STARS like US, stay INTOUCH with PEOPLE

When you move abroad, or anywhere for that matter, you know you'll miss a few things--family, friends, In N Out burgers, weather...But then there are those things you take for granted and fail to realize have become apart of your everyday life. For me, one of those things are magazines. Remember those trips to the grocery store during rush hour, after a long hard day at work? Rushing through the store, trying to avoid banging into other grocery carts, people, children, vegetables! For me, the only good thing that resulted from that experience (aside from dinner), was waiting in the check-out line to catch up on my weekly "reading." You know, Us, People, Star, and Intouch. I'll be the first to admit, sometimes, I chose the extra long line so I could get through all four (lets be honest, it takes about 2.5 minutes to "read" each magazine!) of those mind-numbing, crap-filled treasures!

So let's take a virtual trip down the grocery store check-out counter and "skim" through the wonderful array of U.S. magazines I miss:

Would You Judge Me...

If I bought this T-Shirt?

Home Is Where the High-Fructose Corn Syrup-Free Peanut Butter Is

Salt
You might imagine the list of items I might request an American visitor to bring to London for me. At the top of this list sits peanut butter, crunchy or smooth; salted or unsalted. I've wanted it all. London grocers do carry it, but its like the "Jiffy" equivalent, meaning, filled with crap including high-fructose corn syrup. A few days ago, I remembered a little gem we refer to in the States as Whole Paycheck. Yes, there is a Whole Foods here in London. Obviously its in the hoity-toity area of town, but luckily, I don't live far from it.
more salt!

Being inside Whole Foods felt like I was magically transported back to the States; everything in the grocery store was where it should be. Eggs were refrigerated, spices were in the baking aisle, and yogurt was in the dairy section alongside the milk and sour cream. This Whole Foods was like the King of all Whole Foods. Thank God for my iPhone because you know I took some pictures up in there. People!! A half aisle was dedicated to chocolate, sections just for salt! carton-less eggs! Not to mention that it was two-stories so cheese and wine were on the top floor, and everything else was on the bottom floor. I was amazed.

And guess what? Peanut butter. Mmmmmmmmmmmm. AND! A selection to choose from.You know the American in me always loves a selection! I went for the Whole Foods brand because I am not spending $10 on peanut butter!

The other wonderful thing about Whole Foods is turkey, chicken, beef or lamb sausage. You won't find that in other grocery stores (at least not to my knowledge). So all in all, I had a positive experience at Whole Foods and my wallet did too.

Chocolate aisle and chocolate counter!

I'm Still Here!

So much to say, yet little time and brainpower to say them. Been working on a paper which I hope will get finished tomorrow. But quick update:

Love the job!
Johnny Weir rocks!
When will SNL get the message: Betty White for SNL Host stat!
I love you Michelle, but be careful throwing around the word obesity and BMI (which is bs!)
Lost is amazing and is one of my all time favorite shows and current obsessions!

And I promise to post pictures of my jobby-job later this week.

Fun Tube Ad

Love the hairdo's!

Review Taqueria: A Little Bit of Mission in London?

Folks, I think I've founded a little bit of the Mission District in SF, right here in London! Who would've thought? I went to Taqueria today to see what all the GOOP was about and it wasn't too bad! And by that I mean, I did not have the urge to break down and cry.

I ordered a Elote (half corn on the cob with a spicy, cheesy rub on it) and an order of carne asada tacos with a diet Coke. Andi ordered a salad, carne asada tacos and a horchata. The tacos were actually pretty tasty! The other things, not that tasty! The horchata was too sweet, watery and lacked flavor, the salad was just eh!, and the corn on the cob, good, but nothing to write home about. Obviously, the diet Coke the perfect compliment! Would I go there again? Yes, for the tacos.

Also, not only were we not served chips and salsa as a complimentary snack, but they were not listed as sides on the menu either. Boo.

So authentic? No. Does the trick when I have a desperate craving for some sort of Mexican food? Yes.

