Nuevo Blog!

Hi peeps! As you may notice, there has been some formatting problems on my page. I tried to re-format the template for a new look in light of this blog's 1st birthday but it has been tricky in terms of the timing and actually doing the work. I've been spending some time in Indonesia hanging out with family and (of course) enjoying great food. Somehow, this homecoming has been very different from others. Not only did I finally understand that the full enjoyment of food requires all five senses, it also needs great companionship. No matter how delicious the food in front of you is, you won't enjoy it if the dining partner is your sworn enemy! :)

Anyhoo, besides a makeover in food/companionship philosophy, I also got a makeover of sorts: contact lenses, makeup (finally!) and a sharp new haircut (at least I think it's sharp, haha), which got me to thinking about a whole new blog with a whole new philosophy. So, The Foodiva, my new blog, is a reflection of this nuevo philosophy I aim to live by.

I find that I've been too solitary especially in the past few years. I enjoy a lot of solitude in Chicago because I'm so far away from my family and most of my friends who are either in Indonesia or Singapore. I like the freedom and independence of the US, but at the same time, I yearn for what I had earlier in my life (gosh, do I sound ancient or what?). Despite the craziness of it all, I want to lead a life similar to what it was like when I was a kid still living in Indonesia: endlessly surrounded by loved ones and (almost) daily gatherings around the dining table.

So, what I'm trying to say is that I'd like to adopt a more "social" and community-centric lifestyle (if you will). So feel free to visit any time and drop me a line at my new pad, The Foodiva.

I Like Killing Flies

Being a self-professed food enthusiast (or foodie, if you will), I like to not only cook, bake and eat but also read, write, chat and think about food. An obsession? That's an understatement in my family. There was a short article in Gourmet magazine a few months ago about what they think are the best food-related movies and "I Like Killing Flies" is one of them.

"I Like Killing Flies" is an independent documentary about the unique, family-operated Greenwich Village restaurant, Shopsin's. Specifically, the film follows the eccentric patriarch and cook, Kenny, who is more interesting than many fictional characters. Profanity-laced and surprisingly peppered with many intelligent analogies and thoughts, this documentary was a lot of fun to watch. Kenny is as likely to serve someone one of his butter-laden, delicious creations as to throw customers out of his eatery for unconsciously breaking his rules.

Kenny's rants on his various philosophies in life are gut-bustingly funny and thoughtful at the same time. Having been used to customers leaving empty plates, he would taste the food on an unfinished plate just in case there's something wrong with his cooking. Weird in many ways, no? The extensive and interesting menu at Kenny's diner is sure to please any taste bud, ranging from mac'n'cheese pancake (yes, you read that right!) to "Blisters in my sisters" (some sort of corn tortilla, egg, veggies and meat concoction). The beautiful shots of the food that Shopsin churns out has made it a definite destination the next time I visit NYC (which isn't that far into the future, actually). Personally, I would like to try the mac'n'cheese pancake out of pure curiosity *haha*

Unfortunately, due to some complications (the nature of which I'm not 100% clear about), Shopsin's had to close down for a few months. Fortunately though, it's scheduled to be reopened by the time I visit the great city *yay* Unlike standard documentaries that aim to "teach" the audience something, this movie was pure enjoyment (okay, okay, I learned not to bring a party of five to Shopsin's!). If you like food and are up for some laughs, this is definitely something you have to watch!