from brooklyn with love

I haven't been on The Selby for a while, but whenever I do I end up spending a lotta time browsing through all the new images. Selby's subjects just get better and better, and I was thrilled to see the Mast Brothers and their Brooklyn chocolate factory being profiled recently. They make one of the most sinfully delicious chocolate bars I've ever tasted, and their trademark patterned paper packaging is equally delightful. You could almost taste their immense level of dedication in each handcrafted chocolate bar, from cocoa bean roasting all the way to the paper wrapping. My favorite is the Dark Chocolate w/ Fleur de Sel, and I have been craving it ever since I moved back to Hong Kong. Mast Brothers alone is enough of a reason for me to open a gourmet store here just so I could have a constant stock of their dark chocolate bars. I'm not exaggerating, go get a bar (or three) to share with your Valentine next weekend and I'm sure he/she will love you just a lil' bit more.

I used to pass by their factory every day after work!

Images via The Selby

starbucks nation

This is not your ordinary Starbucks.
We often talk about the uniformity of fast food chains everywhere in the world... McDonald's, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and in recent years coffee chains like Starbucks, Seattle's Best Coffee, etc have also joined the army of globalization. There's always good and bad associated with such phenomenon - good in the sense that since each outlet should look more or less the same as one another, there's a sense of familiarity built up; "bad" in the sense that there's no character within each outlet, as they are all predictable and standardized everywhere in the world. But this particular location, is not your ordinary Starbucks. If it weren't for the siren-logo coffee cups or the shouts of "tall caramel macchiato, skim no foam" over the counter, one would not have associated this charming cafe as the ubiquitous Starbucks. Modeled after "bing sut", aka old-school style Hong Kong cafe that originated circa 1960's, this particular Starbucks on Duddell Street, Central, is designed by local interior decor guru G.O.D. . The objective is to re-create the laid back cafe style at that time (a little bit Wong Kar Wai feel) with vintage pieces and handwritten translated Chinese menu items for that authentic old-timey atmosphere. If Mad Men took place in Hong Kong, this "bing sut" Starbucks could easily fit in one of the episodes.

This lady dressed up in a 60's style Chinese outfit and fit the picture perfectly.

Handwritten Chinese-translated menu items

1971 poster

Starbucks "menu"

diet gone green

This post may come across as a little random, but I just have to share my love for miniature food - cute miniature food that is. Somehow when food comes in small sizes, it just seems more appetizing (but whether it's fills the stomach or not, that's a whole other story). Canapes, petit fours, h'dourves, finger sandwiches, high-tea set pastries... mnn... all pretty and yum.
These little "plants" here are actually mini spring rolls, but from far, they really look like leafy greens planted in tiny clay pots. Clever food presentation, isn't it? They can be found at the basement level of Bangkok's Siam Paragon shopping mall.

let them eat cake

There's no such thing as over-indulgence.

images (clockwise from top left); Vogue Nippon, Feb '10 issue; "Marie Antoinette" cake from SEVVA; Vogue Nippon, Feb '10 issue; Mascarpone Banana cake from Jin Patisserie

good morning, Vietnam

I took some time off from blogging during Christmas while I went on vacation with my family to Vietnam. We covered three cities - Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An (which really is a town), and Hanoi. Being the only one in the family who hasn't been to any part of Vietnam prior to this trip, I didn't know what to expect of this country - not that I'm completely ignorant of its culture, after all my brother-in-law is Vietnamese-American and I've probably had more pho (noodle soup) and spring rolls than say, hot dogs in my life, but to experience the country first hand is a whole different story.

The three places we visited represent three distinct regions of Vietnam. People from the south (H.C.M.C.) and central (Hoi An) are evidently friendlier than people from the north (Hanoi), and the language accents. cuisines and local souvenirs are slightly different in each place, but apart from that, my impression of Vietnam after this trip mainly consists of motorbikes, insane traffic system, air pollution, yummy street food (the most delicious meals we've had were all at dingy restaurants with no decor whatsoever), skinny Vietnamese girls, lacquerware and embroidery handicraft goods, lemongrass and fish sauce and rice paper rolls, strong coffee with condensed milk, and, here's the most important part: lots and lots of bargaining. One might be tempted to forgo the bargaining part since most things are already pretty cheap relative to Western standards, but in Vietnam (likewise in China), one must learn how to bargain because you can almost always end up paying half the marked price if you master the skill.