Oh! And the desserts did not look appetizing!

Today I miss...

1. Torrance Beach. When I picture myself relaxing, tanning and feeling utterly content, I am laying on the warm, soft sand of Torrance Beach.

2. Windy San Francisco afternoons. Now that I have this short 'do, my hair can't slap me in the face anymore!

3. Watching debates and speeches in D.C. bars with my very politically-minded friends and random opinionated locals.

4. Driving from Boulder to Nederland after hours blasting Fiona Apple, Pearl Jam and/or Modest Mouse with the windows down, breathing in crisp, cool air.

5. Going to random house parties on hot, sticky summer nights in Philadelphia waiting for the freestylin' competition to begin.

Everyone's Chit-Chaating Over 'Chai!

Either you've experienced it first hand or heard about my sister Rumin's culinary talents. She is an AMAZING chef. I am not saying this because she is my sister. I will admit, she does come from a family with superb skills in the kitchen (somehow, I got only 1/3 of these genes!). The thing is, you can give Rumin three random ingredients...say chicken fat, Brussels sprouts and anchovies and she'll create something you'll crave for months, years even!

So why am I telling you this? To torture you? A little. There is a point, folks. After someone has a taste of one of Rumin's many amazing meals, they usually give a good belch and then say "damn that was good! You should open up a restaurant or become a chef." Alright, alright. They don't belch (I do), and they don't say "damn" --you know I added that in! BUT they usually murmur something about her unique talents and chef-like skills in their food coma-like state.

Although Rumin has no plans to open up a proper restaurant, she has decided to make her Chit Chaat Chai fantasy come true. My sister is going to run a Speakeasy restaurant once a month (!!!) out of her lovely home in the LBC. She will showcase her delicious talents, creating tasty meals from the Kathiwar region of North India. Obviously, its not only about the food, but also things like dining experience, "Chaat"-ing....alright, alright. Who am I kidding? You know its all about the food for me! Anyway, you can find out more information on her blog, where you can also RSVP and see sample menus.

What I learned about HIV

On Saturday, I attended Body + Soul's volunteer orientation. I was able to talk to about 50 of the 150 volunteers and get better acquainted with staff! There were about 6-7 different options for workshops; the three workshops I attended were: HIV: Beginner's Guide, Adults Living with HIV, and How to Facilitate Groups with Teens. As I sat through these workshops, I realized a few things-- one, I barely know anything about HIV and two, HIV is a costly, time-consuming virus that takes a toll on your self-esteem and relationships.

Here are a few facts I learned:

1. The health care system in Britain, covers all HIV meds, but people are still in need of supplements, healthy food, and other treatments. This is not covered by the State and is costly to individuals often leading them to file for bankruptcy
2. Prevention programs in the UK are virtually nonexistent; the last campaign took place in the early-mid 1990's
3. Most of what I learned about HIV, up until this point, was not taught in schools or by public awareness campaigns, but from a Golden Girls episode
4. It's possible to have negative children even if you or your partner, or both are positive
5. HIV meds have a long list of side effects including: fatigue, diarrhea, hallucinations (particularly in dreams), insomnia, not to mention the psychological effects as a result of stigma that invites isolation, depression, anxiety.
6. Every pregnant woman is tested for HIV in the UK

Stay tuned for more information...

Top 10

10 Things that fascinate me about London:

1. Realistic TV adverts on drunk driving, smoking, sexual health, etc
2. The size of London--huge!
3. The various languages, accents and types of people you HEAR and SEE EVERY single day
4. The public transportation system!
5. No matter what time of day, there are always tourists outside of Buckingham Palace
6. Normal, triangle-shaped samosas with your choice of veggie OR meat filling!
7. 3rd and 4th generation (South) Asians
8. Peoples fixation with the American accent
9. Every office, teacher's/student lounge, and home has an electric tea kettle
10. Green Park--still my #1 spot for twirling and randomly laughing out loud

Crunch Crunch! Brunch Brunch!

