Monday 24 May 2010

Tea at five o'clock...

...well, was not exactly... First of all the invitation was for 4 o'clock which totally differentiated everything!!! Secondly, the food was far too good for a tea party, even a high tea!! Delicious eggs filled with curry cream, yummy meat balls (I think I ate about 17 of them... stopped counting at some point....), cheese pies with sesame seeds on top, tiny sausages, bread, chips, crisps, nuts... and to finish it all, the best cheese cake I ever ate in my entire life (and yes, I did have two pieces and yes I did walk 14Km today to burn the guilt... if not the calories...)!! And finally, there was not a cup of tea in sight!!! Instead, there was gin n' tonic, Cuba libre, lots of Coronas and a great muscato d'asti to accompany the divine cheese cake!

So, yes, overall NOT a tea party exactly... but the best party I have been in a long time!!! Hosted by my best Greek friend here in Holland and his partner in their garden which, just like the rest of their house, is just perfect! The sun was shining as we had the best day so far this year, warm and clear and amazing! The guests, well, the rest of my Greek friends here, everybody in their best mood for being together and also because of the great weather!! So, no, it could not have been much better than this!

We ate and drank (perhaps even a bit too much drinking in my case... I do not metabolize alcohol the way I used to ten years ago, man... was not my fault, though, A. kept making me cocktails!!!)  we played card games, we talked, we laughed, we danced, we took silly pictures... it was the perfect way to spend the first really summery day of this year!! And, no doubt whatsoever, it was better than shoes! One fantastic garden party with the best group of people, in a lovely house,  with fabulous food and the best of hosts!! All I can say is "thank you, S." and "when is the next one???"

Saturday 22 May 2010

Freedom and Independence...

...are not just the names of the two spaceships from the movie "Armageddon"... nor just concepts people of the centuries past liked to declare and even gave their lives for... they are not urban legends... They are what every one of us deserves and is responsible for... I have always striven to be free and independent... Since I was very little, I did not allow society, religion or family to impose on me restrictions of the "conventional" type, I imposed my own on me and I have lived my life following the basic rule of "treat others the way you want to be treated"... 

I left my parents' house at 19 to study and 7 years later I even left my parents' country, following exactly these two: My freedom and my independence! I have not caved in to social conventions and I have kept free from political, religious or social pressure to lead a certain life that follows their rules... I have never, ever,  thought that because I'm a woman there are things that I will not be allowed to do and I have never felt, nor will I feel, inferior to any man merely because he has testicles. The qualities of human beings are not defined by their reproductive organs and their freedom and independence does not, and should not, depend upon them organs either.

So when I see a woman, under the hot May sun (which finally blessed us all here in The rainy Netherlands) covered from head to tow in black cloths, I do not see freedom nor independence... and my heart weeps for all those women who fought for our right to get out of the covers, out of the house, to have the right to work, to an education, to our choices, to have the right to do what we decide with our bodies... I weep and I feel that all those women are being betrayed every time one more of us has to cover up to get of the house, every time one more of us chooses to give up freedom and independence this way...

Yes, I have heard many times the arguments of the other side, I have heard women say they chose to follow these rules, they chose to behave like this... I don't buy it!! And your comments are all welcome but, being a free woman, I have the right of my opinion and I have this forum to make it public. And my opinion is that it is a disgrace for women to have, or to choose (if you prefer...) to cover up their heads and bodies with bed sheets to go out in public, like ghosts! So I will state the obvious and say that freedom and independence are better than the best shoe ever made and even the ones not made yet and that it is the responsibility of all of us to cherish them... because if we give them up on our own, in my opinion, we will eventually lose the right to them...

Sunday 16 May 2010

long walks...

Well, I'm not entirely a couch potato... Though very fond of my couch, given that it took a gigantic crane and three men to lift it up 11 floors and get it in the apartment from the window (the damn thing would not get into the elevator... nor the stairs... reminds you of that episode of "Friends" when Ross had a similar experience?? LOL... well, I did not return it to the store....) and I do spend a lot of my free time on it (like  right now for example...) No, I refuse to except the title as I do own a home trainer and I do bike 3-4 times a week while watching cooking programs on BBC (otherwise I would be eating with quite the opposite results...) and I do love to walk!

No, not jogging, to cumbersome for me... But walking, yes, with great pleasure!! Last summer I walked home from work at least 3 times a week and the distance is about 6,5 kilometers! I have my iPhone to keep me company, choose one song and let technology create the rest of the playlist and I go! On a nice day, there is nothing (ok, almost nothing... or at least very few things...) that I like more! It helps me clear up my mind, relax, I gradually feel my shoulders come down from being shrugged up close to my ears all day and I get my smile and my good mood back! This year, I'm still waiting for the weather to warm up a bit, it still is very cold to enjoy the walk home...
 