I wish I could document everything here, but I've always find it difficult to blog about travels, since the experience itself is so personal and there's way too much to cover with only a few pictures and paragraphs. That said, I'd still like to share some travel tips and adventures from this vacation, and maybe even an outfit post here and there (though be prepared for some not-so-exciting resort + flip flop looks) throughout the next few days. Oh, and word of advice for visiting busier cities like H.C.M.C. or Hanoi: if you have even the slightest form of nasal allergy, get a mask!

somewhere over the bridge

My she hit pause. studios Polaroid print finally arrived in the mail today! I love all the prints by photographer Matt Shwartz, but I chose this one titled "white legs + bridge" because of the Brooklyn Bridge in the background. I like how the Bridge is not the main focus of the image, kinda looks like it just happens to be there, and yet you can't mistaken it for anything else. It warms my heart a little to have a piece of Brooklyn imagery close to me. And as a little tribute to my good times in New York, I have compiled a mini list of some of my favorite things/ food/ activities in the sleepless city (also just in time to go with New York Magazine's "Reasons to Love New York" article). *Everything on the list is solely based on my personal experiences and preferences, and so it's purely for the joy of sharing. Feel free to agree or disagree.

Favorite coffee places:
* Gimme! Coffee - all drinks!
* Ninth Street Espresso - iced mocha
* Oslo - soy latte

Favorite brunch dish:
* August - German pancakes
* Locanda Verde - 8-hr tripe with fried eggs
* Ouest - omelette souffle

Favorite sweet & salty marriage:
* Mast Brothers Chocolate - dark chocolate w/ Fleur de Sel
* Kumquat Cupcakery - maple bacon cupcake
* Greene Ice Cream - salted caramel pretzel (tied with Kumquat!)
* Saltie - buckwheat olive shortbread

Favorite Bánh mì sandwich :
* Nha toi - pho bánh mì
* Saigon Bakery - classic roast pork
* Xie Xie - fish chaca la vong

Favorite high-caloric indulgence:
* Fette Sau - any meat on the menu
* Momofuku Milk - Arnold Palmer cake
* Shake Shack - 'shroom burger + flavor of the day frozen custard

Favorite cocktail:
* Dutch Kills - Pimm's fruit cup
* Mahayeul - all margaritas
* Raines Law Room - a bonus point for the decor

Favorite vintage places:
* Amarcord - okay this is a little biased, but the buyers really have a great eye
* Brooklyn Flea - thrifting and great deals
* Narnia - a cool mix of high and low end vintage

Favorite jewelry finds:
* Brooklyn Flea - vintage at reasonable prices
* Catbird - for something different
* Doyle & Doyle - antique jewelry and delicate gems

Favorite shopping streets (plus neighboring blocks):
* N. 6th Street, Williamsburg
* Lafayette (between Howard and Bond), Soho/ Nolita
* Orchard Street, LES

Favorite weekend activity:
* Brooklyn Flea - yummy local eats and vintage hunting
* Brooklyn Bowl - awesome hang out place
* Union Pool - drunk photobooth session


Image via she hit pause.studios

what is old is new again

This past Saturday I joined my foodie partners in crime (aka sis and bro-in-law) and went to Le Fooding d'Amour Paris New York at P.S.1 Contemporary Arts Center for a special night of food and booze. Acclaimed chefs from Paris joined forces with equally celebrated chefs in New York to cook up six different dishes, accompanied with Veuve Cliquot bubbly + special cocktails and finishing off with the Greene Ice Cream's Bourbon Vanilla and Salted Caramel Pretzel ice cream. Food was great, not spectacular, but the atmosphere was fun and I've always liked hanging out at the P.S. 1 lawn anyway. The last time I was in the neighborhood was a year ago, when I brought my good friend from home to check out the Warm Up party and the nearby Five Points graffiti buildings. We snapped a bunch of Polaroids in front of the graffiti then, and seeing it again this weekend made me a little nostalgic. So I dug up some old Polaroids that I've taken throughout the year to share a short trip down the memory lane with me.

Clockwise from top left: 3 little pigs in front of Destination store (which is no longer here) in Meatpacking; Bryant Park; Five Points graffiti; last year's winning project for P.S.1's Warm Up; fall leaves at Stone Barns; crystal mirror door at the Swarovski store

on the road again... Part III

Days 4 & 5: San Sebastian & Vitoria, Spain

As I mentioned before, this trip was probably 60% about food 40% sightseeing, especially at San Sebastian, where the food outshone the local scenery just a bit. There are so many outstanding restaurants in the area, from local pintxo (Basque-style tapas) taverns to fancy Michelin-starred foodie places. In our search for great food, we even drove to Sagartoki for dinner, a restaurant an hour away from San Sebastian in the town of Vitoria, for some of the most innovative and delicious pintxos in the Basque region. Here are some highlights from our gastronomic journey:

• caramelized foie gras on figs
• Roquefort croquette with Cornflake crust
• mushroom lasagna with gelato
• grilled Bonito (white tuna), chives, pickle sauce
• Idiazabal cheese gnocchi, salted Iberian pork bouillion, contrasting herbs
• steamed "pebble stone" potato, garlic mayo
  
• caramelized French toast, homemade fig's tree leaves milk

Bon appetit!

on the road again... Part I

9 days, 3 countries, 6 cities, 4 friends, and 13 hours of driving. My Euro trip last week almost feels like a less glamorous version of Mario Batali's food show "On the Road Again... Spain", especially the portion in Basque country when we basically stuffed ourselves with pintxos (Basque-style tapas) and 1.50-Euro per glass of wines. I experienced some technical difficulties with my laptop during the trip so hence the blog abandonment, but now that I'm home and back to my 17-inch and normal internet connection, I'll be documenting some highlights from my travel adventures and sharing some of the tastiest foods I've tried for the next few posts!