When people say "brunch" in the UK, my mind immediately thinks delicious stacks of french toast, maple syrup, endless cups of coffee, fresh fruit and home fries. Of course, that is the "American" in me, because brunch does not mean any of those things in London (except maybe the coffee part). It means baked beans, roasted tomatoes and who knows what else. Guys, I want an American brunch EVERY Sunday. I miss that about DC. DC may not do a lot of food right, but they definitely nailed it with brunch (and happy hour, but that is for a different post).

So when I wake up Sunday mornings, ready to grub, I want to magically transport myself to one of these little gems:

1. Napoleon, DC: coffees, crepes, decor, service---all fantastic! I am sorry I didn't get to it until my last Sunday in DC

2. Meadow Mountain Cafe, Colorado: Don't even get me started on their amazing home made bread and jam. This quaint cafe is near Boulder. I haven't been there in years, but the next time I am in Colorado, I plan on making a trip.

3. The Tabard Inn, DC: doesn't the name say it all?

4. Le Peep, Colorado: favorite college brunch place with fantastic gooey buns and yummy skillets. Although I heard its not as good as it used to be. Boo!

5. Cafe du Soleil, SF: Mmmm, yummy french toast, hot chocolate and pastries. What more do you want out of brunch?

Quote of the Day

I'm not sure why, but I am feeling really political today. Perhaps part of it is due to the conversation I had with my English classmates about health care in the States (ahem! the lack of), getting Obama elected and the impact it has/had on them and the world; or perhaps it's because I am sick of the same b.s. conversations that infiltrate our bought media. Can we place value on having a brain and using it? On upholding human rights? Fine, if not, what about valuing investigative journalism?

I am so over it....though I do appreciate this quote:

"No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me, it comes down to integrity – theirs as individuals and ours as an institution." -- Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Yes! Thank you, Obama, for finally paying attention to one of the constituencies that helped get you and your administration elected! Thank you for attempting to uphold human rights in our country. Thank you for attempting to bring that value back into our policies and systems.

To Do: Where Three Dreams Cross

Where Three Dreams Cross Exhibit + lunch at a Balti house on Brick Lane = Fabulous Day!

Where Three Dreams Cross
21 January - 11 April 2010
Whitechapel Gallery
77-82 Whitechapel High Street
London E1 7QX map
tel. +44 (0)20 7522 7888

**Thanks Faaiza for this recommendation!**

A-Brooch Me

Question: What do strong, smart and fashionable women have in common?


1. Obviously you all are aware of my love for Michelle Obama. She is fantastic in many ways, which I will bring up several times throughout the lifespan of this blog, I'm sure! One of the ways her fashion sense inspires me is through her use of brooches. I always thought brooches belonged on old ladies, but then Michelle came along using broaches to add some pizazz to her already fabulous outfits. And Bam! Shift in perspective!

2. Around the same time I started opening up to this brooch business, I learned my friend Amy was also into using brooches to jazz up a dress, jacket or any ole outfit! Here's how the story goes. While I was living in DC, Amy took me to her favorite jewelry store, The Legendary Beast. This place is a definite treasure--great vintage and antique jewelry and not too much of a strain on the wallet. Yes, please! To my surprise, Amy was looking at the selection of brooches and she's certainly not 98! She's my age! Another eye-opening moment. The jeweler mentioned that since Ms. O was on the scene, brooches have become more popular. Are we surprised? Nope. Of course, lets give credit to Ms. Amy. She is ahead of the game and knew all along just how valuable a brooch can be to an outfit.


3. Mad Men. Need I say more? Have you seen the brooches the ladies rock? Specifically Ms. Harris? She's combines brooches and her signature necklace and it looks damn good! By the way, as I was searching for pictures of Joanie, I learned you can purchase a replica of her signature necklace at 1928.com- for those of you who are interested.

So what lesson have learned today? Brooches are fun, versatile accessories worn by intelligent, stylish women. How could I not embrace them?


Here I am modeling my very first brooch. Purchased in Prague.