Nevertheless,  I have been walking, wrapped up in my jacket and fleece shawl, every chance I have had since last month... Not yet just as pleasurable because of the cold wind, but the rest of the pros are there! And give the holidays over the past few days I have had lots of time for walking! Went to the beach, a substantial distance from where I live, went to neighbouring suburbs and these long walks have really been great fun! Not to mention the calories burnt!!! And though some of you might be skeptical as to whether long walks can be better than shoes, well, the only way to find out is to give it a try, my friends! Put on your sneakers, get your music player and walk... I'm sure you will agree with me eventually :)

Thursday 13 May 2010

more thoughts about cars...

Some time ago I was wondering if cars are better than shoes... and the conclusion is that some are (no more details, go read previous posts in the archive, darlings :) Now I'm back on the subject because I have more evidence that indeed they can be!

I have been fortunate enough to travel to two different countries in two consecutive weekends (hence the plethora of "better than shoes" experiences... it's a quest, people, I have to pursue!!) and I managed to get rain everywhere!!! Here, there, everywhere!
Ok, perhaps this is my bad Karma, I have been naughty lately, but all this rain made me appreciate cars even more! Yes, you may end up stuck in traffic for 1 hour because a spiritual leader decided to visit the city you are in... on your way to the airport...) and yes you may be suddenly informed that the coveted new car you just bought will cost 2850 euros more than agreed because prices increased (only to be told 3 day later that no, it won't, after you've had a slight stroke and the right side of your body is still stiff... good thing you got an automatic, right??) but regardless of all that, you (and your shoes...) stay dry!!!!

And since I found myself in the city which is the Mecca of my favourite brand, I could not but go visit the temple! A store, not just any but the flagship store, a museum and a factory... this latter I didn't get to visit but I saw the rest! Shinning, gorgeous vehicles, the latest available technology (no, I'm not crazy about it but, what the hell, as long as they look good!) and an atmosphere of immense luxury! No, the global economic crisis does not look to affect them (they just increase prices...)...

Anyway, the most interesting part was the museum!!! Cars from the beginning of the last century, cars with the power of 15 horses (yes, just 15!!) looking amazing, like new,  motorcycles, engines (even plane engines) and even Formula 1!! I was looking around with a big smile on my face, recognizing models I remember from my youth,  pointing from one to the other, thrilled to see again cars I used to admire secretly because in my family we were all supposed to be fans of the competitor manufacturer just because my dad was... And my chin dropped to the floor when I got to see the most wonderful part of the exhibition which was the  original 007 cars!!! Proud owner of one of them (well, the model, not the exact one that Pierce Brosnan drove... that is the one in the museum...) I felt part of it all and got even a bit emotional... My goodness, they looked good!! Better that Alaia's high heel sandals!!! And here is a picture to prove it!!

Wednesday 12 May 2010

He-Art-s...

I am not the most artistic person... When I visit a city, usually I have a list of shopping places to visit and a list of museums... Having said that, it is true that I did take the train and traveled one and a half hours from Barcelona to visit the Dali museum in the little village of Figueres... but that is Dali... I like modern art... though I appreciate the classics usually they do not interest me but modern, abstract art has always been my favourite... I have found my self crying in front of a mostly black painting in Brussels, full of emotions I could not express... And, ok, I have to admit  I have been laughing in front of a refrigerator pretending (in my humble opinion...) to be art work in a museum elsewhere, as I though I was being punked! My definition of art did not agreed with the artist's in this case...

But sometimes... sometimes art just sweeps me off my feet, sometimes I found myself looking at the work of an artist that either was put myself, along with him or herself in their art, and then all these warm feelings fill me up and I am just happy and sometimes I get to know someone's work that is light years away from me, is all I'm not but yet it makes me feel the same!!! Weird... But art can be weird...

Some days ago I got to see the work of an artist who I can describe only as "bigger than life"... an artist that, judging from here work, she is all I'm not! Full of colour and daring and provocative and so obviously a woman with a capital W!!! Her name is Joana Vasconcelos and she is simply amazing!! Unprecedented and creative and imaginative!!! Her work is not only better than shoes but... has also been a gigantic shoe made of cooking pots!!! But what I found mostly impressive were her hearts made of plastic cutlery!! I will post both pictures here (forgive the amateur style...) as I believe that they are better than one thousand words...

