. The adventure continues. archives: Miscellaneous |
 8 varieties of tomatoes from my 2011 archive
August 18, 2011 Variety The last few weeks, I have been forced to minimize my time in Plot95. I had a severe allergic reaction from too many mosquito bites, particularly around my ankles. They swelled, similar to when you have an ankle injury or when you are in the last stages of pregnancy. I had to continuously ice my ankles for nearly a week before they went back to their normal size. The other night, The Swede came home with several pounds of tomatoes (squeal). The harvest he brought home contained eight varieties. Most I can identify. The others are a mystery. We should know one from another since we marked each plant with a popsicle stick bearing the variety name. But in the process of weeding, some of them were pulled. Not sure how that happened. A weed looks nothing like a popsicle stick. The tomatoes I can identify are Purple Cherokee Heirloom, Black Plum, Sugar Lump, Early Girl, Chadwick Cherry, Amish Paste, and possibly Arkansas Traveler. I cannot remember if the Arkansas Traveler seedling survived or not. The Purple Cherokee is my new obsession. It is a large variety that is prone to cracking along its shoulders. The interior is another story. It is smooth, very meaty with a few seeds along its outer rim, and has a gorgeous mix of purple, red, and green flesh. They are undoubtedly special, I can now understand why people are willing to pay $4 a pound for these tomatoes. They are well worth it. archives: Garden |
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