Books: Review of Why LA – Pourquoi Paris

September 13, 2017 | 3 Commentaries

I recently received a copy of the book Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? to review. While I have been to Los Angeles, it was a short trip, and I didn’t really get to live the LA life. Paris, on the other hand, is ~~one of~~ (who am I kidding – it is) my favourite city.

In this book, Diane Ratican compares the two cities on multiple aspects – food, culture architecture, fashion, art.

What’s really special, in my opinion, is that the text is in both French and English, and descriptions are followed by pages and pages of beautiful artwork. The illustrations were done by Eric Giriat and Nick Lu. It’s easy to stare at the pages for a while to see all the detailed work.

Over the long weekend, I read the book in one sitting. The text is informative and well-written. I learned a lot about LA, and learned a few new things about Paris, too.

Many thanks to Why LA? Pourquoi Paris? and Sarah at Smith for sending me this book.

All photos and opinions are my own.

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Two For Tuesday: Headphones

September 12, 2017 | 1 Commentary

Are you into mini or large headphones? For what purposes?

Apple Airpods, $219 CAD, Best Buy

Bose headphones, $269.99 CAD, Best Buy

I use the set that came with my iPhone – usually when I’m driving – and another set for my iPod when I (sometimes) use it. I have yet to try sound-proofing headphones for travel even though I know they’re a popular option.

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Food: Playing Around with Pasta

September 11, 2017 | Leave a Reply

I use my KitchenAid stand mixer regularly – mostly to make bread, but I also use it for baking, crepes, and pasta. While I’ve been quite happily making linguine with the KitchenAid pasta cutters for the last couple of years, I’ve had my eye on the pasta press because of the pasta varieties it can make.

Figuring out the right texture for the dough and speed of the mixer has taken a bit of practice, but here’s what I’ve learned so far.

While I do like mixing the dough with the dough hook in the bowl of the mixer, I have found it has worked better for me to do it right on the counter instead. Especially since I’ve been trying to get used to the proper texture.

My very non-precise recipe is eggs, flour, and a touch of water. I know how annoying this lack of recipe is, as I’ve experience the same thing whenever my mom has tried to measure things out when she’s cooking. The thing is is that no matter what recipe I’ve tried, I’ve always had to make adjustments.

Gather the three ingredients and start kneading them into a dough. Rough textured dough is what you’re going for here – rather than smoothy, stretchy dough like you’d use for pizza.

Once you’ve got the dough right, it’s time to use the attachment. Essentially, you take a chunk of the dough (golf ball size is a good guide), toss it into the attachment (into the hopper, specifically), and watch the shapes form!

Each shape will require a different speed. For rigatoni – like you see in the first photo – set the speed to 6. When the rigatoni is your preferred length (i.e., a couple of inches), use the integrated cutter to swipe across and cut the pasta.

Toss the rigatoni with some flour and put it aside. As with my linguine, I place the pasta on a clean tea towel before I cook it or freeze it.

To change the shape of pasta, all you need to do is trade out the shape plate at the bottom of the attachment.

I tried the bucatini next. I didn’t adjust the dough at all, but I did set the mixer to speed 10. It worked out perfectly! Isn’t the middle hole just magic? I could hardly believe that it was actually working!

The fusilli is still giving me issues even after trying several times to get it right. I just can’t get it. I think the dough needs to be even rougher/more textured/drier for it to go through the hopper and come out as a spiral. Speed is set at between 2 and 4 for the fusilli, but I tried both, and neither produced a true fusilli.

For the final trial of the day, I attached the large macaroni plate. And then I smiled when the curvy shape started coming through. Magic once again! I set the speed to 6 as per the KitchenAid manual, and it worked out well.

There are so many great things about fresh pasta. If you have made too much, it’s easily frozen.

If you’re ready to eat it, then it cooks very quickly! Here’s my bucatini paired with my mom’s sauce. Trust me, it’s a great combo!

If you have any tips about using the pasta press, please share! I’ll continue to do the same!

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The Friday Five: Squirrels

September 8, 2017 | Leave a Reply

I’m really trying to hold on to summer, but with lower-than-10-degree weather, back to school week, and colour changing leaves (it’s happening!), it’s really hard. I’m sad to see summer go because it’s my favourite season. Not only that, but I know that once the cool weather arrives, it’s here to stay. For a while. A long while. And even though I try every year to like something about winter, I’m definitely opposed to it. But I digress.

The real point of this post is to feature some lovely squirrels. It seems as though I have some strong memories of this little, wild animal.

When my French exchange student came to live with me and my family when I was sixteen, one of the first things she commented on were the squirrels. She couldn’t believe how many were jumping and climbing around in my parents’ backyard. At the time, I didn’t even know the French word for squirrel (un écureuil). It was fun to watch her excitement about an animal I barely paid attention to.

Of my mom’s Swarovski collection, the squirrel has always been one my favourite figurines (see below). Its curvy tail got me!

And the other day, on my walk home from work, I saw the tiniest baby squirrel. I had never seen one so small before. I was too slow with my camera, so I wasn’t able to snap a photo, but, trust me, it was teeny! And it was moving pretty quickly!

squirrel dish, Urban Barn

squirrel match strike, Jonathan Adler

squirrel figurine, Swarovski

squirrel dish, 1st Dibs

Are squirrels abundant where you live? Do they annoy you? Are you fond of them?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Hotel to Home: Hotel Mono, Singapore

September 7, 2017 | Leave a Reply

The colour palette at Hotel Mono is limited – black, white, grey. Classics, if you ask me! This minimalist hotel in Singapore opened just a few months ago in March 2017.

I’m definitely heading toward a reinterpretation of one of the rooms, but before I do, look at the hotel from the outside.

Did your jaw drop? Yup. It happened to me, too.

There are several room options available at Hotel Mono, but today I’m focusing on the most unusual: the single room. Everything in one room. Why create real walls when you don’t have to?

The room is affordable, too, at just about $100 CAD per night (depending on day of week month, and promotion, of course).

If you can’t make it all the way to Singapore, but you are looking to do a mini reno in your own home, here are some options that might get your plan going.

black jug and sugar bowl, tiles, black bed frame, mirror, sheet set, rainshower system, cabinet

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