Tales of that tall asian girl

The laziest of weekends

thattallasiangirl — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:07:20 +0000

As a result of going a little too hard Wednesday and Thursday, I’ve come down with a sore throat and decided to settle down a bit this weekend. Here’s a look at what I’ve been up to:

Things I did on Saturday:

-wake up past noon

-walk down to Goya for some new woolly slippers

-wander through art galleries on the Calle de Claudio Coello

-watch a puppet show in the Retiro

-eat salt encrusted sunflower seeds by the water, watching the sunset

Thing I’ve done this Sunday:

-hot chocolate for breakfast

-stay under the covers all day, looking for apartment rentals for my dad

-learn about sherry

-dress up in heels and pearls to visit La Venencia for a sherry tasting

This is a nice change of pace from Harvard.

Drawn upside down, turned right side up

thattallasiangirl — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:44:54 +0000

Madrid

thattallasiangirl — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:52:42 +0000

What I find most charming about this city are the little old ladies who ride the buses and mosey around the calles, wearing their spectacular mink fur coats. I’m home for the next four months, and though I don’t have mink hanging in my closet, I’m hoping to blend in soon–a difficult feat, however, as it’s incredibly ostracizing being Asian in Europe.

My iphone was stolen, and now I’m too paranoid to bring out my camera around the city. Photos will have to wait for a bit. Tomorrow, I will buy myself a sketchbook and a Spanish copy of 100 Years of Solitude, the book that reminds me why I love literature.

Shanghai

thattallasiangirl — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:27:21 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

The World Before My World-Ending Nap

thattallasiangirl — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 03:38:28 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

The sun setting on the Charles.

Packing

thattallasiangirl — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:34:56 +0000

I’m having brunch, a less-than-inspiring fare of chicken with broccoli sauce, a thin tangle of bacon, and roast potatoes. Every moment I eat, however, is just staving off the eventuality of packing. I’ll be (temporarily) moving to Madrid in less than a month, and I will need to pack and store my entire dorm room today. Before my flight tomorrow. I realize I always make lists when overwhelmed. Here’s one:

To-Do for Today:
1. Laundry
2. Pack
3. Return emails
4. Get a present for our building manager, and small Christmas gifts for other friends.

Tomorrow:
1. Store
2. Pick up passport
3. Pick up financial aid and other checks
4. Meet with dean

I despise packing. Items that are perfectly happy with their present situation on my floor shouldn’t be forcibly put away. Perhaps a nap, first.

It’s bright and cold outside, like everything’s encased in ice. If I can help it, I will not step outside.

Lamonting

thattallasiangirl — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 01:08:08 +0000

I had a literature review for a research paper due yesterday. Fast forward 12 hours past the deadline, and I’m forcing myself to work on it in my own little cubbyhole in good ol’ lamont, listening to the tap-tap of macbook computers, the occasional cough, and the rare ringing of a phone.

M’s essentials for getting shit done:

cheap coffee from au bon pain
a bit of chocolate (in this case, a delicious chocolate croissant)
my iphone so I can be healthily distracted by texts

I really want to leave the library soon. Tomorrow is Friday. There is some good in the world.

Excerpt

thattallasiangirl — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 04:20:24 +0000

He’d spent a lot of time picking the restaurant. He couldn’t forget the way her eyes gleamed the first time he took her to a nice restaurant, the way she sat down quietly, afraid to upset the stuffing in the chair, moving her silverware as if handling the delicate, hollow bones of birds. As he scrolled through the reviews, he thought about the way she had sipped her cocktail, her delight in the sparkling blend of St. Germain, Hendrick’s, Chandon Brut. He remembered when they’d brought out the small pieces of foie gras on crackers. He could see the wheels in her head churning as her eyes flicked through her silverware, unable to decide how to eat it. He thought about that incident with a small pinprick of guilt. He’d sat back and stalled by swirling his drink, watching her fumble the foie gras with a fork. Finally, after she was done chewing, he reached over and picked up the second cracker with his hand. Maybe he was trying to embarrass her.

Atlas Shrugged

thattallasiangirl — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 04:08:59 +0000

What Atlas Shrugged has taught me about life: Whatever you’re doing, do it well. Whatever you do, do what you love.

That, and have kinky sex.

Day I’m-Not-Keeping-Track: Spaghetti Bolognese

thattallasiangirl — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 05:04:18 +0000

What up, I made this.

I decided to see if the liquor store near my apartment building sold alcohol to minors. Turns out–they do. I got a bottle of something bubbly, then decided to drink before cooking spaghetti bolognese. Holy fuck. I don’t remember much of the cooking (thank god I was under the vigilant supervision of my concerned boyfriend over skype, who is now convinced I should never cook). However, miraculously, it turned out deliciously!

Here is the recipe (or what I remember of it):

Ingredients:

-canned heritage tomatoes

-one fresh tomato

-fresh basil

-oregano

-thyme

-ground beef

-olive oil

-minced garlic

Heat the pan and add a generous helping of olive oil (honestly…is there ever too much of it?). Add the meat and break it up as much as you can with a spatula. Cook for three minutes. Add minced garlic. Cook for one minute. Add tomatoes, oregano, and thyme. Let it simmer until it kind of looks like sauce (about 15 minutes). At the very end, chop the basil and throw it in. Stir. And…ta-da!

A recipe so easy it’s totally drunkard friendly.

Don't know how I got the sense to take pictures...