Day 2: Lisbon, Portugal

Here we're at the Jeronimos Monastery, a magnificent monastery with a late-Gothic style facade and a spectacular cloister inside. The walls around the cloister display a mix of European and Moorish decorative elements, turning it into a truly unique and serene place to be.

*Wearing a Built by Wendy bustier top, Staerk high-waist shorts, Staerk reversible belt, Dolce Vita sandals, and Urban Outfitters necklace.

A block away from the Monastery is the Portuguese cafe Pasteis de Belem, famous for its pastel de Belem (or pastel de nata), a local pastry which resembles some kind of egg tart. Pastel de Belem is actually believed to have been created by the monks of the Jeronimos Monastery in the 18th C, so that's why this nearby cafe is known to have the best ones in town. These little custard tarts are so delicious and tasted nothing like Chinese egg tarts or the "Portuguese egg tarts" I've had in Macau. Powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar is sprinkled on top of each perfectly browned tart. On the inside is a smooth, "curdled" custard surrounded in a crispy phyllo pastry shell. The four of us cleaned that plate up in 5 seconds. Yum!

shopping made easier

Came across these vintage shopping baskets at a specialty cheese shop called Fromagination in Madison, WI. I was so tempted to ask if I could purchase one - it would make a lovely picnic basket. And the best part is it's completely foldable, which is a major plus (or almost a necessity) in my Ikea/ Container Store dominated apartment.
Shopping for cheese is more fun than you'd think.

lollipop, lollipop, oh lolli lolli lolli

I have just gone to blogosphere paradise (still haven't pulled my entire self back to earth) --> a.k.a. Luxirare. I can't believe I haven't come across this site earlier, and only recently found out about it from Cakespy. Luxirare is the marriage of the 2 things in life I love the most: fashion + food, and it makes a pretty darn handsome couple. Often taking inspiration from clothes, the ideas that she applies to food are just mind-blowing, not to mention the food-porn quality photography.
Seen here is the latest Lollipop-Pie project. Why didn't anyone think of making pies in lollipops earlier? Afterall, there's already lollipop fried chicken, lollipop ice-cream, so it's only fair to give pies their fair share of haute finger-foods moment. It's such a brilliant concept - and a great way to maximize the pie crust coverage per serving of filling (yep, I'm always the one fighting for that extra back crust when sharing pies). Click here for the step-by-step guide in case you plan to impress your dinner guests with some Lollipop-Pie desserts. I guarantee "oohs" and "aahs" of fascinated responses.





All images: Luxirare

everybody needs a little sweetness in their life

What's a better way of beating the Monday blues than a little bit of sweet indulgence? Introducing CakeSpy - a sweet escape (literally) from your otherwise mundane work day. Cakespy, a.k.a. writer/ illustrator Jessie Oleson, creates probably the cutest cupcake artwork I've seen. I'm not the biggest fan of cupcakes out there, but I do have a huge soft spot for most things sweet, and Cakespy's cute and clever illustrations simply melt my heart. I first came across them at last year's Renegade Craft Fair, and bought a set of assorted note cards (featuring art work like crafty cupcakes, Valley of the Cupcakes, and "Let them eat cupcakes" version of Marie Antoinette). This year Cakespy was back again at the Fair, with a wider selection of artwork and stationery. That cupcake meets unicorn magnet is now hanging on my little white board and it just makes me smile every time I look at it because it has all the blissful elements in it - cupcake, unicorn, stars, rainbows, clouds and hearts, who wouldn't smile?!


I might just need to get this set of Bedford stop note cards (fittingly titled "Hipsters waiting for the L train") and use them as farewell cards when I leave nyc later this year. Oh billyburg you will be missed, but not you L Train.



Images: copyrighted artwork by Jessie Oleson. All Cakespy items can be purchased at her etsy store.

j'adore Herme (Pierre that is)

The Selby recently visited the home of Pierre Herme, world renowned French pastry chef, probably best known for his out-of-this-world macarons. Once you've tasted a Pierre Herme macaron, you'll realize that all the other ones you've tried were merely failed attempts of Marie Antoinette's favorite sweet. As a self-proclaimed macaron fanatic, I can proudly guarantee that you will not be disappointed -- each pretty little macaron is crunchy on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside, but not dense nor heavy and never too sweet. Flavors range from the traditional chocolate and caramel to exotic ones like green tea with chestnut and milk chocolate with passion fruit, plus the different limited edition flavors available each season. Chef Herme is opening his next patisserie in none but my hometown Hong Kong (his second location outside of France, after Japan)! Maybe it's a sign I should move back home soon...


Images: The Selby