"red" is better than shoes!!!

ok, ok, those of you who know me will not be surprised by this statement... after all, I do have a red wall in my home!!! And it would appear than the only exception would be in the case of red soled shoes... when the statement would not make any sense... all this is right but, what if I say that "red" in this case has to do with football?!... Then exactly those who know me for a long time will say, wait a minute, this can't be right, you have been all and only for "yellow" all your life when it comes to football... ok, even blue and white in very rare occasions... meaning that only one time at 2004 when no one knows exactly what happened but we got to be European Champions...

Yes, I have been all for "yellow"... and then... then, I got to know "red"... and it started to grow on me, I started to watch them and know them and like them, then I started to cheer for them and gather up all my witch strength to help them when they played and I got happy when they won... And as the "yellow" and the "red" are from different countries (and they only got to play against each other only those two times and got one victory each) it does not feel like a betrayal... After all, when one has enough love to share there is not crime in sharing it, right?... granted, when it comes to lovers, this becomes a veeeeery long discussion...

But this is football... and last weekend it was its celebration in a certain part of the world... And I got to be there and share the love and the joy and be part of the celebrations! Nothing and no one had prepared me for what I experienced, it was bigger than anything I had imagined!! So much red gathered in one stadium, so much red in the streets, a red sea of happiness and pride!! Who knew were all these people came from, it felt like the whole country was there, dressed in red singing "we are the champions" (and most probably it was...)!!! And I was there singing with them!!! "Red" is my second love, when it comes to football teams, but love it is, and being there with them to be part of their party last weekend was incredible!!! And better than shoes!!!

Thursday 6 May 2010

lunch with a friend...

... sounds very simple but it can be better than shoes, I assure you! Sometime ago, I was visiting one of Europe's most interesting big cities (and no, I will not reveal which one here... people who know were I was will recognise it and for the rest, and for the purpose of this post, it really does not matter...) and I took a day to just walk in the centre, indulge in the wonders of window shopping and do a bit of actual shopping as well... The weather was not fantastic, ok, it could be a lot better... But that did not stop me, I thought, I'm here on holidays, will try to make the best of it and enjoy regardless of the fact that I was wet for most of the time...

So, I went to the city centre in the morning and directly to a department store that a good friend of mine recommended I would love. She was absolutely right, I did! After a successful quest for the right underwear that I was in need (because I had cleaned up my drawer a few days before and had gotten rid of all the shameful, old, destroyed undies that I kept for I don't know which reason...) I had arranged to meet this friend for lunch. We met and she took me to this fabulous place, right in the heart of the city and next to all the designer shops (so that I can have more window staring...) were we had our lunch.

Though we mutually agreed that we would have cooked the risotto slightly more, the flavours were great and the atmosphere, combined with a good service, did leave me with a great memory... But, in fact, what was the really great part was being with my friend! We chatted, we laughed, we enjoyed the food and the time together. For me this was priceless! I hope she had just as good a time as I did! The thing is, were I live and work, these small escapes to the city centre are rather difficult on a working day so we end up always having lunch in the canteen... But there, it was so easy for her to get out of work and have lunch in the center, in a nice restaurant with me, that I was left a bit jealous for this quality of life... Well, who knows what the future brings, right? The point is that meeting a friend you don't see very often and having a nice lunch in the city while having a girl's talk, is better than shoes! And, it can be so nicely combined with them if you do a bit of shopping before or after lunch ;)

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Ice wine...

...IS better than shoes!! If some days ago the term was mentioned to me, I would only imagine wine with ice in it... or very chilled... Certainly did not know any details about this nectar!! Well, what it is is wine that is made of grapes that when they are picked, they are already frozen in the vine! Pretty risky business, pretty hard labour too, as the grapes must be picked up usually during one night while they have just started to freeze but, ahhhh, what a taste!!!

I had the great pleasure of dinning in fabulous small restaurant a few days ago where I tasted this magnificent type of wine... and it came at the end of a meal that is going to stay in my memory for a very long time... Everything was perfect: the ambiance, the company, the service, the food and the wine! A creative, imaginative and brave chef, very young as it turned out to my surprise, and a sommelier who knew his wines very well,  made the experience unforgettable. Delicate tastes, accompanied very nicely by the wines, and the culmination which came with the dessert and the ice wine... a light chocolate cake served with saffron (!) sorbet and perfected by the ice wine... sweet, fruity, refreshing and special... mmmm... orgasmic!!

I will never forget those tastes combined... never have I experienced such match made in heaven when I comes to taste though I have been privileged enough to have dinned in fine restaurants, some even with starry credentials... But this, this was simply amazing! And it all combined with the best company and the greatest of moods in order to produce a night to remember!! The best one out in quite some time! And all this was definitely better than shoes, better than Lanvin's already classic ballerinas, better than Chloe's new sandals...and I could go on and on and on...

PS. Those who want to know a bit more about this delicious wine, go to  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_wine